For the second consecutive year, Corum is associating its name with the world's largest closed-water regatta as the Presenting Sponsor of the Bol d'Or Mirabaud. This 73rd edition will be particularly eventful for the watch company, which is introducing a model dedicated to the regatta, reinforcing its support for the Okalys-Corum team, as well as bringing together its two ambassadors.
Corum CEO Antonio Calce said: “Watchmaking and sailing sports have in common a number of shared values. Whereas sailors observe any subtle signs of wind in the boat sails, the watchmaking focuses intently on each stage of crafting the watch. Both disciplines require a good deal of attention at all times and for the smallest details, along with perseverance and tenacity. Corum, a name associated with sailing since the 1960s, shares the same passion with all the professional and amateur sailors who take part in this legendary regatta. I am delighted that the Corum brand is involved on several levels with this international scale race – not only as Presenting Sponsor, but also through bringing together our two ambassadors and by supporting our Okalys-Corum team. Here's hoping the orange multihull will have a victory wind in its sails for the 2011 edition.”
Corum's enduring attachment to the maritime world is naturally expressed through another year featuring a wealth of sailing partnerships. The watch company has signed up to be part of events such as the Bosphorus Cup in Turkey, the RSYC Regatta in Singapore, and as Presenting Sponsor of the not-to-be-missed Bol d'Or Mirabaud in Lake Léman, Switzerland. Each year, the latter attracts over 500 boats, which will be vying with each other to win the golden cup – and the Corum Admiral's Cup Seafender 48 Chrono Bol d'Or Mirabaud specially created by the brand in honour of this partnership. One of these 30-piece limited-edition watches bearing the blue and gold race colors will be presented to the winner of the Bol d'Or, and another to the Bol de Vermeil winner.
As the last stage in Switzerland of the Décision 35 championship, the Bol d'Or Mirabaud presented by Corum brings together the fleet of catamarans considered as the lake's Formula 1 craft. Among the 11 multihulls that will cross the starting line, Corum is in particular supporting the Okalys-Corum team, thereby reinforcing its presence this year as exclusive team cosponsor with the Régie Grange. Having returned from his victory in the Barcelona World Race on Virbac-Paprec alongside Jean-Pierre Dick, Loïck Peyron has confirmed his participation in the Bol d'Or Mirabaud presented by Corum in the company of Nicolas Grange, co-skipper and owner of the Okalys-Corum catamaran, and of the entire team. After eight years of sailing together, two wins in the Bol d'Or Mirabaud (2005 and 2007) and plenty of assets in hand, the team is definitely targeting the podium of this 73rd edition.
Corum is honoring the event with the presence of a top-class sailor, Olympic triple gold and silver medalist and a candidate for the 2012 Olympic Games, Ben Ainslie. As brand ambassador and guest of honor aboard the CGN Le Simplon boat, Ben Ainslie will join two other sailing specialists in providing live commentary on the start of the Bol d'Or Mirabaud presented by Corum.
All sailing enthusiasts and connoisseurs are also invited to follow the presence of the brand at the Bol d'Or Mirabaud presented by Corum on www.corum.ch.
After the Bol d'Or Mirabaud presented by Corum, the D35 boats will be competing in France for the very first time, since the next regatta, scheduled for September 1st , will be the Grand Prix de Beaulieu-sur-Mer.
The Admiral's Cup Seafender 48 Chrono Bol d'Or Mirabaud watch
To celebrate the partnership with the Bol d'Or Mirabaud presented by Corum, the watch brand is presenting an exclusive timepiece proudly bearing the event colors: the Admiral's Cup Seafender 48 Chrono Bol d'Or Mirabaud. The winners of the Bol d'Or and the Bol de Vermeil will be presented with one of these 30-piece limited edition watches.
Equipped with the star complication for sports watches, the chronograph function, the Bol d'Or model features a generously sized 48 mm blue case. The model is distinguished by a twelvesided bezel in the same shade, along with the nautical pennants that are a signature feature of the Admiral's Cup collection.
Loyal to its tradition of innovation and originality, Corum has chosen to run counter to its usual practice by associating a “centro” chronograph with this model. The chronograph minutes and seconds hands, traditionally appearing on two small dedicated counters, are mounted here on the same axis as the conventional hour and minutes hands. As well as resulting in an original and extremely pared-down face for a chronograph, this approach naturally also ensures enhanced readability.
The dial, richly adorned with a Clous de Paris hobnail motif and applied gold hour-markers, is enhanced by gold hands. The watch as a whole gives subtle pride of place to the blue and golden colors of the Bol d'Or Mirabaud presented by Corum.
ADMIRAL'S CUP SEAFENDER 48 CHRONO BOL D'OR MIRABAUD
30-piece limited edition
Exclusive Corum movement
Automatic chronograph, CO960, COSC certified
28,800 vibrations per hour, 27 jewels
Hours, minutes, small seconds, date with central seconds and minutes read-off
48-hour power reserve
Blue PVD-treated titanium case
48 mm diameter
Exclusive pushpiece-locking system
Exhibition case-back adorned with Bol d'Or Mirabaud 2011 logo
Black dial, Clous de Paris hobnail motif, applied
5N red gold chevrons
5N red gold hands
Black leather strap
Water-resistant to 300 meters (1,000 ft)
THE BOL D'OR MIRABAUD
The route is designed to be as simple as possible: Geneva – Le Bouveret – Geneva. There is only
one buoy marker, at the mid-way point (Le Bouveret).
The winner in real time of the Geneva -Le Bouveret -Geneva route wins the Bol d'Or, which is
put up for grabs each year – unless it is won three times in five years by the same owner. Only
three boats have achieved the latter feat in over 70 editions: Marie-José II belonging to Horace
Julliard (1961, 1962 and 1963), Altaïr IX owned by Philippe Stern (1980, 1982 and 1984) and Ernesto
Bertarelli's Alinghi (1997, 2000 and 2001).
The Bol de Vermeil rewards the first monohull to cross the finishing line. As with the Bol d'Or, it
must be won three times in five years in order to be entitled to keep it.
Distance via the shortest route: 123 kilometers, meaning 66.5 nautical miles.
Number of participants:
26 boas in 1939
684 boats in 1990
526 boats in 2007
532 in 2009
517 in 2010
Winners of the five last editions of the Bol d'Or
2005 Okalys - Corum N. Grange – L. Peyron (Décision 35) 16h 29' 43''
2006 Banque Gonet Quinodoz & Co – R. Coutts (Décision 35) 11h 45' 20"
2007 Okalys - Corum N. Grange – L. Peyron (Décision 35) 10h 05' 25''
2008 Zebra 7 – GP Assoc. Zebra 7 – Frank Cammas (Décision 35) 9h 34' 16''
2009 Foncia Alain Gautier – Michel Desjoyaux (Décision 35) 19h 33' 26''
2010 Ladycat Dona Bertarelli (Décision 35) 16h 49' 57''
