WHISKY AT MIDDAY FOR ABERDEEN’S POLAR FEAT
THE WHISKY came out at noon at Aberdeen Asset Management yesterday to christen the boat the fund managers are sponsoring on its voyage into the Arctic unknown.
The Old Pulteney has been designed to withstand some of the harshest conditions on earth, and her six-man crew – led by Scottish explorer Jock Wishart – will set off on the Old Pulteney Row to the Pole expedition on 1 August, travelling 450 miles from Resolute Bay in Canada to the Magnetic North Pole to attempt a “world first”.
The planned route through shifting sea-ice barriers has only become possible after increased seasonal melting in the Arctic icecap, so the team will conduct scientific studies as they create maritime history, to be fed back to Southampton University.
The crew have also become the subject of a scientific study themselves, to avoid the men imploding on the “monotonous” journey where the explorers will alternate rowing with being cocooned in a confined space in the middle of nowhere.
“I’m not sure why they put the beds so close together,” complained crew member Billy Gammon, who described how he and his fellow rowers have undergone psychometric tests to discover “which screws are loose and where the tipping points are”. Forewarned is forearmed – as Wishart said: “There is no room for a mutiny.”
GILBERT’S ALL AT SEA
MARTIN Gilbert, chief executive of Aberdeen Asset Management (right), was unable to attend yesterday’s whisky-soaked christening outside Boisdale restaurant in Canary Wharf.
However, the “keen” sailor is looking forward to his firm’s sponsorship of Cowes Week in August, where Gilbert and his head of distribution Chris Ellyatt are planning a range of activities for the fund’s clients to give them “the whole Cowes experience”.
The Capitalist hears the more adventurous clients will be able to race in Aberdeen’s chartered yachts, accompanied by professional skippers – or they could just take Ellyatt, a lifelong dinghy sailor who competes in the Laser Masters racing circuit.
MATCH OF THE DAY
DEUTSCHE Bank challenged Henderson Global Investors, AXA, Royal London Asset Management and CVC Capital Partners, among others, at yesterday’s football tournament organised by KennedyPearce Consulting at the Powerleague ground in Bishopsgate.
But there could only be one winner, and this year’s five-a-side champions were Sarasin & Partners, captained by David Evans, who beat Matrix Group five-nil in the final to win the KennedyPearce Champions League Cup and £1,000 for a charity of their choice, to be donated to The National Brain Appeal. To enter next year’s competition, contact Adam, John or Stephen on 0207 469 4180.
SPORTING CHANCERS
MEANWHILE, there is still time to place your bets on Sunday’s five-a-side Diageo City Challenge at the Bank of England Sports Centre in Roehampton.
The City A.M. team has been named the “Aston Villa” of the contest as 9-1 contenders, while team Bank of England is Manchester City at 12-1 “because of the financial reserves behind them” and the Sky News squad has been relegated to the Conference, with Kidderminster-like odds of 20-1.
All bets and donations will transfer directly to The Stroke Association – see the Paddy Power website or www.justgiving.com/diageocitychallenge.
Or come along on the day – there’s a free pair of return Ryanair flights to Tenerife to be won in the raffle. “That’s actually free, not Ryanair free,” assures the event’s organiser.