The RC 44 fleet will be back on stunning Lanzarote in a couple of weeks. Image copyright Gilles Martin-Raget/RC44.
by Bernard Schopfer
The RC 44 Class launches its third season with the support of DHL (official logistics partner), BMW (official car) and SLAM (official clothes).
The Championship Tour 2009 will comprise six different regattas held in five different countries (Spain, Italy, Austria, France and the UAE).
World renowned teams and sailors will once again participate in the tour, making it one of the world’s prime sailing events. The list includes Torbjorn Tornqvist / Dean Barker (Artemis), Chris Bake / Cameron Appleton (Team Aqua), Stéphane Kandler / Sébastien Col (K-Challenge), Russell Coutts (BMW ORACLE Racing), Maciej Nawrocki / Karol Jablonski (Team Organika), Pieter Heerema / Philippe Presti, Igor Lah / James Spithill (Ceeref), Daniel and Jose Calero, Luis Doreste and many more.
The main features of the RC 44 Championship Tour are the logistical support brought to the teams, the quality of the venues, the level of hospitality and, of course, the one-design and unique pro driver / owner-driver - match race / fleet race concept.
“Our focus is on the teams”, comments Class manager Bertrand Favre. “Our goal is to support them as well as we can, for example by coordinating the transport of the boats, announcing the dates and venues a long time ahead, and providing an exciting program both on the water and on land.”
Indeed, the RC 44 Class provides a strong logistical and financial support to the teams. For examples, the custom paperwork are facilitated and accelerated, the shipments are organised, and sometimes financed. The boat owners, the sponsors and the guests of the Class also benefit from a free BMW shuttle service, for example from the airport or to a restaurant.
The season’s first regatta will take place in two weeks. Organised by Puerto Calero, a superb real estate development on Lanzarote's seafront, the Puerto Calero Islas Canarias RC 44 Cup will begin on Wednesday February 25 with the match racing event. After a full round robin held in two days, the team owners will take (or keep) the helm for three days of fleet racing. The DHL Trophy regatta will take place on Sunday; it will count for double points. The winner of this race will be awarded with the DHL Trophy, whilst the points of the regatta will be incorporated in the fleet race ranking.
The season champions will be crowned on November 29 in Dubai, at the end of the RC 44 Gold Cup. For the first time, the Gold Cup will count double, making it a must-attend regatta for all the teams.
With six international regattas, some of the world's best sailors and new teams joining the Class, the third RC 44 Championship Tour will be one of sailing’s top international events in 2009.
The teams involved in the Puerto Calero Islas Canarias RC 44 Cup:
Ceeref, Igor Lah / Sébastien Col
Team Aqua, Chris Bake / Cameron Appleton
Artemis, Torbjorn Tornqvist / Dean Barker
BMW ORACLE Racing, Russell Coutts
ESP – 1 Islas Canarias Puerto Calero – José Calero / José Maria Ponce
ESP – 2 Islas Canarias Puerto Calero – Carlos Morales / Luis Doreste
Team Organika – Maciej Nawrocki / Karol Jablonski
NED 18 – Pieter Heerema / Philippe Presti
RC 44 Championship Tour 2009 – The programme:
Date/Regatta/Organiser/Town
February 24 - March 01/ Puerto Calero, Islas Canarias/ RC 44 Cup Puerto Calero/ Spain, Canary Islands, Puerto Calero
April 22 - 26/ Cagliari / RC 44 Cup Yacht Club de Cagliari/ Italy, Cagliari
May 25 - 31/ RC 44 Austria Cup /Profs/ Austria, Lake Traunsee
July 8 - 12/ RC 44 Malcesine Cup 2009 Continental Challenge/ Fraglia Vela Malcesine/ Italy, Lake Garda, Malcesine
September 29 - October 4/ TBC/ TBC/ TBC
November 25 - 29/ Dubai RC44 Gold Cup/ DIMC/ United Arab Emirates, Dubai
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