Marine

Rubson Raid Turquoise – the Cannonball Run of the Sea

Rubson Raid Turquoise – the Cannonball Run of the Sea
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December 3, 2005 The Rubson Raid Turquoise is fast gaining a reputation as one of the great adventures – akin to the Paris-Dakar or the Cannonball Run, it was held this year on Brazil’s Costa Verde. Beginning November 23, more than 60 adventure seekers from all over the world took to the waters of Brazil’s magical Copacabana Bay for the fifth running of the event begun in 2001 by Belgian adventurer Philippe Martin. Over the course of the week, the four-person teams raced identical 7.5 metre Capelli RIBs (Rigid Inflatable Boats) powered by Yamaha Vmax 250hp outboards down the Brazilian coastline from Rio De Janeiro to finish in Sao Paulo on November 30. Along the way the teams took part in individual races, navigation tests, land-based orienteering and endurance trials, Yamaha Waverunner racing, diving, big-game fishing and water-skiing competitions. All the while, the large mother ship, the Diamant, kept pace with the fleet as the Raid moved along the coastline, offering the spectators and press crews luxurious accommodation and at night became a floating party. Get in soon for 2006 – we forecast this race will become an institution.

Though held in Brazil this year, the Rubson Raid Turquoise has already been held in the world's most beautiful places in its short five year history, including Seychelles, Guadeloupe and Grenadine.

Set against the backdrop of the world's most spectacular seascapes, the Rubson Raid Turquoise is a seven-day nautical challenge demanding tight teamwork, physical endurance and nautical savvy.

The race took on a far more professional look in 2002 when Henkel's Rubson brand of waterproof materials joined the Raid Turquoise as the main sponsor of the race, which was renamed the Rubson Raid Turquoise. Last year Yamaha and Capelli joined in, supplying identical 7.5-metre semi-rigid boats, all powered by Yamaha’s very latest 24 valve, DOHC, V6 powerhouse F250.

Taking the top spots in both the team and pilot classifications at the Rubson Raid Turquoise 2005 was Team OOL from the Caribbean island of Guadeloupe. Led by 1978 windsurfing world champion Yann Roussel, the team secured a total of 124 points across diverse activities from speed trials and waterskiing to sand-trekking and team-building rowing courses. Runners-up included Portuguese team Angel Pilot (106.5 points), AMI from Dubai (105 points) and France's Pattex team (104 points).

In addition to international water-sports professionals and amateurs, this year's event attracted more than 40 TV and print journalists from countries around the world, including China, France, Italy, Russia, Poland and the United Kingdom. To help journalists capture the action and visual magnificence of this nautical adventure along the beautiful Costa Verde between Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo, the accompanying cruise ship and helicopter offered exclusive opportunities for spectacular photographs and video footage fed to media rooms around the world via satellite.

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