Described as the hardest race in the world, the 29,000-nautical miles event begins and finishes in the French Atlantic coast resort of Les Sables d’Olonne, sailing non-stop from east to west along a course that will take him, and the 29 skippers involved, via the Cape of Good Hope, Cape Horn and the Western Australia headland, Cape Leeuwin.
Activities planned around the event include an educational programme for primary school pupils through which they can plot the progress of the race on a fun map using live tracking and weekly video broadcasts.
The sponsorship marks Mercedes-Benz and MSL’s second foray into sailing in recent times. Their previous involvement was seen in their support of Ireland’s Olympic Silver medal winner, Annalise Murphy during her preparations for the recent Rio Olympic Games.
Pictured with two young sailing enthusiasts, Enda O’Coineen points towards the masthead of his 60ft monohull yacht ‘Kilcullen Voyager’ when tied up along Dublin’s River Liffey prior to his departure for France.
