Land Rover Australia - Sponsor CYCA's Sydney Gold Coast Yacht Race

Land Rover signs sponsorship agreement with the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia

Cruising Yacht Club of Australia Commodore Howard Piggott announced today that Land Rover Australia has become the naming rights sponsor of two of the CYCA’s major sailing events: the Land Rover Winter Series and Land Rover Sydney Gold Coast Yacht Race.

This is Land Rover’s first major sponsorship in the sport of sailing in Australia.In April 2013 Land Rover globally announced a three year sponsorship as a Series Main Partner of the Extreme Sailing Series^TMand became a sponsor of the Clipper Round the World Race via the GREAT Britain yacht. Land Rover has a long history in sailing dating back to 1988 when the brand first sponsored the internationally renowned Cowes Week, Isle of Wight, England

“I would like to welcome Land Rover to the CYCA as the principle sponsor of the Land Rover Winter Series and the Land Rover Sydney Gold Coast Yacht Race,” Commodore Piggott said.

“We look forward to a long association with Land Rover, continuing the tradition of the Winter Series, which has been part of the Club’s sailing calendar since 1949, and being a part of the ‘yachties’ annual migration north with the Gold Coast race that starts on Saturday 26 July,” Commodore Piggott added.

Tim Krieger, Land Rover Australia’s Brand Manager said of the sponsorship: “We are very excited about this partnership with the CYCA as it provides the perfect platform to showcase our shared core values”

“The Winter Series and Sydney Gold Coast Yacht Race represented a great package mixing inshore and offshore racing, this in turn is a great fit for our brand which is all about adventure and shared experiences. The boats, like Land Rover vehicles, have design and technological innovation at their core, and both can take on the unique challenges of their surroundings and deliver top performance”

The Land Rover Winter Series is the longest runningongoing series dating back to the foundation years of the CYCA and commences on Sunday 27 April with the Great Veterans and Ladies Day races.

With fleets averaging 140 plus boats weekly, it is one of the biggest weekly winter sailing events in the world, attracting more than 1,500 competitors who enjoy plenty of action packed round the buoys racing on the beautiful Sydney Harbour each week.

The Land Rover Winter Series pointscore starts on Sunday 4 May with ten races for nine spinnaker, three non-spinnaker and a one design division (for Sydney 38s should sufficient entries be received). The pointscore series will consist of ten races, with up to three drops allowed, if all ten races are completed.

On top of the highly sought after Land Rover Winter Series merchandise awarded as prizes, every Sunday during the 2014 series Land Rover will provide the opportunity for one of the divisional winners to test drive a Range RoverEvoquefor a week.Entries for the Land Rover Winter Series are now open and available via www.cyca.com.au

The 29^thLand Rover Sydney Gold Coast Yacht Race commences on Saturday 26 July at 1pm and takes the fleet from the Nielsen Park start line, down the Harbour and out through Sydney Heads, before turning left to head to the finish line off Main Beach at Southport, on Queensland’s Gold Coast.

The 384 nautical mile race heralds the commencement of the CYCA’s prestigious Blue Water Pointscore Series (BWPS) – a six-race serieswith the champion to be crowned at the conclusion of the 628 nautical-mile Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race.

Entries and the Notice of Race for the Land Rover Sydney Gold Coast Yacht Race will be available shortly on the race website https://goldcoast.cyca.com.au/

***ENDS***

Photo Caption & Credit:

Tim Krieger, Land Rover Australia’s Brand Manager (centre) with CYCA CEO Mark Woolf (left) and CYCA Commodore Howard Piggott (far right). Credit CYCA Staff

With fleets averaging 140 plus boats weekly, the Land Rover Winter Series is one of the biggest weekly winter sailing events. Credit Brett Hemmings, www.sailpix.com.au

One lucky divisional winner will have the opportunity to drive a Land Rover Evoque for a week. Credit Land Rover

Land Roverare also the Series Main Partner of the Extreme Sailing Series^TMglobally. Credit Land Rover

Further information:

Jennifer Crooks

Communications Officer

Cruising Yacht Club of Australia

Ph: 02 8292 7800

Mobile: 0458 211 678

Email: jennifer.crooks@cyca.com.au