ON-BOARD FOR ARC 2001

Press release: 11 April 2001

ARC 2001 promises to be bigger and better than ever before as it moves into its 16th year. The event, which sees more than 200 yachts annually crossing from Las Palmas de Gran Canaria to St Lucia, has already received over 150 entrants with the maximum number of 225 expected to be reached in early July, more than four months before the rally starts.

The popularity of the ARC stems from its all round appeal. There is plenty of room for the serious racer, the gentle cruiser, the family and of course the sailing socialite with events out of the water as crucial as they are on it.

The ARC fleet typically attracts participation from over twenty different countries. In addition to the large contingents from Britain, Germany, Scandinavia and the USA, ARC2001 has entries from Estonia - Hillar Kukk, an engineer from Tallin, sailing his Colin Archer 40 ketch Martha; and Štefanik, a wooden Gallian 72 ketch sailed by Roman Klementis a marine engineer from Bratislava in Slovakia.

This year there is no exception to the usual list of interesting entrants who bring something a little out of the ordinary to the event. Owners of Beowulf, a 78ft fast cruising yacht, are no exception. Despite her size Beowolf will be sailed by just one couple, Americans Linda & Steve Dashew. The yacht was designed by Steve Dashew, renown for his Deerfoot and Sundeer yachts. Launched in 1995, then fitted out in New Zealand, Beowulf is a high performance cruising yacht designed for fast passage making under sail as well as good motoring performance. Another interpretation of ideas for a fast cruising yacht is the Nissen 72, Heaven Can Wait. Previous ARC participant Thormod Ohm chose German designer Georg Nissen, well known for penning fast and reliable cruising yachts, to fulfil his design specification for a performance yacht along the lines of the famous J-Class Endeavour.

World Cruising Club, organiser of the ARC, is also delighted to be welcoming back participants from previous years. This year World Cruising Club welcomes back British yachts Blue Sprit (Neil Bingham), Le Lievre des Marais [Paul-Henry van Hasbroeck] and Brigand [Peter Newlands a former UK Olympic sailor]. Innovision 8, Hans Eekhof from the Netherlands, and from Germany, Rita, [Ackim Türklitz] and Carpe Diem [Harry Glab] are also on-board for ARC 2001.

Andrew Bishop, general manager of World Cruising Club comments: "The ARC seems to grow and grow in popularity every year. Having organised the rally for fifteen years we know what our participants want and have the experience to make the event challenging, worthwhile, safe and, above all, fun. "

Notes for editors:

• ARC2001 is sponsored by the Tourist Board of Gran Canaria, the Port Authority of Las Palmas, the St Lucia Tourist Board, and in association with Yachting World.
• ARC2001 starts from Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Canary Islands on Sunday 25th November 2001 and finishes at Rodney Bay Marina, St.Lucia. · The 2700 mile passage will take most of the yachts between 17 and 21 days.
• World Cruising Club events include the Yachting World ARC Europe from Antigua every May, and the Yachting Monthly Rally Portugal from Plymouth to Lagos, Portugal, plus cruising seminars organised to help sailors with their cruising preparations.
• Challenge Business events include the BT Global Challenge, the Ward Evans Atlantic Rowing Challenge, the New World Challenge and the Open 60's L'Atlantique Challenge.
• World Cruising Club, organisers of the world's most popular yachting rallies, is part of Challenge Business.

Contacts: Full details about the ARC, including the 2000 results, can be found on the World Cruising Club website at: www.worldcruising.com/arc or
contact Jeremy Wyatt at World Cruising Club on
tel. +44 (0)1983 296060
fax +44 (0)1983 295959
e-mail: [email protected]

World Cruising Club, 120 High Street, Cowes, PO31 7AX, England

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