GROUPE BENETEAU NAMED SPONSOR OF THE US SAILING TEAM AND ISAF SAILING WORLD CUP MIAMI

 Pictured: US Sailing Team Sperry Top-Sider athletes training in Rio de Janeiro, site of the 2016 Olympic and Paralympic Games. Photo: Will Ricketson/US Sailing
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Groupe Beneteau Announces Sponsorship of US Sailing Team and ISAF Sailing World Cup Miami
October 20, 2014
Portsmouth, R.I. – Groupe Beneteau today announced its sponsorship of the US Sailing Team Sperry Top-Sider and ISAF Sailing World Cup Miami. Groupe Beneteau, the parent company of Jeanneau and Beneteau sailing yachts and Lagoon catamarans, is the world’s leading yacht builder, and will now become a significant presence in high-performance sailing with its support of both the US national sailing team and North America’s premier Olympic and Paralympic classes regatta. The partnerships are effective immediately, and will continue through the Rio 2016 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
“Thanks to the generosity, vision and commitment of the leadership of the American entities of Beneteau, Jeanneau and Lagoon, the three Groupe Beneteau sailing brands, we are excited about this first step in support of the US Sailing Team Sperry Top-Sider and the brands’ signature sponsorship of the most important international one design regatta in North America, ISAF Sailing World Cup Miami,” said Wayne L. Burdick, President of Groupe Beneteau’s North American Boat Operations.
As a Silver-Level supporter of the US Sailing Team Sperry Top-Sider, Groupe Beneteau will be a key contributor to the effort to get American sailors onto the podium in Rio 2016. The team is comprised of the top-performing sailors in ten Olympic and three Paralympic boat classes, and competes at major regattas around the world on a four-year campaign for The Games. “Groupe Beneteau and the Beneteau, Jeanneau, and Lagoon yacht brands, are providing a significant boost to our athletes and our program as a whole,” said Josh Adams, Managing Director of US Olympic Sailing. “We are excited to welcome the world’s leading yacht manufacturer to the team, and for the start of a mutually rewarding partnership.”

Pictured: One of several boat parks at ISAF Sailing World Cup Miami. Photo: Walter Cooper/US Sailing
Groupe Beneteau and its main yacht brands of Beneteau, Jeanneau, and Lagoon will also become main sponsors of ISAF Sailing World Cup Miami, which draws the best international sailing talent to compete in the United States each January. These world-class boating brands will be highly visible at both the regatta venue itself, and to a global audience. “ISAF Sailing World Cup Miami is a cornerstone event on the international racing calendar, and it is hard to imagine a better partner for the event than a yacht manufacturer with the visibility and reach of Groupe Beneteau,” said Gary Bodie, Regatta Chair and ISAF (International Sailing Federation) Council Member. Beneteau, Jeanneau and Lagoon yachts will be used by the event’s Race Committee, and will also host VIP guests on the water. “It will be truly wonderful to see our logos sailing with the US team, and to see a fleet of our boats out on the course as the primary vessels used by the race committee and visiting dignitaries,” said Burdick. “When one considers the opportunity to interact with the best of the best in competitive sailing, ISAF Sailing World Cup Miami is the place we need to be as the three brands are the top leaders in worldwide sailing of their respective segments.”

Pictured: Racing at ISAF Sailing World Cup Miami. Photo: Walter Cooper/US Sailing
About the US Sailing Team Sperry Top-Sider
The US Sailing Team Sperry Top-Sider is managed by the United States Sailing Association (US Sailing), the national governing body for the sport of sailing and sailboat racing. The top boats in each Olympic and Paralympic class are selected annually to be members of the US Sailing Team Sperry Top-Sider. US Sailing helps these elite athletes with financial, logistical, coaching, technical, fitness, marketing and communications support. The title sponsor of the team is Sperry Top-Sider; other sponsors include Harken,Team McLube and Groupe Beneteau. Yale Cordage is a team supplier. The US Sailing Center Miami is an Olympic training site. Oakcliff Sailing and Clearwater Community Sailing Center are US Sailing Team Sperry Top-Sider training centers. Chubb Personal Insurance sponsors US Sailing’s National Team Tour, a nationwide presentation program for US Sailing Team Sperry Top-Sider athletes.
The United States Sailing Association (US Sailing), the national governing body for sailing, provides leadership, integrity, and growth for the sport in the United States. Founded in 1897 and headquartered in Portsmouth, Rhode Island, US Sailing is a 501(c) (3) non-profit organization. US Sailing offers training and education programs for instructors and race officials, supports a wide range of sailing organizations and communities, issues offshore rating certificates, and provides administration and oversight of competitive sailing across the country, including National Championships and the US Sailing Team Sperry Top-Sider. For more information, please visit www.ussailing.org
About US Sailing’s ISAF Sailing World Cup Miami
Established in 1990 by US Sailing, ISAF Sailing World Cup Miami annually draws top sailors, including Olympic and Paralympic medalists and hopefuls from around the world. The regatta is open to boats competing in events chosen for the 2016 Olympic Sailing Competition and the 2016 Paralympic Sailing Competition. The 10 Olympic classes are: Laser Radial (women), Laser (men), Finn (men), Men’s and Women’s Windsurfing, 49er (men), 49er FX (women), Men’s and Women’s 470 and Nacra 17 (mixed). The three Paralympic classes are: 2.4mR (open, able and disabled), SKUD-18 (mixed, disabled) and Sonar (open, disabled). In addition to being an ISAF Sailing World Cup ranking event, the regatta also will aid in selecting members of the 2015 US Sailing Team Sperry Top-Sider. The ISAF Sailing World Cup is a world-class annual series for Olympic sailing. It is open to the sailing events chosen for the 2016 Olympic Sailing Competition. The ISAF Sailing World Cup brings together the major regattas on the Olympic sailing circuit. Over 2,000 of the world’s leading sailors representing 75 nations will compete in the seventh season of the World Cup, 2014-2015.
About Groupe Beneteau
As the world’s number one sailing yacht builder – both mono and multi-hull –  Groupe Beneteau has continued to quickly advance  on the motorboat market, and is now one of the world’s leading players. On both sail and motorboats, the BENETEAU, JEANNEAU, LAGOON and PRESTIGE brands are able to offer more than 100 models ranging from 20 to 64 feet. Plus the Groupe has one of the most prestigious names for the custom construction of luxury yachts: CNB. It is also expanding its range in the segment of motorboats over 15 meters with Prestige Yachts and Monte Carlo Yachts. And the Groupe is a leading player on the European leisure home market, with its O’HARA and IRM brands, and is developing its business for  environmentally performant,  residential housing. With progressive  designs and modern industrialization  of wooden-frame houses, it aims to make quality homes that are affordable and in line with sustainable development standards.
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Press contact: Will Ricketson, Olympic Communications Manager, US Sailing. willricketson@ussailing.org, +1 978 697 238
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