BRP's Evinrude E-TEC wins 24 Hours in Rouen

Lausanne (Switzerland), May 18, 2006 - After 24 hours and 2,888 kilometers of non-stop racing on the Seine river in France, BRP's two Evinrude E-TEC powered teams took the first and third place spots in the 24 heures de Rouen marathon which took place in Rouen, France from April 29-30, 2006.

The first BRP team, Team RMSM BRP, composed of Peter and Nelson Morin, Xavier Lebleu and Christophe Larigot, led the race for more than 16 hours and captured the top spot.

The second BRP team, Team RMSM BRP Touax, included Rudy Revert, Fabrice Boulier, Eric Clapisson and Franck Levillain, and came in third after being held back due to a leaking fuel tank that needed replacement.

 Both BRP teams were powered by production Evinrude E-TEC 225 H.O. engines, right out of the box.

The 24 heures de Rouen is considered to be one the most challenging powerboat endurance races in the world. Some of the top power-boaters in the industry race all day and into the night, guided only by moonlight.

This year, racers had to battle 24 hours of rain, which made this race, already both physically and mentally taxing, even harder. 

Over 250,000 spectators defied the bad weather and gathered at Rouen to watch the catamaran F1 speedboats, reaching up to 200 km/h, race non-stop around Lacroix Island on the waters of the Seine River. 

The powerboat which laps the island the most times within the 24 hour-race period is deemed the winner.

This year was former race pilot and now RMSN team manager, Jimmy Revert's 20th Rouen race Jimmy and his veteran friend and racing expert Gilbert Choquet decided to power both Molinari catamarans with Evinrude E-TEC outboard engines.

"Evinrude E-TEC was the logical choice for our team and helped secure the number one position. 

The fuel efficiency of E-TEC engines reduced the number of fuel stops required and the low maintenance factor allowed us to stay in the water at all times," said Revert.

"The Evinrude E-TEC engines were very well received by the '24heures de Rouen's organization due to the fact that they are environmentally responsible and were the only outboards to have been awarded an EPA Clean Air Technology Excellence Award, ". said Michel Hade, Vice-President and General Manager, International Sales and Marketing

The Evinrude E-TEC engines used in the 24 heures de Rouen were unmodified, production-ready; out-of-the-box engines and meet all of the stringent EU regulations. 

In addition, E-TEC technology also complies with the strict US EPA and California Air Research Board C.A.R.B. regulations for 2008, thus making it the only technology available today that meets all three regulations at the same time.

The grueling 24 hours of Rouen counts towards the World  Endurance Championships The next stop is July 15th for the 12 Hours of Augustow in Poland.

BRP, a privately-held company, is a world leader in the design, development, manufacturing, distribution and marketing of motorized recreational vehicles.  Its portfolio of brands and products includes: Ski Doo® and Lynx TM snowmobiles, Sea Doo® watercraft and sport boats, Johnson® and Evinrude® outboard engines, direct injection technologies such as Evinrude E TEC®, Can-Am TM ATV all-terrain vehicles, Rotax® engines and karts.

®, TM Trademarks of Bombardier Recreational Products Inc. or its subsidiaries.

For further information on the Evinrude E-Tec product range visit:
The Master Catalogue: Evinrude Section.