Chris Nicholson to lead International-powered AkzoNobel crew in The Ocean Race Europe

AkzoNobel Ocean Racing (powered by International^®) will be sailing in The Ocean Race Europe, which sets off later this month from Lorient in France.

The renowned International brand featured on all seven boats that competed in the last round-the-world edition of the race and will again be used on the AkzoNobel boat to provide the ultimate in high-performance protection and durability.

The crew will be skippered by offshore sailing legend Chris Nicholson, who has participated in six editions of The Ocean Race, including as watch captain of the AkzoNobel team in 2017-18.

“The Ocean Race Europe is fast approaching and we’re very excited to be representing AkzoNobel, powered by International,” says Nicholson.

“We’re all looking forward to getting out and performing on the racetrack again after what has been a long time away from competition. There’s a lot of enthusiasm for this new event around Europe. We’ve got a very mixed, diverse team with a lot of new, young faces and we can’t wait to get started.”

Adds Jean-Michel Gauthier, Director of AkzoNobel’s Marine and Protective Coatings business: “We're delighted to get the boat back in the water, fly our colors and join The Ocean Race Europe circuit over the next few weeks.

“Beyond the aesthetics and the highly durable yacht coatings that our VO65 features, the boat and her crew exemplify a fantastic mix of teamwork, collective agility, speed, endurance and diversity – very important values for all of us at AkzoNobel. We can't wait to get our team racing again.”

The Ocean Race Europe will start in Lorient on the final weekend in May and finish in Genoa, Italy, three weeks later, with stops in Cascais, Portugal, and Alicante, Spain, along the way.

The inaugural event features two fleets – the one design VO65s and the IMOCAs (which sit at the cutting-edge of technology). They will race separately for The Ocean Race Europe trophy. Each stage of the race, as well as two coastal races, will be scored equally to determine the winner.

About AkzoNobel

We’ve been pioneering a world of possibilities to bring surfaces to life for well over 200 years. As experts in making coatings, there’s a good chance you’re only ever a few meters away from one of our products. Our world class portfolio of brands – including Dulux, International, Sikkens and Interpon – is trusted by customers around the globe. We’re active in more than 150 countries and have set our sights on becoming the global industry leader. It’s what you’d expect from the most sustainable paints company, which has been inventing the future for more than two centuries.

For more information please visit:

www.akzonobel.com
www.facebook.com/AkzoNobelOceanRacing
www.theoceanrace.com/en/the-ocean-race-europe.