Emirates renews Partnership with Team New Zealand

Emirates Airline has confirmed its continued support for New Zealand and the sport of sailing by renewing its successful partnership with Emirates Team New Zealand.

Emirates has also just become the first Worldwide Partner to sign up for Rugby World Cup 2011, and committed to backing Emirates Team New Zealand on the Mediterranean TP52 regatta circuit next year.

TP52s are pure racing platforms, high performance monohulls capable of racing in both buoy regattas and offshore races. They are 52ft long and race with a crew of 15.

TP52s do not have water ballast, canting keels or running back stays; owners preferring to keep it simple, safe and reliable. They can easily exceed 25 knots off the wind with the record being 32 knots, and have won the majority of bluewater regattas that they have entered, as well as a number of high-profile buoy races against the best boats in the world.

The team has started building a TP52 yacht in Auckland. It will be launched on February 17 and shipped to Europe in mid-March. It will compete under the Emirates banner, with the award-winning airline and Matteo de Nora funding the project.

In signing the sponsorship agreement in Auckland on behalf of Emirates, Gary Chapman, President Group Services and Dnata, Emirates Group, said, “We saw a fabulous 33rd contest for the America’s Cup, with Emirates Team New Zealand winning the Louis Vuitton challenger series and then putting up a fantastic effort in the America’s Cup challenge itself. We were as inspired by this great challenge as much as the New Zealand public was and we are delighted to once more get behind Emirates Team New Zealand with this TP52 initiative, and beyond to 2011.

“Emirates Team New Zealand has proved its worth on the water as a real competitor, and, it is fair to say, it surpassed our international expectations promotionally on the global stage as a brand builder.

“Our participation has also underlined our commitment to the New Zealand market, in which we are now a key player with four wide-bodied services a day from New Zealand to Dubai and beyond via Australia.

“When we first backed the team in 2004 we saw in it many features that we could relate to, including its drive, focus and competitiveness. The team continues to also seek excellence in all aspects of its operation and in all these respects we feel there a strong compatibility with Emirates Airline as an award-winning international airline.”

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