News

20,000 Euro prize purse for onboard reporters

13-10-2008 - A prize purse of 20,000 Euro (US$27,500) is on offer by Inmarsat to the onboard media crew members who produce the best material throughout the nine-month Volvo Ocean Race.

For the first time in the 35-year history of the race, there will be one non-sailing crew member on each yacht to capture all the action - on video, in photos and in words - and relay it back to race HQ.

And, as Official Sponsor of Satellite Communications and Airtime to the Volvo Ocean Race, Inmarsat is putting up a 1,000 Euro prize for the best multimedia contribution on each of the 10 legs.

A further 10,000 Euro prize will be awarded when the race finishes in St Petersburg, Russia, in late June 2009, to the media crew member judged to have made the best overall contribution to race coverage.

Commitment
President and chief operating officer at Inmarsat, Michael Butler, said: "Inmarsat's FleetBroadband technology has made this race the most connected in its history and the media crew members will be using the most reliable communications equipment for the world's toughest race.

"The 10,000 Euro award will recognise the person who has displayed commitment and stamina, and has captured the most exciting, dramatic scenes and stories throughout the 37,000-nautical-mile lap of the planet.

"Our customers know that if FleetBroadband can perform well onboard the Volvo Open 70s, in sub-zero temperatures, racing in 40 knots and taking 100 foot waves over the bow, it will be race-proven for their own maritime needs."

Tough job
Former round-the-world skipper and current race chief Knut Frostad said: "We are entering new territory with the decision that each racing team will carry an embedded reporter.

"This has never been done before, and I know that we have an amazing opportunity in the next nine months to tell the stories that have previously never been told.

"Inmarsat's Media Award recognises the tough job the media crew members will have and the real moments of drama and interaction between the crew would be lost forever without the media crew member to reveal the story to the waiting worldwide media, family and friends."

www.volvooceanrace.org

www.inmarsat.com/volvo

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