THE BEST INTERNATIONAL SAILORS WILL BE PRESENT AT THE BREITLING MEDCUP TP52

Russell Coutts will be at the start line in Punta Ala on the 30th

Real time races, extremely fast boats, and the main names on the international sailing scene guarantee Breitling MEDCUP TP52’s success

On June the 28^th the first of five Breitling MEDCUP TP52 events will take place in Punta Ala, Italy. This brand new Regatta Circuit aims to capture the excitement of real time racing and the high energy of the Transpac 52 competition.

Offshore, windward – leeward and coastal races will be combined within four well-established events of great prestige in the Mediterranean, as well as in a new event created for the Class in Sardinia.  Currently, a total of eleven teams have confirmed their entry in the circuit – nine of which are for vessels of new construction-, and another seven have done so for the 2006 edition.

Many key figures in international sailing, such as Russell Coutts, Vasco Vascotto, Paul Cayard, Tomaso Chieffi or Ross McDonald have chosen the Breitling MEDCUP TP52 to measure their strengths.  An excellent line up that will be elevated further by the presence of HM the King Juan Carlos I and HRH Prince Felipe.

The Breitling MEDCUP TP52, a new European Circuit for the Transpac 52 Class, has raised unprecedented expectations worldwide. This is a brand new space for sailing competition in which tremendous possibilities are open to all:  owners, designers, crews and especially to the public, who will enjoy races in real time, sailed on spectacular boats designed for speed and excitement.

On the other hand, the format of the regattas, which will be disputed in real time, will  contribute to offering a great show, with much emphasis on television coverage by the organizers. The footage will be distributed all over the world. This will benefit a greater understanding of the workings and mechanisms behind the regattas amongst the general public. Without doubt the events will capture the excitement and spark new interest in the sport worldwide, with the TV signal being sent out to over 191 countries. 

The creation of the Breitling Medcup TP52 has its origins in the desire of a large group of owners who sought a new system to compete in real time and that would not had the

need of constructing a new vessel each year in order to achieve results. So they decided to adopt the Transpac 52 (TP52) class -- a fast, light and simple boat,  truly stimulating to drive and that adapted itself to all types of conditions-- for the new Circuit that was being set up. 

One of the advantages of this class is that each owner can choose the designer and shipyard he or she prefers. The general principle that governs this class responds to a box rule that establishes a set of parameters in which each designer can create his own craft.  On top of that, the owners are the ones who control the rules of the class, being able to change them there is an 80% consensus.

Once the class was chosen, the owners came together to create an organisation to defend and promote its interests, giving rise to the founding of the Mediterranean Fleet Association. Mr Arturo Delgado (ex-president of the ISAF) was named as Executive President.  One of its main jobs has been the standardization of the rules based on the International Association, to which all the owners have to belong.

The Breitling MEDCUP TP52 will be scored by races sailed and not by events. Approximately 43 races are scheduled, 32 of them being upwind/downwind, 2 of them offshore races (scored double for the class, thus counting like 4 races) and 7 short coastal races. Due to the fact that some boats could be arriving after the first event, during the season will be allowed to discard one race for every ten races sailed and only one offshore or coastal race.

Despite its youth, the Breitling MEDCUP TP52 is already a strong alternative to existing nautical Circuits.  A new concept of true competition, passion for the sport of sailing and a format that is appealing and accessible to all: This is the sailing of the future.

2005  BREITLING MEDCUP TP52 CALENDAR

PARTICIPATING CRAFTS IN THE 2005 BREITLING MEDCUP TP52

Circumnavigation Rercords

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