US skipper Tim Troy secures sponsorship for Velux 5 Ocean Race 7/9/06

Tim Troy, an American Open 60 sailor, has secured sponsorship for his Velux 5 Oceans Race campaign from Solveras Payment Systems – an independent payment transaction processing company in Nashville.

Forty-six year-old Troy is a two-time winner of the Bermuda 1-2 singlehanded race and with 100,000 nautical miles under his keel he strongly believes he is up to the challenge. He recently purchased a French Open 60 built by the Mag OCEA group in 1998, the same builder that built the PRB, the boat that won back-to-back Vendée Globe races. Although Troy has already had two attempts at Open 60 solo round the world campaigns before this is the first time he’s had a strong corporate sponsorship.

Chatting about his sponsorship announcement Troy commented: “It is a dream come true for me to secure this sponsorship. I have worked so hard for such a long time and I am delighted that I am going to achieve my ultimate goal. Thanks to the generous support of Solveras Payment System I have the boost I need to make the start line and be competitive.”

Troy sailing Margaret Anna – named after his two daughters – will join the nine other competitors in the Velux 5 Oceans Race which start from Bilbao on 22 October.

Competitor line-up
Alex Thomson, Hugo Boss Open 60 GBR
Bernard Stamm, Cheminees Poujoulat Open 60 SUI
Doug Hofman, TBC Open 60 USA
Felipe Cubillos, TBC Open 60 CHL
Kojiro Shiraishi, SPIRIT of YUKOH Open 60 JPN
Mike Golding, ECOVER Open 60 GBR
Sir Robin Knox-Johnston, Grey Power Open 60 GBR
Tim Troy Magaret Anna Open 60 USA
Unai Basurko BBK Open 60 ESP
Graham Dalton A Southern Man-A.G.D. Open 50 NZL