Big entry expected for Industry Sailing Challenge Companies looking for a corporate challenge this year could do worse than sign up for the Industry Sailing Challenge 2002 – possibly the largest corporate sailing event in the world.

Over 1,000 competitors are expected to take part throughout the five Challenge Rounds which will take place between 21 May-30 May in 20-25-boat fleets of equally-matched Sunfast 37s. The first three boats from each challenge round go through to the Grand Final on the weekend of Saturday 13-14 July. Individual sponsors for the challenge rounds include BAE SYSTEMS, Ricardo PLC, Panasonic Consumer Electronics and Sony Videoconferencing.

Sailed in Sunsail’s new identically matched fleet of 40 Sunfast 37s, Industry Sailing Challenge is a combination of skill, team building and planning as well as being a demanding challenge. Crews from both large and small companies take part with nationally known names competing against complete unknowns.

The racing format is two circumnavigations of the Isle of Wight, with the final including two nail-biting inshore races followed immediately by a single circumnavigation of the island. Crews are restricted to a maximum of six, thus making racing hard work as the boats usually race with a crew of eight.

Among the competitors that have taken part in previous years are British Airways, IBM, Marks & Spencer, Cap Gemini Ernst & Young, Microsoft, Deutsche Bank and Porsche. Last year was a record entry with over 100 companies contesting the heats and this year looks like being even bigger.

Once again Industry Sailing Challenge will be sailed under the flag of the Royal London Yacht Club at Cowes, where a champagne breakfast prizegiving will be held after each of the heats and where the winner will be presented with the trophy after the final on 14 July.

For more details and an entry form contact Guy Knight at Sunsail on 023 9222 2244.