Fuente info Maxxcomm Communication
St. Moritz is preparing to spend a week as the Match Racing capital of the world
The eighth edition of the St. Moritz Match Race will commence in the Engadine, at the end of August. The best world class skippers are expected to attend this sixth round of the World Match Racing Tour
St. Moritz, July 16th 2010 – The St. Moritz Match Race 2010 which will take place from August 31st to September 5th, is preparing to welcome the world’s leading skippers in this discipline. The St Moritz Match Race is the Swiss stage of the World Match Racing Tour (WMRT) which involves seven other stages taking place in France, Germany, Korea, Portugal, Sweden, Denmark, Bermuda and Malaysia; since 2005, it is also part of the ISAF (International Sailing Federation) World Match Racing Championships. This unavoidable event leading to a world title, offers winnings of CHF 150’000 which is shared amongst the winning teams.
As in previous years, the Race will take place on the St. Moritz lake which turns into a real sailing stadium for the event. The tribunes, overlooking the water, offer spectators an exceptional view of the whole course. The Maloja; a thermal wind that blows across the Engadine in good weather and picks up around midday, usually guarantees quality racing and a unique spectacle.
Eight of the twelve teams, from seven nations, already held Tour Cards (giving access to all WMRT events) whereas two teams only obtained the ‘golden key’ at the qualifying regattas; they are the French skipper Damien Iehl, who won the Spanish Open, and the Swiss, Eric Monnin, who took the lead at the Volvo Match Race in Zug, last May.
Two participants still have to be announced before the beginning of the event. The 2009 winning trio, Adam Minoprio (NZL), Torvar Mirsky (AUS) and Ian Williams (GBR) will attend again this year. The current Tour leader, Frenchman Mathieu Richard, will compete against his compatriots Bertrand Pacé and Damien Iehl. The British, fourth time Olympic medalist, Ben Ainslie (5th in the championships), is also registered to participate, and Sweden’s Björn Hansen and the Italian, Francesco Bruni complete the impressive collection of seven of the top ten, Match Racing world specialists.
Eric Monnin, the local contender who has participated in every edition of the St. Moritz Match Race so far, and who performed poorly last year, plans to demonstrate that he is someone to be contended with at world class level. Monnin and his teammates were ranked 3rd in 2007.
Once again, the Blu26 (Bluboats) is the competing class in this year’s St. Moritz Match Race. The Blu26 is particularly well adapted to Match Racing due to its easy handling and size; 8m x 2,2m.
The organizing Committee is pleased to announce the continued patronage of faithful partners, AFG and the Badrutt’s Palace Hotel, as the regatta’s principal sponsors. The automobile manufacturer, Volvo, has also joined this edition as co-sponsor.
For further information:
http://www.stmoritz-matchrace.ch/
http://www.wmrt.com/
The Teams:
(Skipper, Team, Nationality, ISAF world placement)
Adam Minoprio, Black Match / Team New Zealand, NZL, 1
Torvar Mirsky, Mirsky Racing Team, AUS, 2
Ben Ainslie, TEAMORIGIN, GBR, 3
Mathieu Richard, French Match Racing Team, FRA, 4
Damien Iehl, French Match Racing Team, FRA, 5
Ian Williams, Team Pindar, GBR, 7
Björn Hansen, Onboard Sailing Team, SWE, 9
Francesco Bruni, Joe Fly Match Race, ITA, 10
Eric Monnin, Swiss Match Race Team, SUI, 24
Bertrand Pacé, Aleph Sailing Team, FRA, 61
