Aviva, the international savings, investments and insurance group, is to sponsor Dee Caffari in ‘The Aviva Challenge’ - her bid to sail solo, non-stop around the world against the prevailing winds and currents. If she succeeds, Caffari will become the first woman to achieve this feat, setting a new world record.
One woman, 26,000 miles, non-stop around the world, the toughest way
Aviva, the international savings, investments and insurance group, is to sponsor Dee Caffari in ‘The Aviva Challenge’ - her bid to sail solo, non-stop around the world against the prevailing winds and currents. If she succeeds, Caffari will become the first woman to achieve this feat, setting a new world record.
Caffari, 32, is scheduled to set sail in Aviva from Portsmouth on 20 November. She will take the same route as her mentor Sir Chay Blyth who, 34 years ago, was the first man to sail around the world “east to west”. Sir Chay will lead the team behind Caffari's record attempt.
Former schoolteacher Caffari will be sailing the 72-foot yacht which she skippered, with a crew of 18, in last year's Global Challenge race. The yacht has been modified to enable her to sail it single-handedly and her circumnavigation is expected to last between 120 and 170 days, of which approximately 80 days will be spent in the treacherous Southern Ocean. Throughout The Aviva Challenge, Caffari will face, on her own, some of the toughest physical challenges in the sport, including punishing 40-foot waves, extremes of temperature and severe lack of sleep.
Caffari said: “I've got a pretty good idea of what to expect having sailed the same route last year with a crew of 18, but the real test is going to be facing these challenges completely by myself. I'll have 24/7 communication with my shore-based team and I know they're going to be there for me - not just in a practical sense, helping me with everything from broken equipment to the rigors of extreme sleep deprivation, but also in an emotional sense, helping to keep my spirits up when I am, quite literally, in the Doldrums.”
The Aviva Challenge shore team will include Mike Broughton as weather forecaster, router and safety adviser; Harry Spedding as personal coach; and Andrew Roberts and the Challenge Business team providing vital communications and technical support.
Patrick Snowball, executive director of Aviva plc, said: “Dee epitomises the spirit of Aviva's 'Forward thinking' campaign, which celebrates the benefits of thinking and behaving in a progressive way. The Aviva Challenge came about because we identified with Dee's desire to push the boundaries and become a leader in her own field. Above all, Dee’s passion and commitment to The Aviva Challenge reflect our belief that, with drive, energy and vision, people can achieve extraordinary things."
Read more at http://www.avivachallenge.com
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Enquiries:
Karen Earl Sponsorship
Georgina Spring +44 (0)20 7202 2854
Financial Dynamics
Nigel O’Connor +44 (0)20 7269 7105
Aviva
Hayley Stimpson, director of external affairs +44 (0)20 7662 7544
Sue Winston, head of group media relations +44 (0)20 7662 8221
Notes to editors:
- Aviva is the world’s sixth-largest insurance group based on gross world-wide premiums and market capitalisation (at 31 December 2004); it is one of the leading providers of life and pensions in Europe and has substantial businesses in other markets around the world. Aviva’s main activities are long-term savings, fund management and general insurance, with world-wide total income of £40 billion and assets under management of £280 billion at 31 December 2004.
- ‘Forward thinking’ is Aviva’s first-ever pan-European advertising campaign. The print, online and television corporate campaign, targeting Europe’s opinion-former community, will run until April 2006. As part of the campaign, Aviva has also commissioned RSA Films to make five film shorts for CNBC TV, featuring people who have a particularly powerful vision of the future and celebrating the remarkable achievements of these individuals.
- The Aviva media centre at www.aviva.com/media includes images, company and product information and a news release archive.
- The current world record for a non-stop single-handed circumnavigation of the globe against the prevailing winds and currents is 122 days, 14 hours, 3 minutes and 49 seconds and is held by Frenchman Jean Luc Van Den Heede. For further information on the history of this record please see the media background documents at /index.asp?pageid=516