Oryx Quest

Oryx Quest ( in the preparatory stages, first Oryx Cup) was a sailing regatta, the boats on the G- Class in 2005 - ie maxi - catamarans and trimarans infinitely large multihulls, - non-stop once led the world. She was the first round the world race, which starts and finishes in the Middle East - namely in Doha, Qatar - lay.

Of the four competing boats two dropped out due to material damage; the regatta starting largely decided - as one of the two remaining boats was significantly slower than the competition, was from this moment - even just one month before finish line the winner.

Participating boats were paid as 1 million U.S. dollars entry fee, according to the organizer. The competition's prize money totaling $ 1 million also was the highest so far in the history of sailing. In addition, prize money for a boat was suspended, the unterböte the record time of the Trophée Jules Verne ( a circumnavigation of France / England ), although the track (and thus the prevailing winds ) was clearly distinct and particular with 21,000 miles was shorter than for the Trophée Jules Verne.

As a result of the regatta there were legal battles between the British sailor Tracy Edwards (s ) or the run by their organizers and sponsors from Qatar, which, according to English information millions of dollars - not - including prize money in the amount of $ 850,000 to have paid off. From other side, this representation has been doubted. Edwards and the organizers had to file for bankruptcy as a result of the regatta. In addition, Edwards was accused by one of the organizers of the round the world race The Race idea theft.

• 2.1 Financial prelude and postlude of the regatta 2.1.1 funding problems
• 2.1.2 Follow

Sequence of the race

Route, prizes and more race conditions

Start of sailing race was on 5 February 2005 in Doha, then led the route through the Persian Gulf via the Indian Ocean to the south, then Cape Leeuwin and Cape Horn was rounded. After a trip to the location before Uruguay Isla de Lobos (so that the boats do not get too sailed in the more dangerous southern waters and also footage could be transmitted for marketing the race lighter on land ) it went around the Cape of Good Hope and Mauritius around back to Qatar.

According to Edwards competing boats each one million dollars entry fee has been paid. As one of the registered boats canceled at short notice, Steve Fossett were even paid 2 million dollars for the participation of his maxi - catamaran Cheyenne. Elsewhere, however, Edwards was an indication of participation fees will be incurred.

In addition, waved another million dollars in prize money, including $ 500,000 for the winners (after some earlier statements even a million ), $ 300,000 (or 350,000 ) for the second- placed and $ 200,000 for the third placings. In light of the financial problems of the race ( see below), however, paid no money at the awards ceremony, and it is unclear whether the funds were disbursed at a later date (as of September 2005).

According to the broadcaster, the regatta Qatar is in its most important markets 46 million dollars in "PR" ( public relations, ie public relations) have flushed into the coffers; a confirmation that number of pages of Qatar is not known.

Boats and results

The boats used were not subject to structural limitations, whereupon the participating of the largest and fastest temporarily multihulls world belonged. After temporarily at least six boats had logged four were actually at the regatta:

• Doha 2006 (ex - Club Med, ex Maiden II): winner of the Maxi Regatta The Race 2000; repeated the record holder for the longest verse applies within 24 hours Distance ( Etmal ), 2000-2002
• Daedalus (ex Formule day, ex - Enza New Zealand etc.): Trophée Jules Verne in 1994, but no records or significant victories after 2000; the boat was now obsolete.
• Cheyenne (ex Playstation): record for the fastest North Atlantic crossing under sail 2001 record for the fastest circumnavigation of the world in 2004
• Geronimo (the only trimaran in the field of participants ): Trophée Jules Verne 2004

Results:

* Prior to each departure Geronimo had fought with Doha 2006 at the lead; Cheyenne had been lying in 3rd place or on the task of Geronimo at No. 2.

Organizer: Financial and legal problems

Was initiated Oryx Quest by Tracy Edwards ( s), among other things, the maxi - catamaran Maiden II skippered than English Hochseeregattaseglerin (later winning boat in the Oryx Quest ). The organization took over the company Quest International Sports Events ( short QISE; until 2004: Maiden Events Ltd ), who led Edwards and the third belonged to her.

Litigation accompanied or followed Oryx Quest, because on the one hand caused problems with the financing and the other, the author of the regatta was accused by another idea regatta organizers theft.

Financial prelude and postlude of the regatta

Financing problems

The problem was apparently the financing of the regatta. A major sponsor of the regatta was the HSBC Bank, while the search for additional sponsors at least until July 2004 (7 months ago Regatta beginning ) and possibly also remained unsuccessful. Although the race was to be financed according to the announcement of the organizer to a considerable extent in the context of a major sponsorship agreement with Qatar: Partners in Qatar was the organization Qatar Sports International ( QSI ), the Crown Prince Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani (s) was founded; QSI is said to have been contracted to provide over four years about 38 million pounds (about 55 million euros, or $ 66.4 million ) for sailing activities in Qatar available, which among other things, the Oryx Quest should be paid. According to Edwards and some Western media, however, were some of the provided prior to or during the regatta to be paid monies or not in the agreed amount. In part, was of about 6 million pounds (about $ 10.5 million ) the speech that were not paid as agreed, whereupon Edwards or their society ultimately to approximately 2.6 million pounds (about 4, 5 million dollars) been left with debts. Qatar Sports International was disbanded in late 2005.

According to the British newspaper The Daily Telegraph, however Edward demanded by QSI payment of 1.7 million pounds, although with QSI was never issued a written contract. However, It is also unclear the financial management of Quest, in that the financial manager ( and owner of another third ) of the Company called for an independent audit shortly after his release.

Edwards was also personally affected by the financial problems because they had received for the race on their own behalf loans totaling $ 14.5 million; according to other sources, she had bailed in the amount of 5.4 million euros. There were also apparently pre-existing personal debt: The Briton is before the race - especially through the purchase of the Maxi - catamaran Maiden II for at least 1.1 million pounds ( about $ 1.9 million ) or even 2.2 million dollars - have been deeply in debt and the occupation of their catamarans have up to two years paid no salary. After other newspapers Edwards had debts from purchase a boat, crew salaries and marketing campaigns before race start 6.3 million pounds ( 11 million dollars) and was sued repeatedly for partial debt in up to six figures while Edwards was in late September 2004 changed its maxi - catamaran, the regatta participation was originally scheduled in Edwards ' property, sell to another buyer, for which the boat would eventually sail the Oryx Quest as Doha in 2006 and win. Recorded a few weeks before race start loan of 6.5 million dollars have used them half to repay their already pre-existing debt owed to 72 different creditors. ( Edwards refused later by appropriate allegations, however, to have misused funds for the purpose. )

Follow

Both Quest as well as Edwards had in the course of the year 2005 - ie after the end of the race - to file for bankruptcy. A landlord of offices in Qatar procured against Edwards due to outstanding debts, a court order, according to the British after a planned short visit in July, the country no longer allowed to leave; after four weeks you an exit visa was granted.

In the ensuing legal battle, a civil court in Qatar Edwards early April 2006 of ( personal ) financial responsibility acquitted. Thus, it was free of the British to sue the government of Qatar before the International Court of Justice in The Hague for damages of Edwards erlittenem non-pecuniary damage. Spiegel Online Edwards later used even as an example of " rough business methods " in Qatar and Western businessmen, whose contracts were not complied with in the emirate.

Another planned for 2006 Regatta, which, according to Edwards company under the 38 - million -pound agreement with Qatar should also be aligned, was not carried out. The regatta, which was announced as Qatar Sports Global Challenge as well as quest Qatar, had more and monohulls of about 100 or 110 feet to lead ( approximately 30.5 or 33.5 meters) around the world, with stages in England, American and Asian ports. Participating boats should have been sailing under a " Sue's Parade " from the UK to Qatar. Originally, the agreement had also included a sponsorship, with the Edwards ' on their maxi - catamaran Maiden II in winter 2003/2004 Trophée Jules Verne of the record would have to attack.

Accusation of " idea theft "

Apart from the financial affairs of the regatta also made headlines because Bruno Peyron, the father of the Maxi - nonstop Weltumsegelungs Regatta The Race, Edwards accused of " stealing " to have ideas for the regatta. After Peyron's information, the Englishwoman had two years mitgetagt at the preparatory meetings for The Race 2004. The regatta had finally, after various types of information due to refusals registered participants (according to Peyron: including Edwards) or of problems with the search for sponsors to be canceled. A few days after Peyron had made the end for The Race publicly, Edwards came surprisingly with the message to the media that they two Weltumsegelungs regattas for Maxi yachts - announced the non-stop regatta Oryx Quest (then called " Oryx Cup" 'll arrange for the financing they have signed contracts with Qatar -) and the stages Regatta Qatar Sports Global Challenge.

Peyron threw Edwards before, the two races are copies of The Race and ( the hitherto never performed Regatta ) The Race tour, and spoke harsh words of "theft" and " piracy ". He sued Edwards in France, which in turn responded with a countersuit.

Weblink

• Picture of Doha 2006 Daedalus regatta start in 2005
• Pictures of Cheyenne and Geronimo ( relatively far below, in the section on Oryx Quest )