VELUX 5 OCEANS Amer One broaching

The VELUX 5 OCEANS, the solo round-the world yacht race which starts October 17, 2010, has appointed leading strategic communications agency Hill & Knowlton to handle a global media relations brief utilising their network of offices around the world.

Through their network, centrally co-ordinated from London, Hill & Knowlton’s Sports team will assist the race communications team with the PR and activation of the race via offices in France, South Africa, New Zealand, Australia, Brazil, the United States, Germany and Poland. These key territories reflect both the route of the race, the nationalities of the participating skippers and a number of key markets of title sponsor VELUX Group.

Hill & Knowlton will engage with national, regional and local media around the world using the stories coming out of the race as it makes its way around the planet.

VELUX 5 OCEANS - Storm Racing

Tim Kelly, VELUX 5 OCEANS Race Director of Communications, said “Following a competitive tender process around the world, Hill & Knowlton presented a very creative pitch, offering a unique solution of a global network which ideally suits the international nature of the VELUX 5 OCEANS. This network offers us flexibility, synergies and a base of knowledge sharing which adds significant value to the race media team. Given their energy, enthusiasm and experience, I have no doubt that this will be a highly successful partnership.”

VELUX 5 OCEANS Race Route

Andy Sutherden, Head of Sports, Hill & Knowlton said: “This is a great win for H&K. We were able to demonstrate the breadth and depth of our experience across our network. This combined scale and expertise will help the VELUX 5 OCEANS team deliver international fame and excitement for this global sporting event, and we are delighted to add them to our list of blue chip clients such as Gillette, Aviva, adidas and Castrol”.

The VELUX 5 OCEANS, run by Clipper Ventures PLC, starts from La Rochelle in France on October 17 and features five ocean sprints. After heading from La Rochelle to Cape Town, the race will then take in Wellington in New Zealand, Salvador in Brazil and Charleston in the US before returning back across the Atlantic to France.