Brazil Sailing Cup, Stage 5, World Match Tour

by Sean McNeill on 10 Mar 2006 Brazil Sailing Cup, Stage 5 of the 2005-’06 World Match Racing Tour

Where Angra dos Reis, Brazil

When March 14-19, 2006

Host Club Yacht Club Angra dos Reis

Prize Purse $100,000 (1st place – $35,000)

Boat SM40

Racing Area Ribeira Bay

Who’s Entered:
Five of the Championship eight skippers of the World Tour; seven skippers representing syndicates for the America’s Cup; reigning World Tour champion Peter Gilmour; reigning World Match Racing Champion James Spithill.


Entry List:
Ben Ainslie (GBR) Emirates Team New Zealand — Currently placed 3rd on World Tour leaderboard

Ed Baird (USA) Alinghi — Currently placed 5th on World Tour leaderboard

Dean Barker (NZL) Emirates Team New Zealand — Four career World Tour victories

Gavin Brady (USA) Beau Geste Sailing Team — Currently placed 7th on World Tour leaderboard

Cameron Dunn (NZL) Mascalzone Latino -- Capitalia — Placed 11th at Monsoon Cup

Peter Gilmour (AUS) PST — Currently placed 1st on World Tour leaderboard

Daniel Glomb (BRA) Brazil Match Race Team — First World Tour event

Magnus Holmberg (SWE) Victory Challenge — Six career World Tour victories

Staffan Lindberg (FIN) Alandia Sailing Team — Currently placed 2nd on World Tour leaderboard

Thierry Peponnet (FRA) K-Challenge — Seeking first career World Tour victory

James Spithill (AUS) Luna Rossa Challenge — Reigning World Match Racing champion

Ian Williams (GBR) Williams Racing Team — Placed 10th on World Tour leaderboard


Event Summary:
The Brazil Sailing Cup is the third of three new events on the 2005-’06 World Tour schedule, following St. Moritz Match Race and Monsoon Cup. Nestled in Brazil’s Ribeira Bay, about 100 miles west of Rio de Janeiro, sits Angra dos Reis, a beautiful seaside town. Angra dos Reis means 'bay of the kings' and it originates from the town’s founding on Jan. 6, 1502. Jan. 6 is also the date when Catholics in Latin culture celebrate Epiphany, the day of the three kings. There are no fewer than 365 islands and islets around the area. Racing will be held in front of the Yacht Club Angra dos Reis or out on Ribeira Bay. The Brazil Sailing Cup was founded by Justino de Sa Machado, who also founded the Portugal Match Cup.

At Stage 4, Peter Gilmour, the two-time reigning champion of the World Tour, moved from fourth to first in the season standings when he won the tour’s 50th anniversary event, the Monsoon Cup, last December. Gilmour defeated Russell Coutts 2-1 in the final. In Brazil Gilmour will be gunning to be the first skipper with ten career World Tour victories.

About the World Tour:
Skippers earn points towards the world championship at the nine events of the World Tour and the highest scoring skipper at the end of the season is the ISAF Match Racing World Champion. The World Champion wins a BMW X3 3.0i from World Tour partner BMW AG and a $30,000 cash bonus from the World Tour.

The World Tour is sanctioned by ISAF, sailing’s world governing body. World Tour sponsors include Sebago (Rockford, Mich.), the Official Footwear Supplier, Musto (Essex, England), the Official Clothing Supplier, and Travel Places (West Sussex, England), the Official Travel Partner.

For more information on the World Match Racing Tour, its competitors and events, please visit the official World Tour Web site, www.WorldMatchRacingTour.com. World Match Racing Tour television programs may be viewed on demand by clicking on the television icon on the home page of the Web site.