Power couple

Rolex is strengthening its support of World Sailing.

14 May 2018

In a recent announcement last year, World Sailing, the world governing body of the sport, strengthened its strategic partnership with Rolex, the prestige watch brand that makes chronographs engineered specifically for sailing.

Rolex has been the title sponsor of the Rolex World Sailor of the Year Awards since 2001. As part of the new agreement, Rolex is set to continue this role, with aims to support World Sailing to a greater extent in 2018 and beyond.

Rolex have been major sponsors of the Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race, as well as the Rolex Fastnet Race, the Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup and the Giraglia Rolex Cup.

Under the new agreement with World Sailing, Rolex will support World Sailing’s vision and mission to grow the sport at a grassroots level and work with World Sailing on sustainability initiatives.

According to Rolex, their involvement “revolves around a privileged alliance with the very core of the sport: select yacht clubs that organise exceptional regattas and races, and its governing body.”

“Rolex has a long and prestigious history of supporting sailing through their sponsorship of the Rolex World Sailor of the Year Awards and major offshore sailing events,” said World Sailing President Kim Andersen.

“Our new strategic partnership brings us closer to Rolex, creating synergies between World Sailing and Rolex titled sailing events.

“Rolex has been a valued and prestigious partner of World Sailing since 2001 and we are thrilled to expand on our relationship and advance our shared passion for the sport of sailing.”

The Rolex World Sailor of the Year Awards are the highest honour of recognition male and female sailors can achieve. 2017 winners Marit Bouwmeester and Peter Burling had their achievements recognised with marble and silver trophies depicting the globe, crowned with five silver spinnakers to represent the continents, together with Rolex timepieces.

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