SEIKO Velatura launched

The 2007 ISAF World Sailing Championships in Cascais finished on a high note with athrilling contest for the medals in the 49er Class

The 2007 ISAF World Sailing Championships in Cascais finished on a high note with athrilling contest for the medals in the 49er Class. After 16 days of competition between 1,300 sailors from 76 nations, the Championships proved to be a stunningsuccess, having attracted more competitors and more media interest than any other event in the sailing calendar.

81 of the world's leading 49er sailors competed in Cascais,with Olympic qualification at stake as well as the title of World Champions.

The Championships were also the first global event in which the partnership betweenSeiko and the 49er Association was in public view. Each of the 81 49er boats carried SEIKO branding and many flew spinnaker sails with SEIKO Velatura on prominentdisplay. SEIKO's support to the 49er Association also made possible the supply tomany of the sailors of the sailing vests they need for such competitions and theorganization of the first SEIKO 49er Sailing Clinic, an event held in the lead-up to the Championships and designed to attract new sailors to this most dynamic and excitingof Olympic classes.

SEIKO Watch Corporation also used the event for the consumer launch of Velatura, itsnew collection of sailing watches. Not only did the gold, silver and bronze medal winners receive Velatura watches as prizes, but the collection was on display inselected retail stores throughout the town.

The SEIKO Velatura Yachting Timer SPC007

The Velatura collection is now being launched throughout the world and will form thecenterpiece of SEIKO's 2007 advertising campaign, with a strong media campaign in print and in broadcast media, starting during the autumn.

At a dinner jointly hosted by SEIKO Watch Corporation and the 49er Association,Mr. Wakuyama, the Executive Director and COO of SEIKO Watch Corporation said,“As we all saw today, the 49er is a remarkable boat and, once you have seen it flythrough the water, it is not surprising that it is such a fast growing class. I would like tothank its Association President, Malav Shroff and his colleagues, for their vision anddetermination which has allowed us to create a new type of sailing sponsorship.”

SEIKO supports the 49er Association with sails and other equipmentas well as with finances to ensure the future growth of the class.

The focus of the 49er Class now moves to Marsala in Sicily where the EuropeanChampionship will take place in September. Once again, SEIKO will be prominentlyinvolved and will be providing further support, both financial and in the form ofequipment, to help accelerate the growth of the 49er Class.

Press release