September 22, 2007
by Mean Machine Sailing Team
22 Sep |
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The black hull with pink flames rising from her bow: Mean Machine’s back in action to finish off the 2007 season with a world title.
The event: the Rolex TP 52 Global Championship, the battleground: the sparkling turquoise waters of Sardinia in Italy; the contenders: the elite of the world’s TP 52 fleet, with 15 entries hitting the starting line. This includes the last three winners of the MedCup Circuit – double winners in 2006 Mean Machine, owned by Peter de Ridder with Ray Davies calling tactics; Vasco Vascotto’s Pisco Sour, racing this season as Mutua Madrileña and the recently crowned champion of the 2007 Circuit Torbjorn Torqnvist’s Artemis with Russell Coutts on tactics, not forgetting the presence of the 2006 World Champions Patches.
Anticipation’s rising at the Yacht Club Costa Smeralda in Sardinia, as the club prepares for what is going to be a thrilling World Championship with the Med’s most powerful fleet. Among the entries are big favourites such as Mean Machine, Sweden’s Artemis, Mutua Madrileña, Patches and Stay Calm. None of the teams want to miss out on the chance of seizing the crown as World Champions in the most powerful Box Rule class in sailing, the TP52 class.
The Mean Machine team are ready to take home another world title. With a firm objective in his sights Peter de Ridder is calling on his usual star team. Alongside de Ridder, Ray Davies, Tom Dodson and Jules Salter will make up the afterguard of the powerful squad, whilst the trimmers will have the added support of America’s Cup sailor Robbie Naismith who’ll join Dirk de Ridder, Jon Gundersen, Jono Swain and Liam Newman.
Mean Machine will also have Jeff Reynolds, Jono MacBeth, Tony Rae, Joe Allen, Ed Van Lierde and Stu Bettany onboard for the challenge, among others.
The Rolex TP 52 Global Championship kicks off on Sunday with an official training day. From Monday 24th September through to September 29th a maximum of 9 windward-leeward races and 2 offshore races (a shorter 5 hour race, and a medium distance race of about ten hours in duration) will be sailed.
It’s not one to miss.
