19 boats expected but not Platoon

German TP 52 sustains structural damage en route to Breitling MedCup Portimao regatta

Even with five days before racing begins for the fourth event of the 2007 Breitling MedCup TP52 Circuit, the Trophy of Portugal, the expectation and excitement is swelling around the docksides of the Algarve's Marina of Portimao.

Twelve TP52s from the MedCup fleet have already completed the passage from Palma de Mallorca through the Straits of Gibraltar and up the Atlantic coast to the Portuguese Algarve.

Patches, Balearia, RBensimon Bigamist, Cristabella, Stay Calm, Artemis, Anonimo, Bribon, Caixa Galicia , Mutua Madrileña, Rusal Synergy and Windquest are already moored up in the marina while their shore teams make final preparations prior to their crews arrival for next week's Trophy of Portugal. The, by now familiar, pitlane of TP52s is shaping up nicely.

One boat which will be sadly absent will be Harm Muller-Spreer's Platoon. The boat, which has been one of the real rising stars this season, sustained structural damage while on the delivery passage off the coast of Almeria in southeastern Spain.

"It appears that the boat hit something under the waterline when she was off the coast of Almeria at Almerimar," explained Platoon's owner Muller-Spreer. The delivery crew is reported to have issued a MayDay when water began entering the hull and returned immediately to the port of Almerimar. "The crew did a great job as the boat was just minutes from sinking just outside the harbour," commented Spreer.

Engineers from the boat´s builder, Goetz Marine and designers Judel Vrolijk will be assessing the damage over the weekend. Muller Spreer does not believe that Platoon will be repaired for the final two events in the Breitling MedCup Circuit. "We are very disappointed," he said. "We have done very well this year and our crew work is getting better all the time. I am really sad that will not be able to complete the Circuit this year. However, being positive we are looking forward to the 2008 MedCup season and have already began discussing our new boat with Judel Vroijk and are currently finalising the builder."

19 boats are now expected to take part in the Trophy of Portugal which will follow the same format as other Breitling MedCup events - three days of windward/leeward races and two of coastal races - these last two are scored in two parts. However, Nacho Postigo, Technical Director of the MedCup Circuit confirmed today, that the schedule may be modified if six windward leeward races are not completed in the first two days.

"If we are unable to sail three windward/leeward races on the Tuesday and Wednesday, then we will forfeit one of the coastal races and replace it with two windward/leewards. It is always our aim to have at the end of the year a 30:70 balance of coastal and windward/leewards," stated Postigo.