Audi MedCup season opener
High-caliber entrants, close-up sailing experiences, live coverage on the internet, even more action on land and on water: for the season opener, the Audi MedCup presents itself with a fresh breeze in almost all respects. On May 11, the boats set sail at Cascais (Portugal) for the first of a total of five regattas. Part of the action this season: a boat sporting the Four Rings.
“Audi A1 Team powered by ALL4ONE” is the name of the crew that tackles the competition in the “premier league” of sailing: a length of almost 16 meters, a weight of just 7,500 kilograms thanks to a sophisticated carbon construction and enormous agility and dynamics despite the size – these are the hallmarks of the Transpac 52 class, in short TP52. The team headed by the Franco-German duo Jochen Schümann and Stéphane Kandler will be in for a fierce competition: eleven boats from ten nations have been entered in the TP52 class, spearheaded by the “Emirates Team New Zealand” that won the 2009 MedCup 2009 and sails as boat number one.
While the Audi MedCup, whose title sponsor and premium partner AUDI AG is now for as much as the third time, already caused a sensation in the past season, the organizers have added numerous new features to top the event yet again in 2010. The changes start with fine-tuning the regulations: the weight of the crew is now limited to 1,050 kilograms (previously 1,273 kilograms) with a maximum of just twelve sailors. Like the reduction of practice days, this enables savings in the budget. The latter change also has positive effects for the fans: instead of primarily experiencing the boats on water, they can now take more time to take a close look at the high-tech boats at the waterfront. Those who are eager to experience an even greater thrill have a unique opportunity starting in 2010: during the races, each crew takes a guest on board. While the participants in this “Crew Member 13” campaign are prohibited from actively taking part in the sailing activities by the regulations, they will definitely enjoy a close-up experience of the fascinating action on water.
“It’s great that the action finally starts again. We’re looking forward to a thrilling new season of the Audi MedCup and wish all the entrants a successful campaign,” says Lothar Korn, Head of Marketing Communications of AUDI AG. “For Audi, the MedCup is an ideal stage to present the brand in a first-rate sporting and technology environment which fascinates entrants and spectators alike. I’m sure that the new ideas for the 2010 season will increase enthusiasm for sailing and the Audi MedCup even beyond previous levels,” says Korn.
Audi does its part to ensure that this will be the case: in addition to its role as title sponsor, the automobile manufacturer from Ingolstadt shapes the visual presentation of the series, provides hospitality services and equips the complete shuttle fleet with current models at each event. By supporting a boat of its own, the brand has raised its sailing commitment to a new level in 2010. As before, the TP52 boats contest the regattas together with the GP42 class, for which five boats have been entered. They go into the race a little later so that the fans will experience a thrilling joint finish.
Effective immediately, the thrill can not just be experienced at the waterfront but also in front of a monitor. Right in time for the season opener at Cascais, Audi MedCup TV goes on the air with four hours of live daily broadcasts of the sailing action on the internet (medcup.org) and a large screen in the Audi MedCup Village on the waterfront – a popular meeting place at which spectators can find additional free offers relating to the event. The first broadcast will start airing at 12:50 on May 12.
After the season opener in Portugal, which ends with the finish on May 16, the entrants of the world’s most popular regatta series will meet at four other venues: Marseille (France, June 15 to 20), Barcelona (Spain, July 20 to 25), Cartagena (Spain, August 24 to 29) and for the finale at Cagliari (Italy, September 20 to 25).