Transat B to B: BOSS Black Eyewear and Alex Thomson hit back?

07/12/2011
The HUGO BOSS yacht left St. Barts (Lesser Antilles) to compete in a tough solo race across the Atlantic Ocean. The fleet is due to arrive at Lorient, France, after 12 to 16 days at sea

Padova (Italy), 7 December 2011 – After a well deserved 2nd place in the Transat Jacques Vabre, Alex Thomson could give some new great emotions to his fans. On board the HUGO BOSS yacht the British skipper is now competing in the Transat B to B, the solo race which acts as a qualifier for the Vendée Globe 2012.

“I feel pretty good about the boat after the Transat Jacques Vabre - said Thomson before the start -, but the single-handed race is obviously an entirely different challenge, so we mustn’t get ahead of ourselves!”

The race - started on Monday December 5 - will lead the IMOCA fleet from Gustavia, St. Barts, to Lorient, France, after about two weeks at sea in wintry conditions.
In addition to Alex Thomson’s HUGO BOSS yacht, the fleet includes the boats skippered by Jean-Pierre Dick (Virbac-Paprec 3), Armel Le Cléac'h (Banque Populaire), Vincent Riou (PRB), Marc Guillemot (Safran), Mike Golding (Gamesa), François Gabart (Macif), Louis Burton (Bureau Vallée).

Alex Thomson is sailing with the support of HUGO BOSS and HUGO BOSS Eyewear, the brand that includes the sunglasses and eyeglasses collections designed, manufactured and distributed by Safilo under license.

Within this partnership with the HUGO BOSS Sailing Team, Safilo has launched the special model "ALEX 99" (BOSS 0338/S and 0338/N/S) and in its wake the new sunglasses BOSS 0393/S and BOSS 0392/S. All these styles are part of the BOSS Black Eyewear Collection.

”ALEX 99” are the official sunglasses worn by Alex Thomson and his crew. The aerodynamic injected frame is personalized by a metal logo insert on the outside, whilst inside the wording “ALEX 99” can be seen, showing the first name of the skipper and the boat number. The models are also available with polarized lenses offering excellent visual quality that eliminates all reflections, perfect for outdoor sports. The lightweight and comfortable shield sunglasses, such as BOSS 0393/S and BOSS 0392/S, with their wrap-around shape also flaunt a decidedly sporty design and are ideal for sports activities but also for everyday wear.

The unmistakable shape of the BOSS Black sunglasses mod. 0393/S also appears on the spinnaker of the IMOCA 60 HUGO BOSS.

About HUGO BOSS
The sponsorship portfolio of HUGO BOSS focuses on three major sports; Golf, Formula 1 and Sailing, as well as other sponsorship interests, which already include Tennis (Davis Cup) and Football (Mario Gomez). In sailing, HUGO BOSS gets another platform to demonstrate its fashion competence both on the boat and shore-side. HUGO BOSS provides Alex and the crew with highly functional outfits for all possible weather conditions around the globe and dresses the crew for every celebration function in the smartest possible way.

Alex Thomson key facts
One of Britain's most talented sailors - having set two world records, Thomson is the youngest skipper ever to win a round the world race. Date of birth: 18th April 1974
 - Place of birth: Bangor, North Wales
- Lives: Titchfield, Hampshire
- Title Sponsor: HUGO BOSS
- Yacht: IMOCA 60 HUGO BOSS
- Sailing: 16 years experience - Next Event: Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race 2011 - Inspiration: Sir Keith Mills. Alex met Sir Keith during the 1999 Clipper Round the World Race and together they founded Alex Thomson Racing in 2003.

Press Office:
Safilo, Milano tel. +39 02 76020154, Padova +39.049.6985111, email pressoffice@safilo.com
ISM Italia, tel. +39.02.733403, email abagno@ismitalia.it
Web: www.alexthomsonracing.co.uk, www.transatbtob-imoca.org, www.hugoboss.com, www.safilo.com

Last update: 07/12/2011, 16:29