OYSTER MARINE & WORLD CRUISING CLUB

For Immediate Release

New Transatlantic Event For Oyster Yachts

Goodbye ARC – Hello Rubicon Antigua Challenge

World Cruising Club, organisers of the Atlantic Rally for Cruisers (ARC), recently announced a change in entry criteria for their 2005 event, restricting entries to yachts under 60 feet LOA.

World Cruising Club's second transatlantic event, the Rubicon Antigua Challenge, will, from 2005, cater for yachts of 60 feet+ and embrace Oyster yachts of every size in an exclusive Oyster Class.

Oyster yachts have been the most prolific participants in the ARC with some 25 Oysters taking part in this year’s event representing over 10% of the entire fleet.

Close and friendly relations have always existed between Oyster and World Cruising Club and the special class for Oysters is a development of that relationship. At the start of the 1999 ARC the retiring founder of World Cruising Club, Jimmy Cornell, presented Oysters Chairman Richard Matthews with a knife, a traditional symbol to mark the long-term friendship between World Cruising Club and Oyster.

From 2005 all participating Oysters will be entered for the Rubicon Antigua Challenge, with the 2005 event starting from Marina Rubicon, Lanzarote on Saturday 19 November 2005 and finishing at Jolly Harbour, Antigua.

The creation of an Oyster Class as an annual transatlantic event will be supported by Oyster with a pre-start service team attending in Lanzarote. A range of social events is being planned including a pre-start party for owners and crews together with a reception for the Oyster fleet on arrival in Antigua. Oyster, supported by its family of sponsors, will present a range of prizes in both a cruising and a racing division.

Oyster’s Chairman, Richard Matthews, a regular ARC participant, said:

“We are delighted and rather proud that Oyster is the first constructor to have its own class in a trans-ocean event. Caribbean service for all Oysters is based in Antigua and, knowing the island well, we consider Antigua, the sailing centre of the Caribbean, an ideal location to complete a transatlantic crossing. I plan to take part in my own yacht in 2005. World Cruising Club are great people to work with and we are delighted to be going forward with a closer relationship that we feel sure will be good news for the owners of Oyster yachts.”

Director of World Cruising Club, Andrew Bishop, said:

“It is great news that Oyster has embraced the changes planned for next year by supporting the Rubicon Antigua Challenge with the introduction of an Oyster Class.

We look forward to working together to ensure a successful event for everyone concerned”.

Changes for the 2005 Rubicon Antigua Challenge to Antigua don’t affect the 2004 ARC event which starts from Las Palmas de Gran Canaria on Sunday 21 November and will finish at Rodney Bay, St.Lucia. Before the start the Oyster service team will, as usual, be attending the 25 Oyster yachts taking part in this year’s event. There will be a party for Oyster owners and crews on Thursday 18 November.

Oyster’s 2005 Caribbean regatta will take place in Antigua from 11-15 April 2005 and a number of yachts taking part in this year’s ARC will be joining the 30+ yachts expected to take part.

ENDS

Further information about the Oyster Class in the 2005 Rubicon Antigua Challenge or for information about Oyster’s Antigua Regatta please contact:

Liz Whitman
Oyster Marine Ltd
Fox’s Marina, Ipswich, Suffolk, IP2 8SA, UK

Tel +44 (0) 1473 688888
Fax +44 (0) 1473 686861
Email [email protected]
www.oystermarine.com

For general enquiries and to enter your Oyster in the 2005 Rubicon Antigua Challenge please contact:

World Cruising Club
120 High Street, Cowes, PO31 7AX, UK
Tel. +44 (0) 1983 296060
Fax. +44 (0) 1983 295959
Email: [email protected]

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

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