Mike Lloyd

Thanks for your kind comments. I was talking to Mike Bellamy two days ago, he won in 1972 - and he said no one has any idea as to how hard this race is going to be. Racing 250 miles each and every day and being out at sea for 4 to 6 hours is shattering. The body gets so sore after four legs and you can begin to forget which day it is, they all merge into one.

But what an adventure!

Mike Lloyd

The plans for the race are still moving on but it looks as though we have hit a quiet period as far as entries are concerned. Sitting quietly on 40 but have invoiced another five as requested who have yet to pay. I am hearing that there are still many teams from all over the world out there who are working on getting their act together but of course if they don't move soon there won't be any spaces left. There is no doubt in our minds that we will have to run a reserve listing as we did in RB 2008.

Many things are happening but it's frustrating that we can't announce any of them at the moment so we have to be patient until the time is right.

The Venues are now our priority and we will report back on those as we visit them.
ML.

ChineWalker

Out of curiosity; have you invited any teams/companies to participate? Do you have any corporate sponsors, or is the approch grass roots?

Mike Lloyd

Hi, Sorry for not coming back to you for a while, it's pretty busy.
We don't work the way your question is asked. We post that we are putting on this race and leave it to the racers imaginantions as to whether they want to take part in what is effectively the longest and toughest race on earth for powerboaters. So far we have forty (40) who have paid their deposits and entered and these come from 12 different countries, all except the USA!!! There is no question that we will hit the capped limit of 55 judging from the emails we are getting but we are disappointed that no one from the USA wants to take part. Maybe it's just a step too far for you guys, I just don't know.

We are hunting for corporate sponsors - naturally, This is a very expensive race to put on but having said that from what we are seeing and the emails we are getting the world will be watching on the day via the internet and the tracking systems with live feed from the boats. In the 2008 Round Britain race we had 12 million hits during the race month for which we were not prepared. We will be this time and you can expect double that so you can see the benefits that a corporate sponsor will get from this and then of course there will be the TV film showing all the action from far out at sea to interviews in the pits running out to an audience in excess of some 100 million - worldwide! All in all it's going to be some event the likes of which will not have been seen for 40 years.

There is no question that this will be the greatest powerboat race in the world, 55 race teams, 11 cities, 5 countries, 2,400 nautical miles, Monte-Carlo the destination - it speaks for itself.
ML.

Mike Lloyd

The decision has been made today to cap entries into the 2013 Cowes to Monte-Carlo Powerboat Grand Prix at 50, not 55.

The comments we have been receiving from various Marinas about 55 boats arriving in one afternoon is worrying them (it’s been worrying us as well) so although not a great reduction it will be easier for everyone if there will only be 50 or less boats arriving. Handling, organising and re-fuelling up to 50 powerboats in an afternoon is a major challenge anyway as we discovered in RB2008.

Any race teams not able to register and pay their deposits before the cap will go onto a reserve listing.

This decision is to take effect immediately.

Mike Lloyd

This has been a great week for us and there are still two years to go. We now have the full compliment of Race Teams who have paid their deposits and are entered into what is recognised internationally as the greatest and the toughest powerboat race in the world - The Cowes to Monte-Carlo Powerboat Race.

We reached our target of fifty (50) Race Teams on Monday, 50 brave Race Teams who have put their money where their mouths are! It will make for fascinating watching for 14 days.
ML.
.

Mike Lloyd

We are VERY surprised at the lack of interest from American Boat manufacturers in our race.

The first three boats that come home after racing for 2,400 miles in BIG seas over 14 days will have proved that they are boats that can be purchased with confidence.

Whoever are the manufacturers of those three boats will be able to put that information on their sales literature for the next ten years. That is an opportunity that only a small number of manufacturers has seen.
ML.

MikeyFIN

I'm not...I'f youd call it a World Championhip race, had it on a mile lap between a few buoys running 17 miles per race or so next to a beach with "at least 80000" spectators then they've showed up...
Nobody there thought that this race probably attracts millions is my guess, the typical thinking that the race is held so far out on the sea that there's no spectators... So Wrong. Think about all the places the race stops on...

wcmarine

MikeyFIN, Before you start making comments like that, maybe think about this:
95% of US manufacturers are struggling to keep their doors open let alone dump 1 million+ on putting together a race boat, then another 500K on the race logistics.
Im sure it would look amazing in the magazines and on brochures to have those accolades.... But if doing that puts the company over the edge as far as financial struggles, there wont be a company to even boast those accolades.
Its still 2 years out. I understand there is a cap on race entries and a deadline for money. But mark my words.... There will be a bunch come out of the woodworks closer to the date. WCM

MikeyFIN

I'm making comments like that BECAUSE I'm familiar with logistics of a race team shipped over...ok a car team but 2 full trucks and sofort, the prices ain't 500K not even close plus there might be some sponsorship money from the shipping companies too, been there had that.
Thinking the races are paid 100% of the companies pockets just shows how much one has Actually raced and been on the road Professionally. Done right it's free advertising.

FYI I've wrenched and handled racecars alltheway from US to Russia and everything in between.

Come to think of it, US struggles know..after a few years Europe struggles and we all struggle so Why wait we only live once and this race might not be repeated all too soon.
And this race has to be prepared good.. It's not not like the "worlds" in KW, or some local late model Stock car race ( Yes I've wrenched those too back in the day, ASA late Models).