The OKI European Challenge 2005 has signed up as a supporting sponsor of Skandia Cowes Week for 2004/5 (7-14 August 2004).

The OKI European Challenge is the first ever round-Europe race open to everyone. No sailing experience is necessary and crew members purchase a berth and are trained to sail to take part in the event.

This Summer three OKI European Challenge race yachts will embark on a promotional tour, visiting the race ports and building relationships with local chambers of commerce, yacht clubs and businesses on the race route. During Skandia Cowes Week 2004 the OKI European Challenge yachts will be in attendance for corporate hospitality and promotional purposes.

Stuart Quarrie, Director of Cowes Combined Clubs, the organisers of Skandia Cowes Week, commented: “With the OKI European Challenge Race coming to Cowes in 2005, it seemed natural to include their fleet within our event as a separate class. I am therefore delighted that OKI European Challenge has agreed to become an official supporting sponsor of Skandia Cowes Week since this makes their participation an integral part of the Event.”

The Oki European Challenge 2005 will take place over three months during the summer of 2005, when a fleet of evenly matched Beneteau 47.7 yachts race around Europe in 11 separate legs, calling at 13 ports in 11 different countries.

The race will start in Poland in Summer 2005 and stop off in Kiel, Copenhagen, Gothenburg, Scheveningen, Cowes, Plymouth, La Rochelle, Lisbon, Palma, Barcelona and Genoa, before finishing in Monte Carlo. In August 2005 the race will stop off at Cowes, where the whole fleet will race as a class – the Oki European Challenge Class – in Skandia Cowes Week 2005 (30 July – 6 August 2005).

For further information on the Oki European Challenge, log onto: www.okieurochallenge.com