Thursday 21 May 2009

2009 TP52 World Championship to be held in Palma in October

The 2009 TP52 World Championship will be held in the Bay of Palma from 6th to 11th October. World Sailing Management (WSM) in cooperation with the Real Club Naútico de Palma (RCNP) and the TP52 Class will run the event.


TP52s racing in the 2009 Audi MedCup. Image copyright Nico Martinez/Audi MedCup.

by TP52 World Championship media

Both the organisers and the class manager expect entries of between 10 and 14 boats and see the stand alone World Championship as the perfect opportunity for potential TP52 owners or programmes to test their skills and to find out how it is to race a TP52 against many of the world’s best sailors.

Palma has long been a popular venue for the TP52 fleet. It offers potentially excellent and reliable wind conditions in October, but it also has a large protected bay, which gives shelter and is still sailable in case of strong north westerly or north-easterly winds.

“Last October the TP52 Class Members decided that for the 2009 Worlds I should try to look for a cost efficient venue without compromising on the qualities that determine good yacht racing and a good social programme”, explains Rob Weiland, the TP52 Class Manager. “So I searched for high quality partners to host the event in a location not too far away from the final MedCup event. You need good facilities ashore and on the water, a good yacht club and a town that offers easy access as well as good entertainment to go with the sailing. So a place you like to bring your family to as well. For me, Palma was an obvious choice.”

The regatta format follows the schedule typical of an Audi MedCup event with a practice race on Tuesday, a coastal race on Friday and a series of windward-leeward races Wednesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday to a total target of ten races.

“The TP52 Class has signed a two year agreement with World Sailing Management to organise the TP52 World Championship title for 2009 and 2010”, the class manager continues. “This way we got the Class a dedicated event organiser that we know very well from the Audi MedCup Circuit. The TP52 Class and the MedCup are inter-connected with each other. Without the MedCup I think it's fair to say that TP52 Class would not exist anymore and also the MedCup would not have been where it is right now without the TP52 Class.”

The TP52 World Championship is the ideal platform for owners who wish to enter and compete against the world’s best sailors and teams. The TP52 Class Manager will facilitate charters of competitive boats for those wishing to experience competing on this exiting class of boat.

“As long as charterers become members of the Class Association they can charter a boat for the TP52 Worlds and get a great insight into what the TP52 Class offers” suggests Nacho Postigo “and already we have a couple of potential teams talking about coming on this basis.” Continues Nacho Postigo of World Sailing Management.

“Palma is an excellent venue with a good atmosphere. Both a club based sailing regatta and a full world championship, this will also be big for Palma.” Concludes Postigo.

For Javier Sanz, Vice President of the Real Club Naútico de Palma, this is also very good news: “It is a pleasure for the RCNP to have the chance to host the TP52 World Championships, and we are glad to offer the club's facilities for such an important event.”

“From the very beginning and throughout recent years, boats and boat owners have participated in the different regattas organised by the RCNP,” continues Sanz. “That's why it is a privilege for us to be able to collaborate in the organisation of the championship of such an important and competitive class like that of the TP52s.”

“With the organisation of this event, the RCNP is the final highlight of a busy regatta season which started last April and will finish in December. The RCNP will put all its effort and determination to ensure this will be both a social and a sporting success.”

TP52 World Championships 2009

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