Heading for Puerto Calero

RC44 World Championship start on Thursday

Newly-crowned RC44 Tour champions Team Aqua will be looking to end their season on the perfect note by adding the RC44 World Championship to their 2011 trophy haul in Puerto Calero, Lanzarote over 16–20 November.

Chris Bake’s Team Aqua team wrapped up the RC44 Tour title with an event to spare thanks to their emphatic event victory – their third of the season – in Croatia last month. But despite already claiming one bit of silverware this season, there is no doubt the on form team will try to add the 2011 RC44 World Championship title to their mantelpiece collection, last year they could only finish eighth in Lanzarote, with Jimmy Spithill lifting the trophy.

Owner Bake, who won the first ever RC44 Championship Tour in 2007, said: “It has already been an incredible season for us and to win the World Championship too would be the icing on the cake. Our professional skipper, Cameron Appleton, has led the team superbly but the competition is tough in the class, so we will have to work hard for it.”

Oracle Racing (USA) will not be in Puerto Calero as the team will be involved in America’s Cup World Series action in San Diego, so the race for the remaining two podium places in the final Tour standings will be hotly-contested. Oracle Racing currently lies in second overall, two points ahead of Igor Lah’s Team Ceeref (SLO) which is, in turn, two points clear of Artemis Racing (SWE), who will have owner Torbjorn Tornqvist at the helm for the World Championships in Lanzarote.

Also looking to sneak their way into the Tour top three, and land the World Championship title, on home waters will be the Daniel Calero-helmed Islas Canarias Puerto Calero, whose family are hosting the RC44 event for the fourth successive year since. Islas Canarias Puerto Calero currently sit fifth overall, four points behind the Slovenian team.

Daniel Calero said: “We are looking forward to once again host the 2011 RC44 World Championships at Puerto Calero. Puerto Calero is one of the best sea sailing venues in Southern Europe with sailors able to take full advantage of the predominant NE Atlantic trade winds and glorious year round weather. We are looking forward to welcoming all our RC44 friends to Puerto Calero again before hopefully beating them on the water!”

Among some of the big names looking to add the 2011 RC44 World title to their stellar sailing CVs will be Italy’s Francesco Bruni, current ISAF World ranked number one match racing skipper and three-time Olympian, who will join Team Katusha (RUS) in Lanzarote, as will renowned America’s Cup strategist/tactician and Star sailor, Andy Horton (USA), who is joining Ironbound (USA) and 18 times World Champion Vasco Vascotto (ITA), will sail with John Bassadone and the team on Peninsula Petroleum (GBR).

The 2011 RC44 Championship Tour is now in its fifth year. With 15 teams competing on a circuit that enables amateur sailors to race alongside the biggest names in the sport on thoroughbred one-design racing machines at the world’s best sailing venues, 2011 has underlined the RC44 Tour’s place as one of the most competitive and respected in international yacht racing.

The 2011 RC44 Championship Tour is now in its fifth year. With 15 teams competing on a circuit that enables amateur sailors to race alongside the biggest names in the sport on thoroughbred one-design racing machines at the world’s best sailing venues, 2011 has underlined the RC44 Tour’s place as one of the most competitive and respected in international yacht racing.

RC44 Championship Tour Ranking after five events

1   Team Aqua = 5
2   ORACLE Racing = 12
3   RC44 Team CEEREF = 14
4   Artemis Racing = 16
5   Islas Canarias Puerto Calero = 18
6   Katusha = 22
7   No Way Back = 22
8   Aleph Sailing Team = 27
9   Peninsula Petroleum Sailing Team = 33
10   Ironbound = 36
11   Synergy Russian Sailing Team = 41
12   Team Nika = 42
13   AEZ Sailing Team = 41
14   RUS-7 Sail Racing Team powered by AnyWayAnyDay.com = 54
15   MAG Racing = 56