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Brad to don Gill outfits for solo sailing round the globe

27 Jul '10

3 min read

Sailing 30,000 miles around the globe alone brings with it many challenges. Racing those same miles alone brings even more. As the sole U.S. entry in the upcoming VELUX 5 OCEANS 2010-11 race, Brad Van Liew takes his preparations very seriously, including the clothes that will protect him from the elements and offer a bit of comfort in the often rough, wet and demanding environment of solo ocean racing.

As Van Liew's Technical Clothing Sponsor, Gill's broad line of wicking shirts, pants, fleeces, hats, jackets and foul weather gear will be an important factor in Van Liew's safety, comfort and competitive goals.

“Gill makes products that work,” said Van Liew. “They are constantly doing the research and development necessary to offer superior options for inshore and offshore sailing. I trust them to provide products that are durable, light, and breathable for the extreme environment I will face offshore.”

During offshore training sessions this summer and the Transatlantic sail from the U.S. to the start of the race in France this fall, Van Liew and his crew will sport Gill's OS1 Atlantic foul weather gear constructed using a 5 Dot, 3-layer highly breathable waterproof fabric. Van Liew calls it tough and functional. Gill's Race Collection, which offers a UV protection factor of 50+, will be used for some of the lighter conditions offshore and during inshore sails devoted to final boat preparations and sponsors.

In warmer conditions Gill's technical t-shirts will wick moisture away from the skin and dry quickly. The fact that they are made from100% recycled material pleases Van Liew as he has some clear objectives for sustainable living during the race. He will attempt to sail the entire 9 months without using any fossil fuels whatsoever, assisted by hydrogenerators and solar panels. The ECO 60 boat he will be racing is in fact recycled as well, built in 1998 and raced in dozens of events since then.

“Gill is proud to align our brand with Brad and Team Lazarus,” said David Pritchard, President of Gill North America. “Brad has the experience and spirit to win that make for great racing and I trust we will all enjoy watching the action throughout the event.”

The VELUX 5 OCEANS starts from La Rochelle in France on October 17, 2010 and features five ocean sprints. After heading from La Rochelle to Cape Town, the race will then take in Wellington in New Zealand, Salvador in Brazil and Charleston in the US before returning back across the Atlantic to France.

Gill NA, with headquarters near Atlanta, GA is the sole distributor and licensee of Gill-brand foul weather gear in North America including Caribbean, Central America, US and Canada. Gill is an apparel and accessories leader in the worldwide marine industry for over three decades and specializes in high tech, breathable waterproof clothing.

The company tests, designs and markets a variety of performance oriented, award-winning apparel and accessories for virtually every type of boating activity with product lines that include foul weather gear; interactive layering systems; footwear; gloves; bags; junior gear; scholastic gear and team wear. Available through hundreds of independent dealers and select West Marine Stores.

Ocean Racing