HiQ Sailing Team has sights set on new records

HiQ Sailing Team, skippered by Klabbe Nylöf, is charging its batteries ahead of this summer’s Nordic sailing competitions. For the fourth year in succession the HiQ Sailing Team’s spectacular boat will be taking part in the Nokia Oops Cup, the Nordic competition for 60-foot trimarans. The Team is aiming to win the Nokia Oops Cup overall and to set a new record in the Gotland Runt offshore race.

In summer 2006 HiQ Sailing Team will take part in the Nordic region’s biggest sailing competition, the Nokia Oops Cup. The Cup competition includes city races from the Nordic capitals as well as a number of major offshore races such as Gotland Runt and the Færder Race. The HiQ trimaran is one of the fastest sailing vessels in the world and has successfully sailed in competitions such as the ORMA, Jaques Vabre and Route du Rhum. In last year’s Cup HiQ succeeded in winning a podium place for the third consecutive year. Behind the HiQ Sailing Team venture is the IT consultancy HiQ and its co-partners, as well as Klabbe Nylöf (Skipper), Andreas Andersén (Boat Captain) and Pelle Norberg (Project Manager). Together they form a very strong team who have accumulated many merits in the Whitbread, Volvo Ocean Race and other major international competitions. “We have great expectations and are very much looking forward to the summer’s sailing. We are aiming high! Our big goal this summer is to win back the Nokia Oops Cup and to be first to the finish in all the offshore races. We are also aiming to set a new record in this year’s Gotland Runt. Our aims are clear and I believe that the goals we have set ourselves are perfectly achievable,” says Klabbe Nylöf. “We are looking forward to several exciting races this coming season. In December HiQ Sailing Team succeeded in beating the record for sailing around Gotland. In fact we almost halved the old record, completing the circuit in just over 17 hours. It was tough and fun, but also demanding, and has naturally strengthened our self-confidence ahead of the summer competitions,” continues Nylöf. The boat is a 60-foot trimaran and one of the fastest yachts in the world. In good conditions the boat can sail at speeds of over 40 knots – last year’s speed record was 43 knots. “During the winter we devoted a lot of time to updating the boat, including new sails, to ensure we have the best conceivable starting point for doing well this summer,” says Andreas Andersén, Boat Captain. “HiQ Sailing Team is a very successful venture for the HiQ Group and an excellent tool for raising the profile of the Group and getting the Group involved through activities throughout the Nordic area – something that is appreciated by both our employees and our clients,” says Lars Stugemo, President and CEO of HiQ International. “HiQ is a specialist technology company which always endeavours to be at the forefront of development. Speed, flexibility and top-level expertise are important keywords for us. Modern sailing sport, too, is characterised by advanced technology, speed and high requirements of flexibility, so it seems absolutely right for us to be involved in trimaran sailing,” continues Stugemo. For further information, please contact: Lars Stugemo, President and CEO HiQ International, tel.: +46 (0)8-588 90 000 Annika Billberg, Head of Corporate Communications HiQ International, tel.: +46 (0)8-588 90 015, +46 (0)704-200 103 Pelle Norberg, Project Manager HiQ Sailing Team 2005, tel.: +46 (0)708-12 95 56