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Sports lifestyle brand sailing ahead
The long-awaited news that Boston would replace Baltimore as the port of call for the 2008-09 Volvo Ocean Race was announced at a ceremony to introduce the Boston-based entry for the world's premier off shore race which begins in Alicante, Spain, in October 2008.
The U.S. entry will be skippered by top American sailor Ken Read and sponsored by the global sport lifestyle company PUMA, which has its North American and international brand headquarters in the historic U.S. city, where billions of dollars have been spent on reclaiming the harbour under its Save the Harbor/Save the Port project.
PUMA Global introduced Read, the training boat and the PUMA Racing Team at a function in the Boston Harbor Hotel attended by Boston mayor Thomas M.Menino, PUMA CEO Jochen Zeitz,Volvo Ocean Race CEO Glenn Bourke, Save the Harbor president Patricia A. Foley, and secretary Daniel O'Connell ofMassachusetts.
“It's a major fillip for the Volvo Ocean Race and the sport of sailing to have involvement from an iconic global consumer brand such as PUMA,” said Bourke.
“There is definitely synergy between us - the Volvo Ocean Race leads the way on advanced design with the Volvo Open 70, while PUMA brings great energy and creativity to the design of their sports lifestyle products,” he added.
PUMA officials have worked closely with the local government in Boston to help bring the Volvo Ocean Race to the city.
At the ceremony, the PUMA Racing Team unveiled its colours on the newly-painted training boat, the former ABN AMRO TWO. “This is a special day as we introduce our PUMA Racing Team and unveil the colours of our boat in this wonderful setting of Boston Harbor,” said Jochen Zeitz, CEO and Chairman,PUMA AG. In other news, Luton Town FC has unveiled PUMA as the new official technical kit partner to the club from the 2007/8 seasons.
Genesis Group International is the exclusive licensee for Puma Teamsports in the UK and Ireland. Genesis also supplies PUMA kit and training wear to Reading FC; Plymouth FC; Bristol City FC; Coventry City FC; St.Helens Rugby League; Great Britain Rugby League and Bath Rugby Union.
