Bahrain Team Pindar named, Hugo Boss's night move

by Véronique Teurlay on 3 Nov 2008
With one week to go before the start of the Vendée Globe race British skipper Brian Thompson was able to give the new partners in his IMOCA Open 60 programme a true insight into the huge, passionate interest in the legendary solo round the world race today at the official naming ceremony for Bahrain Team Pindar at the heart of the buzzing Les Sables d’Olonne race village.

Bahrain Team Pindar was officially named ‘King Hamad’ with carbonated rose water by Bahrain’s Labour Minister Dr Mahjeed Al Alawi as the crowded pontoons came to a halt to enjoy the spectacle. The party of VIP’s who flew in for the day may have had to deal with a sharp change in temperature but, wrapped up, they enjoyed the warm welcome, hosted by skipper Thompson and Andrew Pindar, Chairman of the Pindar Group. Backing sailing events and programmes for more than 20 years, Andrew Pindar commented that this will be the seventh time that the Pindar brand has been round the globe in round the world races.

Bahrain Team Pindar will utilise the dual sailing platforms of the IMOCA Open 60 and also the World Match Racing circuit, supporting World Match Racing Champion Ian Williams.

'We are very excited to come here to Les Sables d’Olonne.' Dr Majeed Al Alawi, Bahrain’s Minister of Labour commented, ' It is so interesting to see the thousands of people who come to see this event, and to see this magnificent boat with the Kingdom of Bahrain name and carrying the royal crest. We have had a lot of interest at home in this project and so I think the next three months will be followed day by day by many, many people. We are an island country and so have always relied on sailing and boats for trade and regard ourselves as the grandchildren of sailors and divers. If we get people interested in sailing, boat building, and training as sailors, I think it will be great. And we are very lucky to have Brian Thompson as a skipper because he is a very persistent, strong, cool, personality and we think he will do well.'

While Brian Thompson and the Bahrain Team Pindar naming ceremony was one of the highlights of the day for the tens of thousands of Vendée Globe pilgrims who visited this historic fleet of IMOCA Open 60’s, making ready for next Sunday’s start, the crowds missed the early departure of Alex Thomson’s freshly repaired Hugo Boss.

Hugo Boss left the dock not long after dawn this morning for a full day of sailing with a seven strong crew on board, bedding in the repaired mast which is supported by a full set of new standing rigging. Thompson reported that they had a useful day’s tuning and loading up the mast and boat with continuous testing. Hugo Boss returned to the dock just before 1700hrs to change crew, have a well earned dinner and catch up with the F1’s Brazilian Grand Prix before heading back out for an overnight sail.

'Everything has gone well today. We are just loading things up progressively and tuning the rig. Once again we are lucky because we have had up to 25 knots of good, solid breeze today and so that has been in our favour. It would have been difficult to do what we are trying to achieve if there was just ten knots. We have a good team working with us and I am feeling pretty confident' said Hugo Boss skipper Thomson.
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The Vendée Globe fleet on the pontoons is back to 30 boats, following the re-launch of Steve White’s Spirit of Weymouth. White has a growing army of helpers, professionals as well as friends, working to get his boat ready for next Sunday.

'It is feeling much better, things are moving on nicely. There are still a few jobs to do, we have problems still with the Fleet 77 which we are working on, but the good thing is now, having the help, I am able to step back from time to time.' Said White, who is planning a trial sail later this week.