Satellite communications specialist Cobham SATCOM has extended its long-running sponsorship deal with the Volvo Ocean Race to take in the 2017-18 edition of the sailing event.
Serving as the satellite and radio communications equipment sponsor, the 2017-18 Race will be the sixth consecutive edition that Cobham SATCOM has supplied hardware for.
The deal means that Cobham SATCOM will continue to supply not only the satellite communications hardware for the Volvo Ocean 65s boats, but also a wide range of radio and safety equipment.
“The Volvo Ocean Race is the toughest arena there is, and the ultimate showcase for our products,” Casper Jensen, senior vice-president of Cobham, and head of Cobham SATCOM, said. “It is the most global event in sport – visiting 11 iconic cities across five continents – and is an invaluable link to our key markets across the planet.
“With the boats set to race the longest distance in the event’s history, the next edition represents a very tough challenge for our equipment – and can only enhance their credentials as the most reliable communications equipment for all maritime applications.”
The 13th edition of the Ocean Race, starting in Alicante in autumn 2017, will be raced with a fleet of one-design Volvo Ocean 65 boats, and will visit 11 cities around the globe, including Lisbon; Cape Town; Hong Kong; Guangzhou; Auckland; Itajaí; Newport, Rhode Island; Cardiff; and Gothenburg, before crossing the finish line in The Hague in summer 2018.