New partners, new venues

D35s have a new championship sponsor and two regattas in the Med this year

Two months prior to the start of the 2011 season the Decision 35 class is looking  forward to welcoming two new partners: the watch manufacturer Vulcain and Les Ambassadeurs.

With the new partnership with the watch  manufacturer Vulcain from Le Locle, the 2011 D35 catamaran championship, previously known as the Challenge Julius Baer, will be renamed the Vulcain Trophy.

The 2011 Vulcain Trophy starts on the weekend of 5-8 May with a Grand Prix taking place between Lausanne and Geneva. This premier event the watch retail/seller Les Ambassadeurs will join forces with the Beau-Rivage  Palace, a long-term partner of the Decision 35, to support the Grand Prix Les Ambassadeurs by BeauRivage Palace.

A further development for the D35s in this year's Vulcain Trophy is that there will be two events to be held in the Mediterranean, over 1-4 September when they will race off in Beaulieu-sur-Mer in the South of France, before the twelve teams head to Antibes for racing over 22-25 September

Renato A. Vanotti, Chairman of Vulcain commented: "The watch manufacturer Vulcain is proud to associate itself with the Decision 35 for the next seasons of sailing. The team spirit of this class and of the participating teams completely corresponds to the values of Vulcain watches: innovation and perfection, team spirit and the desire to have a fair competition against the best teams of its category."

Nicolas Grange, President of the Decision 35 Class added: "The whole of the Decision 35 class is very happy to welcome Vulcain and Les Ambassadeurs as partners of the championship. Also due to the fact that we have several innovations in our programme, the 2011 season promises to be very spectacular. We are now all looking forward to competing again in Spring and to sharing our passion for sailing and catamarans with our new partners in Switzerland and in France."

Vulcain Trophy 2011 schedule:
May 5/8: Grand Prix Les Ambassadeurs by the Beau-Rivage Palace / Lausanne & Geneva
May 20/22: Realstone Cup/ Crans-sur-Nyon
June 11: Geneva - Rolle - Geneva / Geneva
June 12/13: Sogeti Cup / Geneva
June 18: Bol d'or Mirabaud / Geneva
1/4 September: Grand Prix Beaulieu-sur-Mer / France
22/24 September: Grand Prix Antibes / France