Another Spanish team decides to embrace the TP52 class

[Source: Jorge Aguadé / Las Provincias] According to the sailing editor of Valencia's largest newspaper, one of Spain's most emblematic and successful teams in the IMS decided to abandon the class and move forward to the TP52, a class that is gradually dominating the upper levels of professional racing in Europe.

CAM, the Valencian banking group and among the largest in Spain, will have next year a brand new TP52 boat that will compete in the 2007 Breitling MedCup. For that reason, project leaders Fernando León and Kiko Sánchez Luna, have already met with the most prestigious boat designers in the world in order to choose the boat that will be built this winter.

According to the newspaper, both men met in Valencia various boat designers, including Reichel & Pugh, the American duo in charge of designing the two America's Cup yachts of Desafío Español, as well as Marcelíno Botín, the Spanish head of design at Emirates Team New Zealand.

Fernando León puts it very clear: "The CAM boat has always been an important part of the Spanish racing fleet and since the days of IMS are numbered it was obvious that our next step, given the increasing popularity of the Breitling MedCup, should be to join the TP52 class".

Although the move to the TP52 class was initially planned for the 2006 racing season, the CAM team decided to stay an additional year in IMS in order to maximize the return on its investment made in 2004, when they bought a Farr53, and win the 2006 Copa del Rey in their class. The new CAM TP52 boat will be ready for the 2007 summer season and the team hopes that Prince Felipe of Spain will stay as its helmsman.

The CAM boat in the last Copa del Rey with Prince Felipe of Spain on the helm. Palma, 6 August 2006. Photo by Pierre Orphanidis / Valencia Sailing