Global Ocean Sailing Ventures (GOSV) is now accepting entries for the inaugural 2007 Global Ocean Challenge.

The Global Ocean Challenge is the first ever solo double global ocean race where singlehanded and double-handed teams will be competing on the same around-the-world racecourse aboard 40ft and 50ft Category 0 compliant yachts. The race will start from a European port in September 2007 and will include five legs/four stopovers at major cities around the world in an eastabout direction.

With just one year to go until the start, race organisers Josh Hall and Brian Hancock have formally opened up race registration and accepted the first three paid entries with two entries in the double-handed division and one in the singlehanded division.

In the doublehanded division brothers Lenjohn and Peter Van der Wel from the Netherland, both superyacht skippers, will be sailing an Express 40 – the first in a series of Owen-Clarke designed Class 40s that UK sailor and entrepreneur Paul Metcalf is building. Metcalf will also be competing. Commenting Metcalf said: “As soon as I heard that the race was officially taking entries I signed up, and pencilled my name next to Express 40 hull number 6. I am delighted to be joining Lenjohn and Peter on the start line of this great race.”

The other entry – in the doublehanded division – is also from the Netherlands. This will be an Owen-Clarke one-design GOC 50 designed specifically for solo/doublehanded global ocean racing.

In keeping with their overall philosophy of making the race as accessible to as many people as possible and creating an event for the competitors, Global Ocean Sailing Ventures, the management company behind the Global Ocean Challenge, is offering an array of tools that will help competitors plan their campaigns and seek sponsorship to fund them. Brian Hancock. Communication Director commented: “We have created a high quality sponsorship support pack that we believe will really aid competitors to raise the money needed for their entries. The pack includes a DVD, various PowerPoint and hard copy materials that can be customized for each campaign, together with budgets and media data. We realize that most sailors do not have the skills to create this kind of collateral material, nor the budget to hire a professional. Instead we have invested in professionally presenting the kind of information that companies need to review when deciding on sponsorship and making this available to registered competitors. It’s in our interest as race organisers to get as many qualified and fully-funded boats to the start line.”

For more information on the support pack and registration information go to www.gochallenge.net.