Great Britain can boast of being the nation that invented the sport of Bobsleigh at the end of the last century.  Since then Bobsleigh has been one of the nation’s most successful winter sports with a number of Olympic medals.  At the winter Olympic Games in Nagano in 1998 Sean Olsson and his crew won the nations only medal in a nail biting, split second contest of athleticism and daring on the demanding Japanese track.  At the 2005 World championships in Calgary, Alberta the British Women’s Bobsleigh Team of Nicola Minichiello and Jackie Davies won a silver medal – Great Britain’s first in over 40 years at a World Championships.  In the 2005 – 2006 World Cup series Nicola finished in 7^th place overall in her first complete competitive season. In the Torino Olympic Games in February 2006 Nicola Minichiello finished a creditable 9^th place, the best Olympic Bobsleigh result for almost 10 years, and the best result ever, by a British women’s team.

This proposal is for the support of Nicola Minichiello and her team during the 2007 – 2010 seasons culminating in a medal at the Olympic Winter Games in Vancouver in February 2010. 

At present Team Minichiello’s competitive seasons are part funded by UK sport through the Lottery podium programme. This is a year on year award based on performance in the World Championships and Olympic Games. This award does not allow for any long term structure to an Olympic programme and therefore is not conducive for optimal medal performance; the governing body of the sport at present determines how this money is spent with the promotion of the association as a whole as the primary focus.

Team Minichiello is seeking the support of a sponsor who can take up this funding role leading into the 2010 Olympic Games therefore providing the long term piece of mind and support required to deliver Olympic success in Vancouver. Having this private support gives them the flexibility to personalise a programme with their success at the heart of the plan.

Equipment is a fundamental part of any Bobsleigh success and for Team Minichiello to achieve their success in Vancouver they need to have unrestricted access to cutting edge technology; they would seek to purchase a technologically advanced sled that can be modified and improved year on year taking them to podium success in Vancouver. Runners are also a key technical element, The team would seek to purchase 2 sets of runners initially, one suitable for cold conditions and one for warm conditions with the view to the possible purchase of 2 more in the coming three years leading into the Olympic games.

The Athletes

Nicola Minichiello - Driver

Nicola's primary background is within Athletics she represented her country on numerous occasions at Heptathlon competing in many Junior and Senior International championships. In the 2001 season she was ranked 2nd in the country and represented Britain at the World student games and the European Cup.
Nicola started Bobsleighing in Dec 2001 and immediately made an impact on the team. She was brakewoman for the GB 1 team in the inaugural women's race in the 2002 Olympic Games.
In the 2002/2003 season Nicola began driving, and teamed up with Jackie Davies alternating between the back and front seat for most of the season. They finished 3rd in the Europa Cup race in Winterberg and 12^th in her first world cup race breaking the start records each time. Nicola also went on to win the British championships in Igls in January 2003.
For the 2003/2004 season Nicola was selected as the GB 1 driver winning the British championships and finishing overall 16th place on the world cup circuit. She then teamed up with Liz Pidgeon and went on to finish 14th in the World Championships.
Nicola and Jackie paired back up for the 2004/2005 season and immediately went back to their winning ways. After winning the World push champs in Leipzig during the summer, the girls went on to finish a creditable 8th place overall on the world cup circuit. The most spectacular event was the World Championships in Calgary where the girls brought home a silver medal. This was the best World championship result by a British Bobsleigh Team in 40 years. The 2005/2006 season was another successful one with the girls improving heir overall world cup ranking to 7^th place, and finishing a creditable 9^th place in The 2006 Winter Olympic Games in Turin, Italy. This was the best ever Olympic result by a women’s team and the best overall result for almost 10 years.

The 2006/2007 season saw a transition of teams with Nicola changing brakewomen, it was a promising start with podium finishes on the American and European cup circuits and a top 8 finish in the European championships. This was a very promising start for the new team as they prepare for the 2010 Olympic games with high hopes.

Lauren Therin – Brakewoman

Formerly of Auckland, New Zealand, student Lauren Therin started out in bobsleigh after completing trials for bob-skeleton. Attracted by the training and opportunities to travel, she has only been in the squad for a year however has made a significant impact becoming the number 1 ranked brakewoman and starting top 3 in the world in only her second ever world cup race. Lauren has many past sporting successes including, Youth Commonwealth Games Bronze medallist in discus and javelin, and Senior Commonwealth Games finalist in discus. Her bobsleigh goals include competing in the Winter Olympics 2010.

Achievements so far…………………

• Silver in the World Championships 2005
• 5 times British champion 2003-2007
• Best World Championship result by a British driver for over 40 years (Male or Female)
• Two times Olympian
• 11^th in 2002 Olympic Games- Salt Lake City (Brakewoman)
• 9^th in 2006 Olympic Games- Turin (Driver)
• 7^th in 2005/2006 world rankings
• 2005 World Push Start Champions
• 2005 European Push Start Champions
• Best British medal prospect in Vancouver 2010

The Race Season

Bobsleigh tracks are located in all the main winter sports venues throughout the world.  The bobsleigh calendar runs from June through to February.

Summer “push-start” events are held through to September with the main season getting under way in November.

The 2007/2008 Calendar is as follow (subject to change)

Stepping stones to Success

2007/2008

Ø     Top 6 finish in 4 World cup races

Ø     Top 6 finish in World championships in Altenberg

Ø     Retain British Championships

Ø     Top 6 fastest start in every event

2008/2009

Ø     Top 6 finish in all World Cup races

Ø     Top 4 finish in 4 world cup races

Ø     Top 4 finish in World Championships

Ø     Top 3 fastest start all events

2009/2010

Ø     Top 4 finish in all World Cup races

Ø     Top 3 finish in Vancouver Olympic Games

Ø     Top 3 fastest start in all events

 Sponsor Benefits

Team Minichiello is aware that any sponsor will have their own distinct marketing plans and therefore the ideas suggested below should purely be seen as initial thoughts and concepts.  We also understand that you may not wish to take advantage of advertising and promoting your support for the Team. We have a flexible approach to supporting our sponsors and would welcome the opportunity to discuss any specific sponsorship activity that will ensure that your aims are met in full. We would seek to understand and support the objectives of our sponsors, and endeavour to proactively identify opportunities to further those objectives.

Logo

We would seek to design a specific logo that is representative of the team, this would be used on any clothing/ merchandising and could be produced to incorporate your logo and represent the partnership between your company and Team Minichiello. That logo could also be used on any corporate marketing material.

Use of Squad Members

Members of the team will be available for promotional work with your company. The specific number of days to be agreed. Team members will also make themselves available for sponsor generated media opportunities.

Branding

We would seek to brand the competition sled and race suits (see below) with a mark or logo that represents the support being offered by yourselves.

Team members and team supporters will wear sponsor branded clothing in the vicinity of each competition and at all official functions. All vehicles used through the season could also be branded with the sponsor’s name and/ or official designation.

Area’s on athletes clothing and equipment are available for branding

Hospitality

VIP opportunities are available for hospitality at all events and assistance will be given by the team in making the necessary arrangements regarding this.

Other Activity

We are more than happy to discuss any other opportunities or requests not covered.  For example:

·         Branded sleds could be made available for functions and corporate events.

• Public association with British sporting success in the final Olympic games before 2012, opportunities for brand and corporate identity exposure. Opportunities for the most unusual, thrilling and imaginative corporate hospitality programme.  The right to use the official logo for the duration of the sponsorship.
• Team members to be available for community relations exercises, by arrangement.
• Opportunities for specialist corporate hospitality events - bobsleigh competitions involving staff, VIP business contacts etc.
• Assistance in arranging VIP visits to bobsleigh events (tickets, social occasions with squads etc).
• Assistance for sponsor’s PR operation in arranging press VIP visits to bobsleigh events.
• Opportunity for dinners/lunches parties where sponsor contacts can socialise with squad members.
• The girls are both established speakers and have performed at a number of motivational speeches and lectures through various functions and events. Through this channel your company could utilise the girls to speak at corporate events if required.
• A weekend of winter fun organised and hosted by the team at the end of each season including; trying your hand at Bobsleigh as well as a variety of other activities.

Team Minichiello are looking for an agreement that would take them through to The 2010 Winter Olympic Games in Vancouver.

Team Minichiello is seeking to raise a sum of £100,000 for the primary sponsorship of the team for the 2007/2008 Bobsleigh season.

We are also seeking a sponsor to invest in new Equipment which is a fundamental element of the success that Team Minichiello will achieve over the next 3 years.

For a breakdown of expenses see appendix 1

Contact Details

Nicola Minichiello

62 Holmley Lane

Dronfield, Sheffield

S18 2HS

Tel: 0044 7766105714

Email: nicolagautier@hotmail.com