The world of private banking and sponsorship of sports takes
a nautical twist with the support of Swiss bank Lombard Odier of its
Team Hydros catamaran in what is called the “Little America’s Cup” – taking place
as the “big” America’s Cup came to a conclusion in San Francisco.

Two crews competing for Team Hydros represented Switzerland during the C-Class World
Championship, starting in Falmouth, the UK southwest.

The four sailors of Team Hydros as well as the technical
team have been training for over a year for the C-Class World Championship,
catamarans that “fly” above the water using wingsails at the forefront of
technology. The level of the competition is extremely high, including Volvo
Ocean Race winner Franck Cammas and the most recent Little America’s Cup
winner, Fred Eaton from Canada.

The technological adventure of l'Hydroptère and its
record-breaking exploits have been made possible by the support pledged since
2005 by Thierry Lombard, managing partner at Lombard
Odier & Cie.

According to the latest match report from the event, still under way at the time of going to press, one of the Hydros boats, sailed by Jérémie Lagarrigue and Billy Besson, is in second place, while the other is in fifth, and aiming for a third-placed podium finish.