ORC European Championship 2014 - 58 teams ready to compete

by ORC on 19 Jun 2014 An impressive array of talented teams will be assembling soon for the 2014 ORC European Championship, held over July 1-6 at the Real Club Nautico Valencia (RCNV). In total there are 58 yachts from nine countries throughout Europe that will compete for four days on a variety of inshore and offshore race courses. The event is being held as part of RCNV's Trofeo SM La Reina regatta, which annually attracts the top talent in Spain and the region.

The fleet will be divided into four classes, with ORC 0 having four entries, ORC 1 having 19 entries, ORC 2 having 26 entries, ORC 3 having seven entries and the ORC Open class with three entries. First, second, and third-place trophies will be awarded in each class, as well as an overall trophy for the Trofeo SM La Reina. Entries with all-amateur crews will also be eligible for First place trophies in the Corinthian Division.

Among the teams coming to Valencia are several recent champions in other ORC events, most notably Giuseppe Giuffre's M37 Low Noise from Italy, which just last weekend won the ORC Mediterranean Championship held at San Vito Lo Capo in Sicily. This team sailing their design from Maurizio Cossutti is always a strong contender and often a perennial champion in ORC Class B, having won the ORC European Championship in 2012 and the ORC World Championship in 2009 and 2011. In Valencia they will be racing in Class 3, but may have a strong rival in Nicola de Gemmis's GS 39s Morgan IV, who was on the podium with Low Noise at the Europeans in 2012.

Another reigning ORC champion will also be in Valencia, Giuseppe Parodi's Reichel/Pugh-designed TP 52 Hurakan. This Italian team won a competitive Class A in Ancona, Italy last year at the Adria Ferries ORC World Championship, and faces a tough challenge again in Class 0 this year, with two more TP 52's from Botin/Carkeek - Giorgio Martin's Aniene and Michele Galli's b2 - as rivals, as well as the Russian-based Ker 60 Phoenix skippered by Jens Linder. Aniene was runner-up to Hurakan in Ancona last year, and was the Class A ORC European Champion in 2012.

In ORC Class 1 there is a local-based Valencian team - the GS 46s Clinical Group Senís Dr. Luis Senís - who is the defending champion from the last Trofeo SM La Reina and will be fighting to defend their title among the 19 entries in that class.

In Class 2 there is another past World Champion competing: Christian Plump and his German team on their Swan 45 Elena Nova. On his prior boat of the same name Plump won the Class A ORC World Championship in Flensburg in 2010. But one of Plump's strong rivals may be a perennial champion from many past ORC championships and the reigning Trofeo SM La Reina champion: Pedro Campos. Supported by his long-term sponsor Movistar, Campos and team will be racing a Sinergia 40 at this event and seek to defend their title.

This event will also mark the ORC championship debut of two brand-new designs: Paolo Semararo's Ceccarelli-designed NEO 400 Fermax competing for Italy in the ORC 1 Class, and Jani Lehti's new Cossutti-designed Next 37 Audi Quattro competing for Finland in the ORC 2 Class.

Besides the competitive action on the water, there will be numerous social events held ashore at RCNV, including an Opening Ceremony at 1900 on Wednesday, 2 July and the Prizegiving Ceremony at 1830 on Sunday 6 July. A giant paella will be made for all competitors after racing on Friday and Saturday, 4-5 July, and breakfast offered daily before racing each day.

Another event held ashore will be a round-table discussion with competitors and fellow journalists hosted by noted Spanish sailing journalist Pedro Sardina of ABC, with time and date to be announced.

Real Club Náutico de Valencia wants to thank Conservas Cuca, Mazda, Heineken, Coca Cola, Plymouth, Café Candelas, NH Ciudad de Valencia, Holiday Inn, Zas Sailing, Navaltec, Varadero Valencia, Surgival and Ascensión Latorre for their contributions in the celebration of this event.

For more information on the 2014 ORC European Championship and the Trofeo SM La Reina, visit click here.