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With just over a week until the start of the 2005 World
Superbike and Supersport championships, the Winston Ten Kate
Honda team was launched officially this afternoon at a
glittering affair in the Rolling Stone event hall in the heart
of Milan, Italy.
The event was attended by more than a hundred international
press and TV journalists who heard from executives from Japan
Tobacco International (JTI), owner of the team's new title
partner, Winston, and from Honda Europe Motorcycles.
Daniel Torras, vice-president of sponsorship at JTI, said: "I
know that this exciting project will further strengthen the
partnership between Honda and JTI, giving the Winston Ten Kate
Honda team and its riders the greatest possible opportunity
for success in this year's championships."
His sentiments were echoed by Yutaka Negishi, president of
Honda Europe Motorcycles, who added: "I think that World
Superbike and Supersport are the ideal formula to point out
the quality of a motorcycle and to prove the riding capacities
of a rider; for this reason we, at Honda Europe, have been
supporting the Ten Kate Team for many years."
Team owner, Gerrit ten Kate, impressed on the audience that
the family atmosphere running through the team that has won
the last three World Supersport titles, will continue. "This
is more like a big family wedding than a team launch," he
said. "We welcome Winston, our new title partner, and really
look forward to this season's new challenges."
The team will now depart for Doha, Qatar and the Losail
circuit, where an official test takes place this weekend
(19th-20th February) followed by the first round of the 2005
World Superbike and Supersport championships at the same
circuit on 26th February. |
