Gill Sponsors “Morning Light” Project, Documenting Crew Sailing The 2007 Transpacific Yacht Race

Gill North America, a Sail America member, has been appointed as an official sponsor of the crew of Morning Light, a Transpac 52 that is part of the 44th Transpacific Yacht Race to Hawaii that starts July 15. The Morning Light project is led by race veteran Roy E. Disney and is a real-life adventure feature film that is being shot before, during and after the Transpac competition. Its purpose is to document the adventures of this professionally trained and uniquely selected sailing crew as they compete in this race, which starts in mid-July and follows a course from Los Angeles to Diamond Head in Honolulu.

With a target release date scheduled in 2008, the high definition film will chronicle in documentary style, the recruitment, training and performance of the Transpac sailors who range in age from 18 to 23, hailing from all parts of the country. As Disney has said, "If we do our job right, I don't care as much whether they win or lose as how they come together as a group and wind up a team in the end. However they do is how they do. But we're giving them the equipment to win."

To that end, Gill North America is supplying the crew with a variety of high-performance Gill gear and apparel, including gloves, base layer, mid layer, Technical Apparel lines (shirts, vests, jackets and shorts), Gill-branded DryShirts™ supplied by DryUV, Key West range jackets, one design smocks and all-weather duffle bags. According to Robbie Haines, Olympic gold medalist and sailing team manager for the Morning Light project, part of Pacific High Productions that has partnered with the Walt Disney Company: “We wanted Gill products because they were popular with the crew, and we know that they are very conducive to the conditions we will experience in Hawaii and California and during the Transpac Yacht Race. In California, the warmer products and Gill’s exclusive layering system will add to the crew’s comfort, while Gill’s breathable materials will work particularly well in Hawaii where the conditions are more humid.”

Gill North America President David Pritchard is equally enthusiastic about the company’s participation in the project. “The individual crew members all represent up-and-coming top sailors, so getting to know them and building a relationship and trust was also a goal. Gill is very pleased to be the preferred performance gear of choice and we look forward to our participation and a successful joint venture,” he said.

 

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