AN ENGINEERING giant has announced its support for the region’s most prestigious yacht club. The Aveva Group will back several of the 176-year-old Royal Southern Yacht Club’s events, including its September Regatta.

Aveva, the world’s leading engineering software provider will also support the club’s annual prize-giving in November. The Hamble-based club boasts the Duke of Edinburgh, Prince Philip, as its patron and is one of Europe’s leading yacht racing organisers.

It has already announced sponsors for some of the other events in its summer series, with Mount Gay Rum and Champagne Joseph Perrier sponsoring June and July events in the top-class racing series.

Aveva, which is a leader in engineering design and information management solutions for the plant, power and marine industries, will be the title sponsor for the September Regatta on September 28 and 29, which is the last of the four, hotly-contested summer series sailing events.

And the firm will also support the prize-giving , which will the see the most successful helmsman from the overall summer series handed the Champion of Champions prize and an all-expenses paid trip to participate in the Mount Gay Round Barbados Race.

Welcoming the announcement, the club’s Rear Commodore Sailing, Karen Henderson-Williams, said: "Our club has a reputation for running quality regattas and we enjoy working with high quality sponsors. Aveva is a new partner for us but we hope that our relationship will grow through offering them the business platform they seek and we look forward to working with them and meeting their team."    

Aveva’s chief executive, Richard Longdon, said: "As a company, we pride ourselves on delivering a world-class range of engineering software solutions and products and we see the Royal Southern delivering equally high quality yacht racing. The club shares our aspiration for achievement and excellence and Aveva is pleased to support this event.
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