Innovative specialist sailing apparel manufacturer Zhik has been selected by team AkzoNobel as its official technical clothing partner for the upcoming edition of the Volvo Ocean Race.
The crew will race across four oceans and encounter some of the most extreme weather conditions known to man during their nine-month circumnavigation. From the freezing waters and winds of the southern latitudes, to the sweltering heat of the equatorial zones, the sailors will rely on Zhik’s technology and design expertise to keep them operating at peak performance.
“Staying warm and dry when it is wet and cold, and keeping cool when the temperatures soar is not just a ‘nice-to-have’ option,” said team AkzoNobel skipper and two-time Volvo Ocean Race competitor Simeon Tienpont. “Having the right technical clothing is critical in the Volvo Ocean Race and my previous experience with Zhik makes them the right company to partner with.”
AkzoNobel is the world’s leading manufacturer of the organic peroxides that are used as essential ingredients to produce the type of hi-tech fabrics that feature in Zhik’s products.
Commented Zhik CEO, David Crow: “We are extremely excited to partner with such an innovative and forward-thinking company as AkzoNobel for the Volvo Ocean Race. Our world class, hi-tech performance yachting gear, combined with AkzoNobel’s drive for innovation and its winning culture, mean this is sure to be a superb partnership.”
Bart Milczarczyk, global head of design at Zhik, said the opportunity to collaborate with the team AkzoNobel sailors made the partnership all the more unique and innovative.
“The elite athletes at team AkzoNobel will push our products to the limit in the extreme conditions of the Volvo Ocean Race,” he said. “Their feedback and development ideas will help us create breakthrough solutions in the ocean racing space and create an innovation pipeline that shapes the future of sailing apparel for everyone.”
Zhik is available in Ireland through CH Marine
