Rolex Baltic Week secures Farr 40 championship

Europeans to be held next year in Travemuende

The fifth edition of the Rolex Baltic Week in 2008, Germany's sailing event on the Baltic Sea will once again incorporate a major yachting championship. From 26-31 August, the Rolex Farr 40 European Championship will take place in Travemuende, the new venue for Baltic Week, near Luebeck.

The European Championship will double as the final series of the Farr 40 Northern European Circuit that is to start in Norway at the end of May. It will be followed by Kiel Week in the last week of June and a KDY regatta in the Danish waters off Copenhagen at the end of July, before the decisive races to determine the championship will be held in Travemuende. The arrangement has been agreed between the regatta organisers from Norddeutscher Regatta Verein (NRV) Hamburg, Luebeck Yacht Club (LYC) and the international Farr 40 Class Association.

"We are pleased to have such a good response from the Farr 40 class, with whom we have been sharing a close friendship over the past years."said Peter Streit, the Managing Director of Rolex Germany in Cologne. Rolex has been the title sponsor of the Baltic Week from its first edition in 2004. "The competing teams can look forward to highly exciting, yet fair races, and they will certainly enjoy the unique ambience at the Trave estuary."

When the regatta calendar was published, Vincenzo Onorato from Italy did not take long to confirm his entry Mascalzone Latino. The Rolex Farr 40 World Champion for the last two years and current title-holder wants to come to Travemuende to make up for losing the European title at this year's Rolex Settimana delle Bocche in Porto Cervo, Sardinia to his compatriot Massimo Mezzaroma with Nerone.

During his first Worlds victory in 2006, Onorato's tactician had been the three time America's Cup winner Russell Coutts, while he had trusted this job this year to Adrian Stead.

Regarding prominent entries, the Rolex Baltic Week organisers are looking forward to the participation of Nanoq, the Farr 40 of the Danish Crown Prince Frederik. He won the final race of the 2007 Rolex Farr 40 World Championship in his country's capital Copenhagen, which leaving him eighth overall in the competition and be the best Scandinavian boat. The Farr 40 owner promised to join the next Europeans, and therefore the next regatta date was placed after the 2008 Olympic Games in China, where his Royal Highness will represent his country as a guest of honour. The date also fits in well with the calendars of the overseas owners who may decide to come to Europe after the Rolex Farr 40 Worlds in mid-April in Miami, USA.

By winning the bid for the Rolex Farr 40 Europeans, Rolex Baltic Week has once again secured itself a highlight of the sailing calendar. So far the regatta event has already hosted the Dragon and the two IMS Worlds (600 and Open), as well as the European Championships of the Olympic Star class and the Melges 24 class.

The Farr 40 class made its German debut at this year's Rolex Baltic Week, when 13 yachts from seven countries, including boats from overseas (USA and Australia) came to race in the fifth and final regatta of the European Circuit grand prix series in Neustadt, Holstein. Jim Richardson, President of the International Farr 40 Class Association, gave the event much acclaim: "It was an excellent racing premiere for our class in Germany." Richardson also won the 2007 Rolex Baltic Week and with this victory secured the overall win of the European Circuit with his yacht Barking Mad.

Class representative Geoff Stagg visited the fourth Rolex Baltic Week last August. This year's event has convinced him as to where the Rolex Farr 40 European Championship should go. The regatta course on the Bay of Neustadt will remain more or less in the same area. Eckart Reinke from Kiel has already been asked to act as Race Officer. The event venue in Travemuende, where the 119th Travemuende Week will take place during the last week of July, boasts a number of advantages. Berthing space right at the event site and close to the race course, and nearby top hotels guarantee an ideal set-up. The historic square rigger Passat, maritime landmark at the Trave estuary and the life-style ambience of an up-scale seaside resort are more than suitable for hosting the Rolex Baltic Week.

"To cater for the varying interests of the Mediterranean and the North European sailors, we have decided to stage two racing series - one on the Baltic Sea and one in the Mediterranean - with the Europeans as their peak event", explained Wolfgang Schaefer, President of the European Farr 40 fleet, organiser of the Farr 40 European Circuit. He will be racing on board his Struntje light, and hopes to attract a first-class fleet to this European Championship premiere in the north. The four race days will start on Thursday, 28 August and conclude on Sunday, 31 August, when the overall winner will receive the European Championship trophy and an exclusive Rolex time-piece.