Six Senses Phuket Raceweek 2008, described by participants as “…the most exciting mixed fleet regatta this region has seen in quite some time…”, will be held from 23 - 27 July 2008 at the Evason Phuket & Six Senses Spa on Phuket Island’s southeast coast.

“Six Senses are delighted to be associated with this prestigious event because sailing as a sport fits with our core purpose ‘to create enriching and innovative experience in a sustainable environment’,” said Six Senses Chairman & CEO, Sonu Shivdasani. “We look forward over the coming year to working closely with the organisers so that, together, we can build on what has already been achieved and confirm Six Senses Phuket Raceweek as one of the region’s top sailing events,” he added.

Six Senses is a resort and spa management and development company operating properties and products branded as Soneva, Evason Hideaways, Evason, Six Senses Spas and Six Senses Gallery.

Evason Phuket has been the Raceweek base from the first event and has proven to be one of Asia’s most treasured regatta venues. Just a few minutes from the racing start line, the Evason’s regatta HQ lends itself to organiser IMAGE asia’s unique one-regatta-one-venue policy, with registration, post-race regatta bar, prizegivings and parties all in the same waterside location.

“The entire team at Evason Phuket has enjoyed hosting Phuket Raceweek since the first event in 2004. In becoming the title sponsor under the Six Senses brand, this will continue to promote new awareness of the region as a premier sailing destination,” said Henry Gray, Area General Manger, Evason Phuket & Six Senses Spa, adding, “We’re all looking forward to another successful Raceweek in 2008."

Joining Six Senses as a new Co-Sponsor of Raceweek in 2008 is Rodenstock, the prestigious manufacturer of German eyewear, already making big waves in Asian markets.

“We’re very excited about these two sponsorship developments, particularly as they’ve come in so soon after we started marketing the 2008 event,” said IMAGE asia’s managing director, Grenville Fordham, adding, “We’ve run Raceweek on a very tight budget to date, so Six Senses and Rodenstock coming on board mean we’ll have more resources to put into next year’s regatta.

"We’re still working on our 2008 plans, but we can say now that 2008 will see bigger and better parties at Evason Phuket, early evening Happy Hours and more extensive international media coverage.”

Fordham noted that he anticipates confirming the same broad range of national and international media partnerships for 2008 as the event enjoyed in 2007.

Increased levels of sponsorship, he went on to explain, also mean more resources available to work on getting the message out to a broader range of international participants, either bringing their own yachts from other regional bases, or flying in to charter at low season rates from Phuket’s large charter fleet.

“The great support and enthusiasm we’ve had from the Evason Phuket team over the years has helped create the combination of quality, relaxed fun and friendliness that brings Raceweek participants back every year. We’re now looking forward to working with Six Senses’ team of marketing professionals that will enable us to reach out to a much wider audience than we have previously, specifically promoting unique accommodation/sailing/racing packages,” said Fordham.