CAT FIGHT! Two Fastest Sailboats to Slug It Out

News Release cats - 1
July 25, 2000

CAT FIGHT !
World’s Two Fastest Sailboats to
Slug It Out Across The North Atlantic

PlayStation vs. Club Med

Maxi-Catamarans This Week on Simultaneous Attack on TransAtlantic Record

PlayStation maxi-catamaran skipper Steve Fossett has accepted the public challenge from Grant Dalton - skipper of the new maxi-cat Club Med - to race for the 10-year old TransAtlantic record (set by Serge Madec on Jet Services V - 6 days 13 hrs 3 min 32 sec, 1990) from Ambrose Light in New York Harbour to the Lizard, Cornwall, UK.

This will be the first head to head meeting of the two fastest sailboats in the world. Both carbon fibre multihulls represent the latest in extreme sailing technology - PlayStation (105ft), launched in December 1998, set a 24 hour distance World Record of 580 nm in her first ocean sail in March, 1999. The newer-still Club Med (110ft) dramatically raised the bar last month with an outstanding 625 nm day during her Cadiz-San Salvador record run.

Steve Fossett: "This is very exciting - and we relish the chance to race Club Med. Of course there is always a risk of losing - and we don’t like losing! But we have to race to find out."

PlayStation meteorologist Bob Rice has identified a possible record weather pattern for departure this Wednesday or Thursday (US time July 26-27). Further details will be available this week.

Steve Fossett elaborated on PlayStation’s TransAt race and record departure plans: "We’ve had two attempts on the TransAt so far - but both times weather conditions turned out to be not good enough. This will be our last chance for a TransAt record this season, so PlayStation is committed to go this week only if it is a record possibility. If Club Med decide to leave on a non-record/delivery because of schedule commitments, we’ll have to wait for a better weather picture."

ends

Released in New Zealand by 141 Palace Plus for Sony Computer Entertainment

Contacts:
Kate Edge or Stuart Radnofsky at Project 100
Communications Ltd/Steve Fossett
Ocean Challenge
tel: +44 (0) 1727 836238 / 844616
gsm/mobile +44 (0) 860 612 367
fax: +44 (0) 1727 869142
email: p100sport@aol.com
website: www.fossettchallenge.com
hi-res photo server: www.pixsail.com

New Zealand contact:
Jacqui Secker
Account Executive
141 Palace Plus
Tel: 0-9-358 0141
Mob: 025 833 418

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