Maximum level in the TP52 World Championship, racing to be streamed live through Virtual Eye

Russell Coutts, Paul Cayard, Dean Barker, Vasco Vascotto, Terry Hutchinson, Jochen Schuemann, Cameron Dunn, Magnus Holmberg, a few of the rock stars in Puerto Calero

Torbjon Tornqvist’s Artemis is defending the title won last year in Porto Cervo

Terry Hutchinson’s Quantum, current MedCup champion, has world dominance in sight

Starting tomorrow Monday and until next Saturday the Puerto Calero TP 52' World Championship Islas Canarias will take place on the waters of the Atlantic Spanish island, with the participation the world’s top boats and crews. Fourteen teams representing eleven countries will race in the most international TP52 world cup so far. This will also be the first time the TP52 world championship is held in Spain, after visiting Miami in 2006 (USA) and Porto Cervo (Italy) in 2007.

Torbjorn Tornqvist’s Artemis from Sweden will be defending the title won on Sardinian waters last year and with three-time America’s Cup winner Russell Coutts calling tactics, she will undoubtedly be on the starting line as one of the favorites.

After being crowned European TP52 champions in the MedCup circuit, Quantum has world dominance in sight. Terry Hutchinson doesn’t need introduction and the season’s most consistent team has all it takes to threaten Artemis.


Three-time Olympic medallist Jochen Schuemann will again lead Platoon, hoping to capitalize on their second place in the Trofeo César Manrique. The German boat’s shore crew is putting 24-hour shifts in order to repair the damage it suffered after being hit by another yacht inside the marina.

The Spanish fleet will have three boats racing off the Puerto Calero coast. José Cusí’s Bribón, helmed by New Zealander star sailor Dean Barker is the most well known and one of the TP52 class founders. The yacht also helmed by HM the King of Spain must always be taken into account and is one of the favorites for a podium spot. Desafío, fresh from a decisive victory in last week’s Trofeo César Manrique Puerto Calero, is another of the powerhouses, helmed by American legend Paul Cayard and entirely crewed by the Spanish America's Cup challenger. Last but certainly not least TAU Andalucía, jointly owned by Javier Banderas and Rafael Díaz from Malaga, is the third Spanish entry.

Alberto Roemmers’ Matador will now be helmed by Roemmers Jr while Guillermo Parada will switch to tactics, in a similar fashion to the 2007 Global Championship.

Audi Sailing Team Powered by Q8 of Italian Riccardo Simoneschi will count on the addition of Swedish match-race champion Magnus Holmberg in the role of tactician.

Vasco Vascotto will race in the TP52 World Championship with his Mutua Madrileña from Chile while John Cook’s Cristabella will rely on Spaniard Roberto Bermúdez de Castro to drive her. Portuguese Bigamist 6 of Pedro Mendoça will also be steered by an Olympic champion, Portugese Alfonso Domingos. The most important novelty will be Fram XVI of Norway’s King Harald. This will be the first time the Norwegian yacht races this year.



Last but certainly least the two Russian entries Sergey Pichugin Synergy and Kirill Podolsky’s Valars are the emerging powers of the TP52 class. Both have brand new 2008 boats; Valars will be racing with the former Mean Machine, Peter de Ridder’s Med champion, while Synergy now owns the BMW Oracle’s TP52 yacht and has kiwi sailor Cameron Dunn calling tactics.

The schedule for Monday and Tuesday calls for the usual leeward/windward races, starting at 12pm local time. On Wednesday, the coastal regatta of between 35 and 40 miles will take place, followed by the long regatta of about 60 miles on Thursday. Both coastal races will start at 11am. The fleet will then resume its leeward-windward races on Friday and Saturday, again starting at 12pm.

All races will be streamed live using the Virtual eye technology through the event’s official website, www.tp52worldchampionship.com