CORONA EXTRA BACKS TIREE WAVE CLASSIC

Corona Extra has sealed a major deal to back the Tiree Wave Classic
2006 – Triple Crown competition ­ one of the extreme sports’ flagship
events.

The Tiree Wave Classic in association with Corona Extra is a weeklong
competition and will attract a global television audience. It will
run alongside a major marketing strategy for Corona Extra, the
world’s 4th biggest selling beer.

The annual Triple Crown Championship, off the Hebridean Island of
Tiree, runs from October 14 ­ 21 and will test the sailors’
freestyle, wave sailing and supercross ability to the limit.

Corona Extra, brewed-at-source in Mexico, has secured the podium and
television backdrops which will be featured on BBC and satellite
channel coverage. The beer will also be positioned on the event
programmes, leaflets and the competitors’ bibs.

Throughout the week Corona Extra, which has seen a 58 per cent rise
in sales in Scotland in the first half of this year, is to be the
only bottled beer available at the headquarters, the Tiree Lodge
Hotel, allowing spectators to enjoy the ultimate party beer.

In keeping with the brand’s independent marketing style, there will
be inflatable Corona Extra bottles and walking bottles ensuring full
brand exposure.

Angel Garcia Gomez, head of Corona Extra in the UK, said: ‘The
association with Tiree Wave Classic is one of the biggest
sponsorships ever undertaken by Corona Extra in Scotland and shows
our commitment to supporting hi-octane, high profile initiatives like
this.

‘Corona Extra is the 4th largest beer brand in the world and the
global television coverage of this event will undoubtedly boost sales.’

Andy Groom, event manager at GMFCo, said: ‘We’re delighted to have
Corona Extra on board as it boosts the international dimension of the
competition.

‘There are significant costs involved in putting on such a
prestigious event and we appreciate the funding that comes from our
association with Corona Extra.’

Eric Craig, Corona Extra brand manager at Glasgow-based distributors
Wm Morton, said: ‘Corona Extra is delighted to be backing the Tiree
Wave Classic, where supreme sports men and woman brave the elements
in one of the most extreme events.

‘The tournament fits in perfectly with the Corona Extra brand, which
is famed for its association with high adrenaline sports and is
headline sponsor of the World Superbike Championship.

‘When competitors rise to the challenge at the Tiree Wave Classic,
they’ll certainly have to show they have some bottle ­ just like
Corona Extra.’

ENDS

Issued on behalf of Corona Extra
For further information please contact:
Richard Baguley or Alistair Clarke
GDR Public Relations
01253 881900

rom 14 to 21 October 2006 The Tiree Wave Classic in association with
Corona Extra, one of the most legendary events on the UK’s annual
windsurfing calendar, returns to the stunning island off the West
coast of Scotland (often described as The Hawaii of the North or The
Land Below the Waves).

Caledonian MacBrayne Ferries run a crossing once everyday from Oban.
However on Thursday 19 October, Cal Mac are offering a fantastic
opportunity to see the event and be back on the mainland within one
day; for only £10 per person return trip. For crossing times and
bookings contact CalMac Tour Shop in Oban on 01631 562244 or e-mail
[email protected]. For further details on crossing times visit –
http://www.calmac.co.uk/.

The Tiree Wave Classic Event village, run by the Tiree Wave Classic
Management Group, is located at the Tiree Lodge Hotel, Gott Bay, and
will be running a whole host of adventure sports throughout the
duration of the event, the majority of which are free to all. Contact
the Tiree Wave Classic Headquarters, in the Lodge Hotel, between
Saturday 14 and Saturday 21 October ONLY on 01879 220 368.

Event Photographs, taken by Windsurfing specialist photographer John
Carter, will be available at the end of every day and downloaded onto
CD or can be forwarded by e-mail. Photographs from previous year’s
competition are also available.

The event is organised / project managed by GMFCo Marketing whose
main roles and responsibilities include coordination with The UK
Windsurfing Association (UKWA), race management, sponsorship, PR and
TV rights and distribution. The Tiree Wave Classic Management Group,
set up in 2005, is responsible for local logistics and management of
the event village.

The event is again supported by Argyll & Bute Council, EventScotland,
Argyll & the Islands Enterprise and VisitScotland.

EventScotland is the national organisation for sports and cultural
events and co-ordinates the delivery of the Major Events Strategy
published by the Scottish Executive in November 2002. The strategy
is designed to maximise the benefits of existing events, to attract
new events, to showcase Scotland’s assets and to encourage more
people to visit Scotland to experience at first hand major sporting
and cultural events being staged in the country. For further
information about EventScotland, its funding programmes and the
latest event news please visit http://www.eventscotland.org.