Castellón joins the Breitling Medcup TP52 circuit as venue
by Medcup Media 10 Feb 2006 16:43 GMT
Emirates Team New Zealand America’s Cup Team will take part in the MEDCUP 2006
The Breitling MedCup TP52 Circuit begins this season in the Italian city of Punta Ala on 22 May 2006, while in Spain, Castellón has just signed an agreement to play host to the second event in the series in early July. Castellón, located 65 Km North of Valencia, joins Punta Ala, Puerto Portals, Palma de Mallorca, Athens and Ibiza to form the calendar for the TP52 fleet that will race in the Mediterranean between 22 May and 23 September.
The Castellón-based event will run from the 5 to 9 July and will feature an outstanding international fleet of TP52’s. These will be sailed with some of the world’s top sailors amongst their crews, including Russell Coutts, Vasco Vascotto, Paul Cayard, Francesco De Angelis, Roberto Bermúdez de Castro, Dean Barker, Gavin Brady, Ian Walker, John Kostecki and Ross McDonald, who have all chosen the Circuit to test their skills. This group of sailors will be further strengthened by the presence of King Juan Carlos I of Spain, King Harald of Norway and Prince Felipe, the Crown Prince of Spain, all of whom will be sailing during the Circuit.
Emirates Team New Zealand, the New Zealand America’s Cup Team will be entering with two TP52’s, the Dutch Mean Machine and the American Warpath. The crews of both boats will be made up of ETZ crew based in Valencia.
The first Spanish event in the Breitling MedCup TP52 Circuit was initially going to be held in Barcelona but it has been transferred to Castellón with the aim of encouraging more Mediterranean ports to become part of Mediterranean Fleet Association events. The Association provides a unique formula for regattas that make them exciting to sail for the sailors and easier to understand for the spectating public. One of its main advantages is that the fleet competes in real time and outside the handicap system.
For Luis Larrea, the President of the Real Club Náutico de Castellón, it is a great success to be part of the Breitling MedCup TP52 Circuit: “We are very proud to welcome the best TP52 fleet that the Mediterranean has seen to Castellón and are confident that we will host an event that is on a par with the excellent IMS regattas that we have run from the Club over the past few years. Also this happens with the cooperation of the local authorities and the Castellon City Hall. This event will not only help to promote Castellon as a sports venue, but also to promote Castellon and The Costa de Azahar as an international tourist destination.”