Old Pulteney Partners with Sailing Hero Sir Robin Knox-Johnston.

13/04/2007

"Genuine Maritime Malt Raises the flag for Final Leg."

Old Pulteney Single Malt Scotch Whisky is delighted to announce its sponsorship of British sailing hero Sir Robin Knox-Johnston as he prepares to complete the ‘ultimate solo challenge’ - the VELUX 5 Oceans round the world yacht race.

Known as the Genuine Maritime Malt, Old Pulteney has come on board to support Sir Robin as he sets sail from Norfolk (USA) this Sunday competing against four other competitors with the aim of a podium place in Bilbao, Spain.

An inspirational figure in the sailing world, at 68 Sir Robin is equipped with unrivalled experience and breadth of knowledge to tackle this most incredible of challenges - sailing around the world solo on a 60 foot, formula 1 style yacht- after making history when he became the first person to sail non-stop around the world in 1969, winning him the Sunday Times Golden Globe.

The Velux 5 Oceans is one of the toughest sporting challenges in the world, pushing the skippers’ endurance, resilience and determination for over 150 days in the most demanding and extreme conditions. Old Pulteney’s choice to support Sir Robin in his efforts relates to the whisky’s maritime heritage. The Pulteney Distillery is the most northerly on the UK mainland, situated in the Highland coastal town of Wick which during the herring boom of the 19th century was the busiest fishing port in Europe. The distillery has maintained a strong connection with its surroundings - whisky connoisseurs even say they can detect a faint hint of the sea in the delicious malt thanks to its windswept location and close proximity to the North Sea.

Commenting on the partnership, Iain Baxter, Marketing Manager of Old Pulteney said: “With our maritime heritage Old Pulteney has been involved in sailing sponsorships for some time and so we jumped at the chance to support Sir Robin who is undoubtedly one of the most inspirational sporting heroes in Britain. His race so far has been strong and he is certainly giving his competitors a real run for their money. Sir Robin is renowned for his love of single malt whisky, and we hope he’ll be able to take a well earned rest and celebrate with a dram of Old Pulteney when he arrives in Bilbao."

Sir Robin Knox-Johnston said: "I’m delighted to have Old Pulteney on board, it’s a fantastic whisky and I’m looking forward to savouring many a happy dram after a tough days sailing."

The VELUX 5 Oceans was established as the first single-handed around the world race in 1982, and takes place every four years. This race began on October 22nd 2006 and has so far travelled from Bilbao (Spain) to Fremantle (Australia) to Norfolk (USA), and the skippers are currently preparing for the crucial final leg back to Bilbao. When isolated, offshore sailors must be equipped to deal with every eventuality the race may present from extreme climates, to sleep deprivation and technical difficulties. Sir Robin and his shore team are using these few days to prepare his custom built 60 foot yacht and refocus before his final sail.

As an established sponsor of UK sailing and maritime events, Old Pulteney has a sailing sponsorship programme supporting the Old Pulteney IRC Scottish Championships, JPMorgan Asset Management Round the Island Race, Scottish Traditional Boat Festival, Henri Lloyd Falmouth Week, and the Port of Dartmouth Royal Regatta. Old Pulteney has also established the largest Maritime Photography Competition in the UK, Wish You Were Here, which challenges the UK’s amateur photographers to capture the perfect shore-side image.

For more info why not visit www.velux5oceans.com

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