SolOceans

Catherine Chabaud is the first woman in the sailing history who completed single-handedly a non-stop round-the-world race, without outside assistance during the Vendée Globe 1996-97. Catherine Chabaud is also Knight of the French Legion of Honour for her commitment in the protection of the environment and for her crusade ardently led in favour of the sustainable development, in particular in terms of water sports. But today, it is as the first-hour patron of the association Mecenat Chirurgie Cardiaque (www.mecenat-cardiaque.org) managed by Professor Francine Leca, that Catherine Chabaud broke the bottle of Champagne Mumm on the stem of Bostik. In fact, Charles Caudrelier has always displayed the colours of the association on his Figaro Bénéteau with whom he won the Solitaire du Figaro single-handed race 2004 and insists on displaying the colours of Mecenat Chirurgie Cardiaque around the globe.

For this first leg leaving from Lower Normandy on the 16^th of December in the early afternoon, Charles Caudrelier will be accompanied by three sailors: Liz Wardley, the Anglo-Saxon, native of Papua and of French sailors, Erwan Tabarly and Erwan Lebec. Liz Wardley has the experience of the hostile oceans of the South Hemisphere, thanks to a victory in the Rolex Sydney-Hobart (1999) and a round-the-world tour in crew in the Volvo Ocean Race (2001-2002). Liz Wardley will arrive in New Zealand in a known place as she built there a Mini 6.50 prototype. For Charles Caudrelier, Erwan Tabarly and Erwan Lebec it will be a first in the Great South, as they have never sailed towards New Zealand through the Indian Ocean.

"Lower Normandy is opening up to the world and the SolOceans while sailing around the globe, shall be its ambassador," added Philippe Duron, President of the Lower Normandy’s Regional Council and MP for Calvados. "Establishing a close link with New Zealand, a country of excellence in terms of competitive sailing, is a concrete opportunity to develop the Lower Norman Sailing Industry to an international level. This association with New Zealand revives the memory of the numerous New Zealander soldiers who helped us, often risking their lives, during the Liberation. We shall be eternally grateful for that. We do attach great importance that the first Veolia Oceans^® one-design who is going to open a new maritime way display the colours of a major French company with a worldwide influence such as Bostik”.

Luc Duncombe added: “The SolOceans is a major nautical event for the international radiance of our urban area. Beyond the event itself, the installation along Caen New Basin of the equipment and maintenance site for the Veolia Oceans^® one-design part of the competition enlightens the numerous assets we have. It was important to seize the opportunity of a close association with this sportive, nautical and industrial project. The christening of Bostik today also marks the beginning of the maritime adventure that is the SolOceans”.

“Innovation is one of the key factors of Bostik development,” said André Ladurelli this afternoon. “On that account, we are proud to be the first company to embark on the Veolia Oceans^® Class. This new challenge is at the same time a sportive challenge with sailors on equal footing around the planet and a platform for scientific studies thanks to the collection of environmental data in isolated areas of the oceans in order to contribute to the protection of the environment. Our commitment illustrates the permanent will of Bostik to build the future”.

Bostik, a 100% subsidiary of Total, is one of the world leaders in the adhesives and sealants business. Its most famous brands are Sader, Quelyd, Araldite, Simson and Bostik. With more than 4,700 employees and 48 manufacturing sites in 45 countries, Bostik reaches an annual turn over of 1.4 billion euros.

This first Veolia Oceans^® chartered by Bostik for this winter circumnavigation 2007-2008 will also sail the two Summer Transat under the colours of the adhesive company of the Total Group next Summer. Three or four Veolia Oceans^® one-design built during the coming months will also this double oceanic trek. The Bostik one-design will inaugurate those two courses and will also stay a bit in the Mediterranean sea to take part on an experimental and promotional basis to two more traditional competitions: the Voiles de Saint-Tropez and the Rolex Middle Sea Race from Malta.

Let us recall that, the SolOceans is the first single-handed oceanic round-the-world race sailed on equal footing on sixteen-metre (52.5feet) high-tech one-design monohulls all identical to each other: the Veolia Oceans^®. This class has been named Veolia Oceans^® after the main sponsor of the SolOceans race, Veolia Environmental Services. The start of the first SolOceans is set for the 25t^h of October 2009 from Caen la mer urban area with a stopover in Wellington, the capital of New Zealand with a return in Lower Normandy, in Cherbourg-Octeville where the final ranking of this round-the-world through the three Cape (Good Hope, Leeuwin, Horn) will be given.

The start of Bostik for the first leg of the round-the-world Reconnaissance Tour of the SolOceans is set for Sunday 16 December from Caen la mer and Ouistreham (Lower-Normandy) towards Wellington (New Zealand) through the Capes of Good Hope (South Africa) and Leeuwin (Australia). The second leg will link up Wellington to Cherbourg-Octeville (Lower Normandy) through Cape Horn (South America). During the stopover, Liz Wardley and Erwan Tabarly will step aside to two other sailors. Each leg will take between 50 to 55 days of sailing.