MR.CLEAN
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Rise From The Dead
We promised a big announcement for the US solo racing scene today, and we're extremely happy to pass word along that long time supporter and fan of Sailing Anarchy Brad Van Liew is throwing his hat back into the solo round-the-world racing scene. He'll do it in the Eco 60 Class with the race where he made his name; formerly the BOC, then the Around Alone, and now the Velux 5 Oceans. Brad has proven to be one of a tiny handful of Americans to truly succeed in the solo game, as well as one of an even smaller group to garner significant US and international media attention while doing it. To make it even more interesting, we hear that there may be a network TV deal in the mix with the backing of a major Hollywood studio.
Check out the awesome Lazarus Project website presentation here, and see the full press release below. Good luck, brother. Billy Black photo.
10/21/2009
For Immediate Release: October 21st, 2009
Rights-free race images available to download in high-resolution from www.w-w-i.com/velux_5_oceans/
Interviews and video footage available on request from the communications team
RACE LEGEND BRAD VAN LIEW RETURNS TO THE VELUX 5 OCEANS
Celebrated ocean racer confirmed as first U.S. entry in the Eco 60 Class
Race organisers are pleased to announce that today, Brad Van Liew confirmed his entry in the VELUX 5 OCEANS 2010-11 race. Van Liew's new ocean racing campaign targets the popular and exciting Eco 60 Class, and constitutes the first United States entry in the race. The move represents a return to the race he famously won in 2003 as the skipper of the Class II Tommy Hilfiger Freedom America.
“This race has had a massive impact on my life over the past decade," said the 41-year old ocean racer. "During the 1998-99 Around Alone, the predecessor to the VELUX, my family and I fell in love with Charleston, the start/finish port of the race. We subsequently made it our new home." Van Liew explained that with his resounding victory in 2003, "I felt like I'd achieved my goals in ocean racing, and could spend my time developing the South Carolina Maritime Foundation, a truly worthy organization." But when VELUX 5 OCEANS organizers decided to return to Charleston for the 2010-11 race, it ignited a spark in me that I didn't really expect, and Meaghan and I have decided to focus on building a campaign to compete in this edition of this epic race."
Van Liew's nascent campaign is currently named "Lazarus" and the American sailor has targeted the Eco 60 Class from the outset. "The new class provides a low-cost platform with true 'green' credentials that appeal to me personally and will also appeal to potential US sponsors," Van Liew said. "I've quietly built a team around me over the past few months to secure the necessary funding and a boat to race competitively and safely, and while there's a huge amount of work to do over the next twelve months, I'm confident that we can cross the starting line in La Rochelle to complete this amazing journey."
Van Liew made his name first as the skipper of Balance Bar in the 1998 edition of the race, sending in gripping daily reports of a horrific Southern Ocean storm that were read by millions. He returned in the 2002-03 race as the skipper of the colourful and patriotic Tommy Hilfiger Freedom America, winning Class II convincingly while continuing a legacy of communication with the public as he won every leg of the race. Race followers of the Around Alone became addicted to Brad's reports from the far corners of the earth, and he developed significant media interest in the United States as a result of his unique and engaging writing style. Van Liew remains one of a small handful of racing sailors to be featured in stories in the New York Times, Washington Post, and LA Times as well as NBC's Nightly News. One of the most popular skippers on the ocean racing circuit, he will undoubtedly have the full support of the Charleston community as he takes on the planet’s oceans in The Ultimate Solo Challenge.
“Brad Van Liew is a true legend of the VELUX 5 OCEANS race and the solo ocean racing community," concluded VELUX 5 OCEANS Race Director David Adams. "His return is a great boost for this race, and we're grateful for the opportunity to welcome a skipper of his raw talent to the race, and also one who communicates his life at sea so well to a global audience." Adams added that it will be "fantastic for Charleston to have a hometown hero to get behind. The stopover in South Carolina in spring 2011 will undoubtedly be a fantastic celebration. We have now announced three skippers – Derek Hatfield, Christophe Bullens and Brad Van Liew - and so far we have ten skippers entered in the race.”
For further information on Brad Van Liew or the Lazarus campaign, please contact Meaghan Van Liew:
T: + 1 843-814-3966
E: [email protected]
W: www.oceanracing.org
For further information on the VELUX 5 OCEANS, please contact Tim Kelly, Race Director of Communications:
T: + 44 7773 325 533
E: [email protected]
W: www.velux5oceans.com
We promised a big announcement for the US solo racing scene today, and we're extremely happy to pass word along that long time supporter and fan of Sailing Anarchy Brad Van Liew is throwing his hat back into the solo round-the-world racing scene. He'll do it in the Eco 60 Class with the race where he made his name; formerly the BOC, then the Around Alone, and now the Velux 5 Oceans. Brad has proven to be one of a tiny handful of Americans to truly succeed in the solo game, as well as one of an even smaller group to garner significant US and international media attention while doing it. To make it even more interesting, we hear that there may be a network TV deal in the mix with the backing of a major Hollywood studio.
Check out the awesome Lazarus Project website presentation here, and see the full press release below. Good luck, brother. Billy Black photo.
10/21/2009
For Immediate Release: October 21st, 2009
Rights-free race images available to download in high-resolution from www.w-w-i.com/velux_5_oceans/
Interviews and video footage available on request from the communications team
RACE LEGEND BRAD VAN LIEW RETURNS TO THE VELUX 5 OCEANS
Celebrated ocean racer confirmed as first U.S. entry in the Eco 60 Class
Race organisers are pleased to announce that today, Brad Van Liew confirmed his entry in the VELUX 5 OCEANS 2010-11 race. Van Liew's new ocean racing campaign targets the popular and exciting Eco 60 Class, and constitutes the first United States entry in the race. The move represents a return to the race he famously won in 2003 as the skipper of the Class II Tommy Hilfiger Freedom America.
“This race has had a massive impact on my life over the past decade," said the 41-year old ocean racer. "During the 1998-99 Around Alone, the predecessor to the VELUX, my family and I fell in love with Charleston, the start/finish port of the race. We subsequently made it our new home." Van Liew explained that with his resounding victory in 2003, "I felt like I'd achieved my goals in ocean racing, and could spend my time developing the South Carolina Maritime Foundation, a truly worthy organization." But when VELUX 5 OCEANS organizers decided to return to Charleston for the 2010-11 race, it ignited a spark in me that I didn't really expect, and Meaghan and I have decided to focus on building a campaign to compete in this edition of this epic race."
Van Liew's nascent campaign is currently named "Lazarus" and the American sailor has targeted the Eco 60 Class from the outset. "The new class provides a low-cost platform with true 'green' credentials that appeal to me personally and will also appeal to potential US sponsors," Van Liew said. "I've quietly built a team around me over the past few months to secure the necessary funding and a boat to race competitively and safely, and while there's a huge amount of work to do over the next twelve months, I'm confident that we can cross the starting line in La Rochelle to complete this amazing journey."
Van Liew made his name first as the skipper of Balance Bar in the 1998 edition of the race, sending in gripping daily reports of a horrific Southern Ocean storm that were read by millions. He returned in the 2002-03 race as the skipper of the colourful and patriotic Tommy Hilfiger Freedom America, winning Class II convincingly while continuing a legacy of communication with the public as he won every leg of the race. Race followers of the Around Alone became addicted to Brad's reports from the far corners of the earth, and he developed significant media interest in the United States as a result of his unique and engaging writing style. Van Liew remains one of a small handful of racing sailors to be featured in stories in the New York Times, Washington Post, and LA Times as well as NBC's Nightly News. One of the most popular skippers on the ocean racing circuit, he will undoubtedly have the full support of the Charleston community as he takes on the planet’s oceans in The Ultimate Solo Challenge.
“Brad Van Liew is a true legend of the VELUX 5 OCEANS race and the solo ocean racing community," concluded VELUX 5 OCEANS Race Director David Adams. "His return is a great boost for this race, and we're grateful for the opportunity to welcome a skipper of his raw talent to the race, and also one who communicates his life at sea so well to a global audience." Adams added that it will be "fantastic for Charleston to have a hometown hero to get behind. The stopover in South Carolina in spring 2011 will undoubtedly be a fantastic celebration. We have now announced three skippers – Derek Hatfield, Christophe Bullens and Brad Van Liew - and so far we have ten skippers entered in the race.”
For further information on Brad Van Liew or the Lazarus campaign, please contact Meaghan Van Liew:
T: + 1 843-814-3966
E: [email protected]
W: www.oceanracing.org
For further information on the VELUX 5 OCEANS, please contact Tim Kelly, Race Director of Communications:
T: + 44 7773 325 533
E: [email protected]
W: www.velux5oceans.com
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