FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT: Jan Harley, Media Pro Int=92l, 401-849-0220 for ICSA Forrest Williams, Marlow Ropes, 888-824-7245

Marlow Ropes USA Named Official Sponsor to ICSA

Norfolk, Va. (March 19, 2008) =96 The Inter-Collegiate Sailing Association (ICSA) has announced that high-performance line manufacturer Marlow Ropes has been named an Official Sponsor. In addition to becoming an Official Supplier for all of the 2008 ICSA National Championships, the company will sponsor the Marlow USA Award which will annually provide free line and rigging support to an ICSA sailor who is actively campaigning an Olympic class boat.

The sponsorship will provide top-notch running rigging for boats used in the national championship events, while also allowing ICSA member schools access to leading-edge line technology and deeply discounted pricing on world-class Marlow lines.

Based in the United Kingdom, Marlow Ropes produces a wide range of line for the marine industry -- from 1mm Vectran used as Optimist sail ties to 75mm superyacht dockline. Marlow Ropes are distributed in the USA by Bainbridge International (Canton, Mass.), a leader in the worldwide sailcloth and sail making hardware market for 90 years. ICSA joins a distinguished list of Marlow partners that includes Skandia Team GBR 2008, F=E9d=E9ration Fran=E7aise de Voile, Ellen MacArthur=92s Offshore Challenges Sailing Team and the Clipper =9207-=9208 Round the World Race.

=93We are extremely pleased to be able to provide the same equipment chosen by those at the vanguard of the sport to the next generation of Olympians and performance sailors,=94 said Forrest Williams, Marlow US Brand Manager. =93This equipment will help them compete safely and more comfortably throughout their demanding competitive season.=94

ICSA is the governing authority for sailing competition at colleges and universities throughout the United States and in some parts of Canada. To learn more about ICSA and Marlow Ropes, please visit, respectively: www.collegesailing.org and www.bainbridgeint.com. Marlow joins ICSA=92s longtime sponsors Gill, Annapolis Performance Sailing, Quantum Sails and Laser Performance: www.gillna.com , www.apsltd.com , www.quantumsails.com and www.laserperformance.com/main/

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