For the first time the UK and Europe’s only all-female sailing school has entered two yachts into the prestigious Rolex Fastnet 2015 ocean race.
Working with us we chose to capitalise on their links to the Volvo Ocean Race’s all-female Team SCA and their training pedigree to offer a short-term cut-price Fastnet deal through the national media.
Here is how we helped them achieve their target and reach a UK-wide audience targeting media across Scotland, Wales and Ireland as well as the London press.
UK’S ONLY ALL FEMALE SAILING SCHOOL
CUTS £500 0FF FASTNET 2015 CAMPAIGN
To celebrate the woman’s Team SCA reaching the Southern Ocean in the Volvo Ocean Race, the UK and Europe’s only all-female sailing school Girls For Sail is cutting it’s prices on their 2015 Fastnet campaign.
As the woman-only team tackle snow and three metre waves in one of the most dangerous parts of the world, Girls for Sail has slashed £500 of their Fastnet campaign package to encourage more women to take on sailing challenges.
The Rolex Fastnet Race is the toughest and most prestigious in the UK’s sailing calender and attacts more than 250 teams each year.
And to inspire more women to try race sailing in a competitive arena, the Isle of Wight sailing experts, who specialise in women-only sail training and yachting holidays in the UK, Canaries and Caribbean, is offering the discount until the end of November.
The 10-strong outfit at GFS is following the SCA Team closely as they watch one of their former skippers tackle the world’s toughest ocean race.
SCA crew member Dee Caffiri, 39, skippered for the all-female sailing school and is now trimmer and pit assistant in the gruelling round the world race. Dee worked with GFS at their Cowes base before she became the only woman to sail solo around the world in both east and westerly directions.
Girls For Sail founder and managing director Annie O’Sullivan said: “We are proud to announce that we are cutting prices for our 2015 Fastnet campaign to encourage more women to follow the amazing example of the SCA Ocean Volvo team.
“The women on the team are the best in the world at what they do but I want to share the joy of sailing with other women and encourage more women to try the sport.
“The Fastnet is a great challenge and we will have two boats entering in the 2015 campaign. We hope that the price cut now will entice people to sign up and enjoy a summer of sailing with us finishing off with the incredible Fastnet.”
The Rolex Fastnet Race is one of the most prestigious racing events in the sailing calendar and is considered a supreme challenge to ocean racers, with more than 600 miles of thrilling offshore racing.
More than 250 boats are expected to line up at the start line in August 2015 in Cowes before heading out to the English Channel and across the Irish Sea heading for the infamous Fastnet Rock. After rounding the rock the race is then on to the finish line at Plymouth.
The race can take between four and six days depending on prevailing conditions.
Award-winning sailor and mentor Annie added: “Our yachts love racing, we use an élan 37 and a Beneteau 40.7. We use them because they are small enough for ladies to handle and spacious enough to be comfortable while racing. Both can take ten crew and are equipped with the latest safety equipment.
“With the race in August next year it would give even a complete novice the change to learn new skills with us before heading out for an incredible personal challenge.
“We specialise in encouraging women to achieve their personal goals and love nothing more than seeing our crews fall in love with sailing.”
Girls for Sail celebrates fifteen years training women to sail and race in the UK, across the Atlantic and in the Caribbean this year. Thousands of women have learned to sail with the firm since its launch in 1999.
The Volvo Ocean Race is the world’s premier ocean race and Team SCA will take in 11 ports covering 39,000 miles in their quest to reach the finish line in Gothenburg in Sweden.
If you would like us to help you get noticed, please email myrid.ramsay@cobaltink.co.uk