The American Ed Baird Super Star ...

The nineteenth edition of the Trophée Clairefontaine of Sailing Champions is being prepared at Valencia (Spain) in the Marina Real Juan Carlos 1st, i.e. inside the harbour which hosted the
competitors of the 2007 America's Cup and more recently the F1 European Grand Prix. The Trophée Clairefontaine de Valencia will be raced on Saturday 13 and Sunday 14 September on this world-famous and natural nautical stadium. Eight great champions will be racing.

Two crews from Team Alinghi, winner of the last America��s Cup, will welcome the six
other champions on their nautical stadium, including Michel Desjoyeaux who won his
fourth Trophée Clairefontaine last September. Michel Desjoyeaux is also invited for
his victory in the 2007 Transat Jacques Vabre.

The Alinghi Black crew is composed of the American Ed Baird, helmsman of
Alinghi��s Class America at the time of the victory of the Team in the 2007 America��s
Cup. Ed Baird has also won the 95 America��s Cup with the New Zealander Team and
eight world titles in different sailing categories. Last year, Ed Baird was awarded the
ultimate title: "ISAF Rolex World Sailor of the Year 2007". Ed Baird��s crew men will be
the New Zealander Rodney Ardern (mainsheet trimmer) and the Dutchman Pieter Van
Nieuwehuyzen (bowman) who were part of Team Alinghi during their two successful
campaigns in 2003 and 2007. This trio is used to sailing catamarans especially on the
Extreme 40 catamarans of the iShares Cup circuit where they have won the last tow
rounds in Hyères (France) and Cowes (Great Britain).

The Swiss Alinghi Red crew is the crew who finished second of the 2007 Trophée
Clairefontaine at La Trinité-sur-Mer (France): Luc Dubois at the helm, Pierre-Yves
Jorand tactician and mainsheet trimmer and Yves Detrey bowman.

The Frenchman Loïck Peyron, seven times winner of the Trophée Clairefontaine and
third of the 2007 edition, only two points behind the Swiss from Team Alinghi, will also
be part of this travel to Spain which will celebrate the Papeteries de Clairefontaine
(Clairefontaine Stationary) one hundred and fifty anniversary. Besides his outstanding
record of achievements and his podium last year, Loïck Peyron is also invited to the
Trophée Clairefontaine de Valencia thanks to his recent victory - the third one in a
row! - on the England - United States course of the single-handed transatlantic race
(Artemis Transat).

Fernando León, Tornado Olympic Gold medallist in Atlanta, will represent Spain with
as crew men his fellow countrymen: Jordi Calafat, 470 Olympic Gold medallist in
Barcelona and member of Team Alinghi during the 2007 America��s Cup and Guillermo
Altadill. Fernando León already participated to the Trophée Clairefontaine three times,
twice as crew man of the double Gold medallist Theresa Zabell, Patron of this
Trophée Clairefontaine de Valencia, and once as champion (1998 - 3rd).

The Frenchman Jean-Pierre Dick was part of the 2006 Trophée Clairefontaine after
his double victory in the Transat Jacques Vabre. This year, he is invited after his
recent victory in the Barcelona World Race, the double-handed round-the-world race
from Barcelona to Barcelona round the three capes.

The Frenchwoman Claire Leroy is invited for the first time to this event bringing
together international sailing stars thanks to her Match Racing World and European
titles, and her first position in the Women Match Racing World Ranking list (for two
years now) and for her "2007 ISAF Rolex World Sailor of the Year " title.

The Frenchman Nicolas Charbonnier, who has just won a Bronze medal in 470 in
the the Beijing Olympic Games with his crew Olivier Bausset, is the eighth guest of
this Spanish event. It is the first time that he joins this exclusive club composed of all
the champions invited to the Trophée Clairefontaine of Sailing Champions.
Since its origins, in 1990, the Trophée Clairefontaine is the unique event in the world
uniting champions from the different international sailing fields, strictly on equal
footing, on spectacular sailing boats exclusively designed and used for that purpose
(7.65m catamarans).

Valencia, city of art and tradition, is famous for having hosted the 2007 America��s
Cup. It is the location of a new F1 European Grand Prix of which the first edition was
successfully raced on Sunday 24 August 2008. Valencia is also the host city chosen
for the sailing competitions for Madrid 2016 Olympic Games Candidature.
Media Relation: Clémentine Chaignaud: +33 (0)1 45 78 04 28 - +33 (0)6 03 94 34 44