Singapore, September 4, 2008 – ONE15 Singapore Ocean Race Pte Ltd, ONE°15 Marina Club, Sentosa Leisure Group and UBS officially announced today the signing of the title sponsorship of the very first and only Southeast Asian stopover for the Volvo Ocean Race 2008-2009 in Singapore.
Sailing joins golf and orchestral music as major elements of UBS’s global sponsorship strategy. This is headlined by UBS’s partnership with Team Alinghi, the Swiss syndicate that has twice won the America’s Cup. UBS also has a pedigree in round-the-world yachting having been title sponsor of skipper Pierre Fehlmann’s victorious UBS Switzerland in the 1985-86 Whitbread Round the World Race.
“On behalf of UBS, I am delighted to announce our title sponsorship of the ‘Volvo Ocean Race 2008-2009 Singapore Stopover brought to you by UBS’. This is the first time that this prestigious international yacht racing event will be visiting Asia, with stopovers in Singapore, India and China. UBS believes that sailing will become an increasingly popular sport enjoyed by many in Asia and we are proud to bring the Volvo Ocean Race to the communities here. UBS has a long history of supporting world class sailing events spearheaded by its longstanding and successful partnership with Team Alinghi, the Swiss two-time winner of the America’s Cup. A successful sailing team needs to display attributes of leadership, teamwork and the highest levels of performance. These are values that are core to UBS,” said Ms. Patricia Enslow, Managing Director, Head of Marketing, Segment & Sales Management, UBS Wealth Management APAC.
The Volvo Ocean Race 2008-2009 Singapore Stopover presented by UBS will be based at Sentosa Cove and ONE°15 Marina Club from 22 December 2008 to 18 January 2009 on the resort-island of Sentosa, south of mainland Singapore. Visitors will be able to get a close look at the fleet of stunning Volvo Open 70s, the fastest racing mono-hulls that will be berthed at the ONE°15 Marina Club. A state-of-the-art Race Village featuring various activities for the public and corporate hospitality guests will also be housed at the Sentosa Cove Arrival Plaza.
The Volvo Ocean Race is touted as the ‘Everest of Sailing’ covering 37,000 nautical miles across nine months. Themed ‘Life at the Extreme’, the gruelling race sets off from Alicante (Spain) on October 11 this year and calls at 10 other ports before finishing in St.Petersburg (Russia) in June 2009. Seven teams will race their Volvo Open 70 monohulls across four continents – Africa, Asia, Europe and the Americas. The Singapore Stopover will be the longest duration on the entire race calendar with the visiting teams spending their Christmas as well as New Year on Singapore’s sunny shores.
“Securing the rights to host the Volvo Ocean Race at the ONE°15 Marina Club was an achievement and a big step forward in establishing Singapore as a nautical hub. Corporate support is pertinent and I am very glad that UBS shares my vision and I look forward to a very fruitful partnership.” said Mr Arthur Tay, Chairman of ONE°15 Marina Club and ONE15 Singapore Ocean Race Pte Ltd. The latter is set up to promote and organise the inaugural Singapore Stopover of the Volvo Ocean Race 2008-2009.
“We welcome UBS onboard as our title sponsor. The Volvo Ocean Race Stopover in Sentosa Cove will bring to sailing enthusiasts and the general public an experience of the lifestyle and leisure offerings that makes Sentosa a compelling venue for world class events,” added Mr Ko Eng Wee, General Manager, Leisure Business of Sentosa.
“Having UBS come onboard as title sponsor of the highly anticipated Volvo Ocean Race 2008-2009 Singapore Stopover not only elevates the profile of the event, but also cements the confidence in the city as host venue,” said Ms Lynette Pang, Director of Events and Entertainment Cluster Development at the Singapore Tourism Board who noted that the Stopover also received strong support from various government bodies such as the Urban Redevelopment Agency, the Public Utilities Board and the Singapore Sports Council.
“Besides enhancing Singapore’s standing as a premium lifestyle destination and as one of Asia’s leading events and entertainment capitals, the Singapore Stopover will also give a boost to the hospitality sector.”
Also unveiled at the press conference today; Singapore’s National squad were formally announced as the local Ambassadors of the Volvo Ocean Race 2008-2009 Singapore Stopover. The sailors represent the vibrant sailing fraternity with Toh Liying and Xu Yuan Zhen who have just returned from the Beijing Olympics and up and coming young sailors, Griselda Khng and Justin Liu.
Mr Low Teo Ping, President of the Singapore Sailing Federation and Vice President of the International Sailing Federation added, “Our ancestors were great sailors and it is only appropriate that sailing is now increasingly becoming a pastime of choice for many Singaporeans. Singapore is fast gaining a reputation as an international sailing hub and an exciting lifestyle destination; hence it is very timely for us to host an event of such calibre to showcase to the world the great infrastructure and capabilities of the country.”
Amongst other activities, visitors from Singapore and the region will be able to experience the thrill of ‘Life at the Extreme’ with a floor-to-ceiling screen I-Max theatre and a Volvo Ocean Race Simulator. Spectators can also enjoy the In-Port race on 10 January and Pro-Am race on 11 January 2009 respectively. Entry to the Race Village will be free to the public.
About the Volvo Ocean Race 2008-2009
• Competitors in the Volvo Ocean Race will cover over 37,000 nautical miles of the globe’s most treacherous seas over a period of more than nine months.
• The Volvo Ocean Race 2008-09 will start in the Spanish port of Alicante on 11 October 2008.
• The 2005-06 race reached a television audience of over 1.8 billion ranking it among the leading international sporting events. The race attracts in-depth coverage from the world’s leading media and uses ground-breaking technology on board each yacht to relay all the action around the world.
• The Volvo Ocean Race yachts, the Volvo Open 70s, are crewed by professional sailors. The boat design is regulated and built for speed whilst safety remains a key element.
• The first 31,250 nautical-mile race took place over 30 years ago (as the Whitbread Round the World Race), testing the crews against some of the most ferocious elements that man can encounter. The 2008-09 race will be the 10th edition of the event.
About ONE15 Singapore Ocean Race Ptd Ltd A wholly owned subsidiary of the SUTL Group and ONE°15 Marina Club, ONE15 Singapore Ocean Race Pte Ltd was established to manage and promote the Singapore Stopover for the 2008-09 edition of the Volvo Ocean Race. In collaboration with Volvo Event Management, UK (VEMUK), the Company will develop the Singapore Stopover for the Volvo Ocean Race with facilities that include a Race Village, boat hauling and maintenance facilities. The Company will also provide race management assistance and manage related special events, community outreach programmes and spectator fleets.
About ONE°15 Marina Club
The brainchild of Mr Arthur Tay, Chairman and Group Managing Director of SUTL Group of Companies, ONE°15 Marina Club is named after its strategic location at one degree, 15 minutes north of the Equator in nautical terms. Offering the best of world-class marina facilities and breathtaking sea views, ONE°15 is nestled within the exclusive Sentosa Cove enclave and is part of the emerging upscale luxury neighbourhood that is positioned to become one of the world’s most well-integrated waterfront lifestyle communities. Covering 142,000 square metres (including the water-site), ONEº15 was built at a cost of more than S$70m and offers a comprehensive range of luxurious private club facilities to members and amenities catering to both boaters and nonboaters alike.
About Sentosa Leisure Group
Sentosa is Singapore’s premier island resort getaway and Asia’s leading leisure destination. The island resort hosts over 6 million visitors yearly. Just minutes from the city, this 500-hectare resort island is home to a plethora of themed attractions, award winning spa retreats, lush rainforests, white sandy beaches, resort accommodations, championship golf courses, a deep-water yachting marina and luxury residences – making it a compelling destination for business and leisure. In 2010, some 2,500 homes at Sentosa Cove will dot the coast. Sentosa is poised to be an exciting destination to work, live and play.
About the Singapore Tourism Board
The Singapore Tourism Board (STB) is an economic development agency for one of Singapore’s key service sectors – tourism. The mission of the Board is to develop and champion tourism, so as to build the sector into a key driver of economic growth for Singapore. The STB also differentiates and markets Singapore as a must-visit destination, offering enriching experiences through the “Uniquely Singapore” branding.
About UBS
UBS is one of the world’s leading financial firms, serving a discerning international client base. UBS is a leading global wealth manager, a leading global investment banking and securities firm, and one of the largest global asset managers. In Switzerland, UBS is the market leader in retail and commercial banking.
UBS is present in all major financial centers worldwide. It has offices in over 50 countries, with about 37% of its employees working in the Americas, 34% in Switzerland, 16% in the rest of Europe and 13% in Asia Pacific. UBS employs more than 80,000 people around the world. Its shares are listed on the Swiss Stock Exchange (SWX), the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) and the Tokyo Stock Exchange (TSE).
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