(Press Release) DENVER – XX2i Optics, winner of Outside Magazine’s Outstanding Value Award, has announced its partnership with Team Uniting Nations, a four-man rowing team attempting to break the world record for crossing the Pacific Ocean from Monterey, CA to Honolulu, HI in the 2016 Great Pacific Race.
Assembled by race director Chris Martin, Team Uniting Nations is composed of four individuals from four different countries. The rowers include Carlo Facchino (USA), Thiago Silva (Brazil), Cyril Derreumaux (France) and Fiann Paul (Iceland). These highly competitive endurance athletes were brought across the globe – without even meeting one another – to take on the challenge of completing the Great Pacific Race in record-breaking time.
“Immediately after we announced our sponsorship of Team OceanHearts, Team Uniting Nations reached out to us and we couldn’t have been more thrilled,” says Paul Craig, president of XX2i Optics. “We now have representation at this spectacular race from two different teams with two different stories, but both emulate the core values of XX2i Optics. We support people with who want to make a difference in this world, and Team Uniting Nations is doing just that with the help of our superior optics.”
“Being put on a 24-foot boat with three guys from different countries presents some hurdles,” says team member Carlo Facchino. “On one hand it’s a cool concept, on the other hand it presents some challenges, but I think that’s also part of the premise behind Team Uniting Nations. People come from all different backgrounds, all different walks of life, and all different cultures. It’s one big world, but it shows that people can come together, overcome their differences and accomplish something that’s great.”
“I know how important polarized glasses are for being out on the water,” says Facchino. “It’s also important that your glasses don’t slide off your face, and XX2i has provided us with both those incredible features in one sunglass. Amongst all the other ups and downs we’re sure to encounter out there, it’s nice to know we’ll have reliable eyewear.”
Team Uniting Nations will wear the France2 sunglasses with interchangeable polarized and clear lenses. Polarized lenses are ideal for rowers, as they block sunlight and eliminate intense water glare that may interfere with navigation.
The Great Pacific Race, begins this Saturday, June 4, and is one of the most challenging endurance competitions on the planet. Ocean rowboats travel across the world’s largest body of water for anywhere from 40 to 80 days and cover close to 3,000 miles. The current record is 43 days, and Team Uniting Nations is aiming to complete the journey in 40.
Learn more about Team Uniting Nations at unitingnationsrow.com.
The four-man rowing team is attempting to break a world record for crossing the Pacific Ocean.