British solo round the world sailor Alex Thomson will be joined by a host of talent onboard the newly re-fitted Open 60 HUGO BOSS for the 2009 Rolex Fastnet Race. Joining him onboard will be former Olympic skier and adventurer Graham Bell, Sir Keith Mills (Head of the British America’s Cup campaign Team Origin and founder of the Air Miles International Group) and Rob Greenhalgh, twice veteran of the Volvo Ocean Race and recently crowned Skiff World Champion. Navigator Andrew Cape will also join the crew for the race. Andrew ‘aka Capey’, recently completed his sixth lap of the planet alongside Rob onboard PUMA Ocean Racing during the last edition of the Volvo Ocean Race. Capey is no stranger to Alex Thomson or HUGO BOSS, after securing second place in the Barcelona World Race with Alex in 2007. Completing the crew line up is the man who will be preparing the boat for the Fastnet Race, HUGO BOSS boat captain Ross Daniel.

The world famous event will kick off on Sunday 9th August from Cowes on the Isle of Wight. The 600 nautical mile race will see a fleet of 300 head along the English Channel and out towards the famous Fastnet Rock on the Southern tip of Ireland, the fleet will then turn around and head back to the finish in Plymouth.

Graham who is a totally novice sailor will undertake a sea survival course ahead of the race. The race has been running for 89 years and attracts a range of sailors of all levels. It was brought to national attention in 1979 after an extreme storm swept through the Irish Sea, 15 crew as well as 4 from the trimaran shadowing the race and two from a cruising yacht, tragically died. Only 85 boats finished, 194 retired, and 24 boats were abandoned. “I am excited about the prospect of sailing with Alex and his crew for the Fastnet, I am certainly in great company and hope that everything goes to plan. This is certainly one of the most adventurous things I have ever done,” said Graham.

This will be the first race onboard HUGO BOSS after Alex was forced to retire from the Vendée Globe in December last year, the Open 60 has undergone a full re-fit at Endeavour Quays in Gosport. “I’m really excited to get back out racing again. I think we have a great crew lined up, and it will be fantastic to have Capey step onboard again. I am sure Graham will enjoy every minute of this historic race, seeing the Fastnet Rock for the first time is one of those special moments in sailing that I’m sure he won’t forget. I’m looking forward to a good race and hopefully a good result,” commented Alex.

The Fastnet Race will take place on 9th August, starting at Cowes and finishing in Plymouth. The first boats are expected to finish on 11 August, weather dependent. The current course record is held by Mike Slade's 100-foot super maxi ICAP Leopard standing at 1 day, 20 hours, and 18 minutes.


Notes to Editors:
On 11 August, 303 yachts left the Solent at the start of the 1979 Fastnet Race, the biggest fleet ever in what at the time was still considered one of the greatest ocean race challenges. They left with a forecast of light to moderate west-north-westerly winds with no gale warnings. Just three days later, after an extreme storm had swept the Irish Sea, 15 crew as well as 4 from the trimaran shadowing the race and two from a cruising yacht, had died. Only 85 boats finished, 194 retired, 24 boats were abandoned, of which 19 were recovered. This was and still is, the greatest disaster in ocean racing history.

About Alex Thomson
Alex Thomson, 33 year-old record breaking sailor, is a major talent in international yachting. Alex first came to prominence at the age of 25 when he became the youngest skipper ever to win a round-the-world yacht race when he won the 1998-1999 Clipper Race. Following that early success, in 2000 he won the Round Britain & Ireland Race on an Open 50 "Sail that Dream" in a record time of 10 days which still stands.

In 2005 Alex became the first skipper to sign up for the 3 in 3 – 3 round the world races in 3 years starting with the Velux 5 Oceans in 2006, followed by the Barcelona World Race (BWR) in November 2007, and culminating in the 2008 Vendee Globe Alex was forced to retire from the Velux 5 Oceans due to severe structural problems. He overcame the Southern Ocean by achieving a second place podium finish in the Barcelona World Race. Whilst on this race Alex smashed the 60ft monohull world distance record and was in excellent shape for the Vendée Globe.

However, only 3 weeks before the Vendée was due to commence, Alex was dramatically struck by a French fishing vessel. His team fought against the clock to finish the repairs in record time to achieve the impossible - and get Alex to the start line. As a race favourite, Alex’s dreams to become the first Briton to win the much coveted title were shattered after only 3 days racing; when he discovered HUGO BOSS was letting in water. On inspecting the damage to HUGO BOSS it was determined that it could not be repaired in time to get Alex back in the race. Devastated, Alex announced his retirement from the Vendée. He is determined to return and compete in the 2012, and achieve his dream to become the first Briton to win the Vendée Globe.
http://www.alexthomsonracing.com

HUGO BOSS SAILING
HUGO BOSS has been actively involved in sailing since 2003, when it sponsored the yacht HUGO BOSS and Alex Thomson in the legendary Rolex Fastnet race off the English coast. Alongside sailing, the international fashion group has for many years supported Formula One (McLaren Mercedes), the Indy Racing League (Team Penske), tennis (Davis Cup), golf (several international players), and boxing (Vitali and Wladimir Klitschko).

As Alex Thomson's title sponsor, HUGO BOSS is supporting sailing primarily from a sporting point of view. Sailing is the ideal choice to round out the HUGO BOSS sports sponsorship program. It combines grace, dynamic energy and aesthetics like few other sports. HUGO BOSS is looking forward to more exciting years of sailing in the future.