Press Release - 25 september 2007
GAASTRA SPONSOR OF LES VOILES DE SAINT-TROPEZ
The world-famous yachting event Les Voiles de Saint-Tropez will be held in Saint-Tropez from 1 to 7 October 2007. People from all over the world visit this event to marvel at the finest yachts and take part in the most challenging regattas. Would any company be a more likely sponsor for this event than Gaastra? The reputable Dutch manufacturer of high-quality sports and leisure wear will present a wide range of activities during the event. For the third consecutive year Gaastra will be sponsoring Les voiles de Saint-Tropez and will continue to do so until its 2010 edition.
In the course of time, the sponsoring has become more concrete. The much sought-after Gaastra Voiles de Saint-Tropez collection is the most tangible example. Every year, Gaastra designs a complete series of polo shirts, shirts, wind stoppers, shorts and accessories for this event exclusively. These items are not only worn by the entire organization but are also for sale in the Village de Voiles and the various Gaastra outlets in Europe. Additionally, all participants in Les Voiles de Saint-Tropez will receive a unique Gaastra cap – so Gaastra’s presence at Les Voiles de Saint-Tropez will not pass unnoticed.
Gaastra’s involvement does not stop there. There is the Prix Gaastra, for instance, one of the prizes the various international yachting teams will be competing for. In addition, Gaastra organizes the VIP days for special guests and the press every year, to give them a unique opportunity to see the Gaastra crew in action during the spectacular races, at close quarters from a special boat that is sailing in the Gulf of Saint-Tropez.
The history of Les Voiles de Saint-Tropez
The history of the event began more than 25 years ago with a bet. Two yachtsmen wanted to know which one of them had the fastest yacht. They decided to race it out from Saint-Tropez harbour to a point at sea called La New Largue and then back to Club 55 on the beach of the French seaside resort. The loser had to pay the winner’s lunch.
This playful origin of the race is still reflected in the character of the event. Les Voiles de Saint-Tropez is more closely associated with true spirit than any other yachting event. Now, many years later, Les Voiles de Saint-Tropez attracts an impressive fleet of widely different sailing vessels every year. In the past few years, the visitors could meet the best yachtsmen and visit the finest yachts, including restored J Class yachts and various three-masters.
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The future of the event hung by a thread after the fifteenth regatta, a black page in the history of the event. The 20ft yacht Toas Bret sank after a collision with the Mariette, causing the death of a crew member. The event was prematurely ended and was not organized in the next three years. But eventually the spirit of yachting and racing proved stronger, and 1999 saw the next edition of Les Voiles de Saint-Tropez. Since that year it has been an annual event in its current form. Les Voiles de Saint-Tropez is magic, varied, unique and wonderful – an event that the true yachting enthusiast does not want to miss. No wonder that Gaastra, the yachting brand with a nautical passion, has attached its name to this spectacle. |
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About Gaastra
Gaastra was founded in Sneek in 1897, when Douwe Gaastra began his own sail maker’s workshop. He became famous throughout the international yachting and water sports world. Today, Gaastra provides professional, high-quality and functional yachting wear as well as sturdy lifestyle sportswear for men, women and children. Gaastra is active in the highest market segments and is sold in water sports shops and fashion shops. The next few years will see some further expansion and the realisation of Gaastra’s international aspirations.
Since October 2000, Gaastra International Sportswear B.V. has been a part of the McGregor Fashion Group, a quoted European fashion house that is successfully marketing an exclusive selection of men’s, children’s and ladies’ brands. Gaastra International Sportswear B.V. is located in Amstelveen and is responsible for the product management, styling, sales, marketing and distribution of Gaastra in Europe. The office staffs about 50 employees. See www.gaastra.eu for further information.
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For more information about Gaastra please contact:Gaastra International Sportswear B.V.
Contact person: Vivian Pans & Like Visser
Telephone: +31 (0) 20 – 5038650
E-mail: marketing@gaastra.nl
