CREWSAVER SELECTED TO SUPPLY TRANSGLOBE LIFEJACKETS

Crewsaver has been chosen by the Joint Service Chiefs to be the official supplier of lifejackets to the major tri-service EXERCISE TRANSGLOBE sail training expedition that sets off from Portsmouth on 11th July 2009.

As a corporate partner and official Patron, Crewsaver will be providing the three boats taking part with 150 MOD standard issue Crewfit 275N lifejackets. These lifejackets are designed for severe conditions and provide the wearer with maximum protection. They are manufactured by Crewsaver at their factory in Mumby Road, Gosport in Hampshire.

Martin Jerrett, Crewsaver's General Manager commented: “It is a tremendous honour to be part of this challenge. The race and the sailing conditions will put the crew through a massive physical and mental test and our lifejackets will be there to ensure they are safe at all times throughout the race. The lifejackets will allow the crew to carry out their on board activities with complete freedom and total peace of mind."

The thrilling EXERCISE TRANSGLOBE event involves crews from the Royal Navy, Army and Royal Air Force. They will pit their wits against the elements and each other as they circle the globe in three Challenge 67ft yachts during a grueling 12-month schedule comprising 13 separate stages and approximately 34,000 nautical miles.

Said Sqn Ldr Neil Cottrell, who is leading the TRANSGLOBE Project Team, "The safety and comfort of the mixed gender crews and ranks representing the Royal Navy, Army and Royal Air Force, is our paramount concern as they face the enormous challenges of ocean sailing. We are delighted to have the famous Crewsaver brand on board as our Patron and sponsor. Their support really helps to underpin the success of this major expedition."

The race, organised by the Joint Service Adventurous Sail Training Centre(JSASTC) in Gosport, aims to provide members of all three British Armed Forces with the opportunity to develop their personal qualities and team skills in a challenging environment. It will test their physical and mental stamina and courage, while developing self confidence and powers of leadership. TRANSGLOBE enjoys the Royal Patronage of HRH The Duke of York.

You can also follow the build up to the start of the challenge and the yachts’ progress throughout the race by checking out the dedicated Exercise TRANSGLOBE page on the Crewsaver website.
April 2009
For further information please contact:
Crewsaver, Mumby Road, Gosport, Hampshire, PO12 1AQ.
Tel. +44 (0) 23 9252 8621; Fax. +44 (0) 23 9251 0905
Email: oana.matty@crewsaver.co.uk
For Media enquiries please contact Peta Stuart-Hunt: peta@prworksuk.com

EXERCISE TRANSGLOBE STEPS UP A GEAR
Tri-Services circumnavigation plans are confirmed as Navy, Army and Air Force personnel prepare to pit their
wits against the elements and each other

•     3  x 67ft yachts
•     12 crew changes
•     14 crew members per yacht
•     500 service personnel in total
•     12 months
•     13 legs
•     33,980 nautical miles

 
Gosport, Hampshire UK, 9th March 2009:
Three 67ft steel hulled yachts named Adventure, Challenger and Discoverer and crewed by Royal Navy, Army and Royal Air Force personnel, will set off from a start gate off Southsea Castle at 1300 hours on the 11th July 2009, to undertake an adventurous sail training exercise that will circumnavigate the globe under the banner Exercise TRANSGLOBE.  There are 13 legs being sailed with crew changes on most legs, allowing over 500 service personnel to experience the thrills, spills and chills of ocean sailing.

Organised by the Joint Service Adventurous Sail Training Centre (JSASTC) in Gosport, Exercise TRANSGLOBE has the Royal patronage of HRH The Duke of York, and the full support of the Service Chiefs.   

The aim of TRANSGLOBE is to provide members of all three British Armed Forces with the opportunity to develop their personal qualities and team skills in a challenging environment that will test their physical and mental stamina, their courage and help them develop self confidence and powers of leadership.  Every other leg is being used as an adventurous training exercise whilst the emphasis on the other legs will be to encourage a spirit of Corinthian competition between the Services.

It is 11 years since the last tri-services Transglobe sailing event took place and the boats used then were Nicholson 55s.  Offshore sailing is arguably the most demanding environment in which anyone can test their mental and physical toughness by getting the best out of their boat to arrive safely at their destination.  

High ranking service personnel will be mucking in with their new recruits

Things are really starting to hot up as the final crew allocations are being made and the route and dates have been confirmed. Those taking part span all ages, gender and rank and range from very senior high ranking service personnel to raw recruits who may have only joined up a few weeks prior to setting off on their respective stage along the route .

The route planning has positioned the yachts so that offshore racing crews can represent their respective Services in the prestigious Rolex Sydney - Hobart Race starting in December 2009 (Leg 6) and Antigua Race Week (Leg 10) in April 2010 during which they will be competing against the cream of the world’s professional and amateur yacht racing fraternity.
 
The qualifier for the Sydney-Hobart Race will be a tri-service offshore race using the three TRANSGLOBE yachts in May 2009.  This is when the Joint Services Sailing Associations will be selecting their racing crews.
 
Everyone on board these three yachts will experience the highs and lows of long ocean passages and landfall in some of the most exciting cities in the world.  The route includes two long Southern Ocean legs, the longest of which includes a rounding of Cape Horn.

Help for Heroes and the Wounded Warrior Programme

Of particular note is Leg 11 in May 2010 between Antigua and Charleston where each yacht will include service personnel recovering from wounds received in recent military operations and some medical support staff, all from Hedley Court and the Help for Heroes initiative.  Individuals may have lost limbs in combat but they are determined to prove themselves as effective members of their respective crews in all respects.  On arrival at Charleston they will be conducting joint land based Adventurous Training with members of the US Forces Wounded Warrior programme.

The Race will re-affirm to members of the Armed Forces and the wider public that the Armed Forces are committed to the personal development of every sailor, soldier and airman regardless of rank or gender to reach their full potential.  It will also serve as a demonstration of the superb Adventurous Training opportunities and facilities available to all service personnel throughout their careers.

Funding

Service personnel are paying towards the operational running costs of this event and organisers are looking for financial support to help defray the high cost of airfares for the crews to the various ports of call around the world. The Project Team is providing the opportunity for the companies to support the event by becoming Corporate Patrons.

Two Patrons already on board are the official technical clothing partner, Gill and Crewsaver. Gill’s Chairman, Nick Gill, is doing some serious R&D on behalf of his company during two of the legs, including racing in the Sydney-Hobart; that’s dedication to the cause!  However, the project is still requiring significant funding to help cover crew travel costs in particular.

For further details and to keep up with all the latest news, log on and bookmark the Exercise TRANSGLOBE website: www.exercisetransglobe.com
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Notes to Editors

Schedule of Media Events

During the build-up to the start in July, there are some opportunities for filming, photographing and interviewing skippers, crews including some high-ranking senior forces personnel, raw recruits and Project Team members between May – July 2009.

• Media Day on Wednesday 6 May:  Our Exercise Transglobe Media Day is being held in Gosport on Wednesday 6th May – details and an invitation to attend will be circulated in due course.

This is the main opportunity prior to the start when we can give you full access to a number of high ranking service personnel, the Project Team and many of the all-important crew members. We are providing land and water-based media opportunities and are hoping to encourage media to go afloat, sailing on one of 67ft ex-Challenge yachts.  
Places are limited.
To request a place, please contact Peta Stuart-Hunt as soon as possible.

There will be opportunities to film and photograph on and off the water and more details will be circulated shortly.

• Services Offshore Regatta 7-10 May: Opportunity for up to three journalists to sail on ENDEAVOUR, the 4th ex-Challenge Business yacht as the Project Team follow the pre-Sydney-Hobart Race Qualifier. Please contact Peta Stuart-Hunt – first come, first served.

• Port Solent Boat Show from 29-31 May: The Exercise Transglobe Project Team are also pleased to announce that they have been invited to participate in the Port Solent Boat Show 2009 taking place at Port Solent between Friday 29th May and Sunday May 31st. Challenger, one of the yachts taking part, will be at Port Solent moored next to The Mermaid Pub and there will be plenty of people involved with Exercise Transglobe on hand to talk about the event and answer any questions.

• The start, Saturday 11 July: Exercise Transglobe starts at Southsea Castle, Portsmouth on Saturday 11th July 2009 at 1300. It will include an air display, the RM Band, a parade of the yachts from Portsmouth Harbour in company with a RN Warship, JSASTC yachts, RNSA members, the RNLI and anyone else that would like to escort these yachts out of the Solent.

Detailed arrangements for accommodating film crews/photographers and journalists wishing to attend the start will be circulated in early June. Meanwhile, if you have any specific requests, please contact Peta Stuart-Hunt as soon as possible.

• The Route/Stages

Exercise Transglobe - The Route                                                    Start          Finish                                                                        
Leg 1                        Gosport to Puerto Calero, Lanzarote            11 Jul 09             1 Aug 09
Leg 2                        Lanzarote to Rio de Janeiro                          1 Aug 09           29 Aug 09
Leg 3                        Rio de Janeiro to Cape Town                        29 Aug 09          26 Sep 09
Leg 4                        Cape Town to Perth                                       03 Oct 09          14 Nov 09
Leg 5                        Perth to Sydney                                             22 Nov 09          11 Dec 09
Leg 6                        Sydney to Hobart Race                                 26 Dec 09            2 Jan 10
Leg 7                        Hobart to Auckland                                        02 Jan 10          16 Jan 10
Leg 8                        Auckland to Montevideo                                30 Jan 10          13 Mar 10
Leg 9                        Montevideo to Antigua                                   17 Mar 10          17 Apr 10
Leg 10                      Antigua Race Week                                       17 Apr 10          1 May 10
Leg 11                      Antigua to Charleston                                     1 May 10           15 May 10
Leg 12                      Charleston to Boston                                    15 May 10          29 Jun 10
Leg 13                      Boston to Gosport                                         30 May 10         26 Jun 10
Media Enquiries:

Peta Stuart-Hunt
Press Officer
Exercise Transglobe

T: +44 (0) 1590 679 621
M: +44 (0) 7711 477 707
E:

Go to Gill Web Site

GILL APPOINTED OFFICIAL CLOTHING SUPPLIER TO THE ARMED FORCES ‘TRANSGLOBE EXPEDITION’ ROUND-THE-WORLD YACHT RACE 2009 – 2010