The RC 44 fleet is back

The fourth event of the RC 44 Championship Tour 2008 promises to be interesting, with nine top level teams led by some of the world’s best sailors in a great and notoriously windy venue: Malcesine, on Lake Garda.

The Class’ 2008 Continental challenge will once again reassemble some of the world’s best sailors, including Cameron Appleton, Sébastien Col, Russell Coutts, Kelvin Harrap, Markus Wieser, James Spithill and many more.

Team New Zealand's helmsman Dean Barker makes a come-back after his first appearance in last year's Gold Cup in Dubai. Barker will sail the match-race event on board Patrick de Barros’ Banco Espirito Santo; he will then swap boats with Russell Coutts for the fleet regattas, and will be the tactician on board Larry Ellison’s BMW ORACLE Racing.

French sailor Philippe Presti will discover the RC 44 Class on board Maciej Nawrocki's Team Organika. Indeed, Mateusz Kusznierewicz, the recent Star world champion and usual skipper / helmsman on board Organika is now concentrating on the next Olympic Games, where he is one of the favorites. Philippe Presti is one of France's best sailors; he was amongst others James Spithill's sparring partner on board Luna Rossa during the last America’s Cup.

Organised by Fraglia vela di Malcesine, the RC44 MALCESINE SLAM CUP will begin on Wednesday July 9 with the match racing event. After a full round robin held in two days, the team owners will take the helm for three days of fleet racing. A long distance regatta - the DHL Trophy - will allow all the participants to discover the beauties of Lake Garda. 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.

It is the second time this season that the RC 44’s race on a lake after the successful Austria Cup, last month on Lake Traunsee. Will James Spithill and Igor Lah confirm their recent leadership over the Class? Will Chris Bake’s Team Aqua repeat their win from last year? Will Armando Giulietti’s Team Hiroshi-Città di Milano keep the championship Tour leader’s gold wheel? The answers next week.

The teams involved:

(Name of team, owner, pro sailor)

Team Hiroshi - Città di Milano, Armando Giulietti / Sébastien Col
Team Banco Espirito Santo, Patrick de Barros / Dean Barker (match)
Team Aqua, Chris Bake / Cameron Appleton
Team Ceeref, Igor Lah / James Spithill
Team Carbon Affair, Nicholas Verwilghen / Michel Vaucher
Sea Dubai, DIMC, Markus Wieser
Team Beecom, Isao Mita / Kelvin Harrap
BMW ORACLE Racing, Larry Ellison / Russell Coutts (match)
Team Organika, Maciej Nawrocki / Philippe Presti

Note: Russell Coutts and Dean Barker will swap boats for the fleet regatta.



RC 44 Championship Tour 2008 (after 3 events):

1) Team Hiroshi - Città di Milano, 72 points
2) Ceeref, 97 points
3) Team Banco Espirito Santo, 100 points
4) Team Aqua, 104 points
5) Sea Dubai, 128 points
6) BMW ORACLE Racing, 160 points
7) Cro-A-Sail, 166 points
8) Beecom, 171 points
9) Team Organika, 182 points
10) Mascalzone Latino, 241 points
11) Magia, 261points