A night to remember

“The yachting world will turn its focus to Sydney this weekend for what is set to be some of the most thrilling on-water action you could wish for,” Hillary said. “For those of you who’ve witnessed this incredible racing and for the uninitiated, we can’t wait to share the thrill of racing on the edge over the next three days.”

Judging by the reel of stills and video shot by Sailor Girl Nic Douglass of the practice day on Thursday, the foiling fleet is in lightning-fast form and raring to race. “It’s going to be massive!” Nic promised. “All the teams are in it to win it, and the Aussies are determined to bag a victory in front of a home crowd.”

Nobody is more excited about the weekend’s F50 foiling fare than the Ocean Club elite partners, many of whom are foundation sponsors and collaborate at every boat show and owner event with Ocean Media.

All the way from the UK on this occasion, Peter Mahony, General Manager of Benetti Asia, has known and worked with Ocean Media for 19 years. “I always make room in the budget for marketing with Ocean magazine,” he said.

“Hillary is genuinely dedicated to our industry and she and her team are deeply committed to telling our stories. It’s a win-win. Sponsoring Ocean Club events is a great opportunity to come to Australia and enjoy good hospitality, reconnect with customers and friends, and meet new people and introduce them to our brand and our unique proposition.”

Chris Santon, Head of Burgess Australia said the business “tries to sponsor as many Ocean Club events as possible.”

“We align ourselves with Ocean Media because they deliver remarkable events with high echelon clients and a level of luxury not seen at other events, which is on par with the ethos at Burgess.

“Ocean Club events attracts elite partners that we like to work with, such as Benetti, who we have a longstanding relationship with internationally, Gold Coast City Marina & Shipyard, and Grand Seiko, who we’ve worked with for many years.

“As an added bonus, we’re able to invite our key clients out on the water to enjoy the main event – the sailing!”

Trent Gay, CEO of Gold Coast City Marina & Shipyard, is a foundation supporter of Ocean magazine and the Ocean Club. “We feel it’s important to support the advocates and ambassadors who work to grow and promote our industry, and Hillary and her endeavours always aim to do that,” he said.

“Ocean Club events are vital for connecting with owners and clients. Our customers are successful in their lives and businesses and their boats are their escape. Doing business in a social setting is very appropriate. We can have fun, get to know owners, captains and crew so we can serve them better, and it makes life more enjoyable!”

Presenting a glittering showcase of precision timepieces, Vincent Cuche, Head of Grand Seiko Australia and New Zealand, was enthusiastic in his praise for the Ocean Club’s blend of networking and socialising.

He said aligning Grand Seiko with Ocean Club events was the ideal means of reaching its target market and attracting new devotees to the brand.

“Being a part of Ocean Club events is a great way to show our watches to people who appreciate such timepieces. We don’t want our brand to be static – we want to show it’s part of a lifestyle, to be used. Our watches are popular as collector’s items, but they were made to be worn and enjoyed.”

From their Market Street, Sydney boutique, Grand Seiko presents the latest models in collections such as the Evolution 9, launched to mark the 60th anniversary of the very first Grand Seiko, the Sport Collection which includes the Grand Seiko diver’s watch, offering everything the recreational diver needs with no compromise or distracting ornamentation.

For first-time sponsor, CMC Markets, aligning with Ocean Club was very worthwhile.

Ashley Glover, Head of Sales Trading APAC & Canada said “This was our first time sponsoring an Ocean Club event and it has been a fantastic experience.

“The event provided the perfect opportunity for our CMC Markets ALPHA team to connect with new clients, introducing them to the brand and our premium product offering, as well as enjoying a beautiful day on the harbour.”

Princess Yachts Australia Director Greg Haines said working with the Ocean Club was a way of exploring new experiences with clients and owners.

“Aligning with the Ocean Club for events like this is important for our brand, networking and entertaining our owners.

“This is a new experience for us and our owners. We watched a documentary on Foxtel and it was amazing! Our owners are really looking forward to this weekend. The racing is going to be fantastic!”

Ocean Media is grateful for the support of our Ocean Club Elite Sponsors and Ocean Partners.

Elite Sponsors

Aston Martin
Benetti
CMC Markets
Grand Seiko

Ocean Partners

Burgess
Princess Yachts
Gold Coast City Marina & Shipyard

Suppliers

SKYY Vodka
Caviar