Locman Cup – Elba Island, World Match Tour

by Sean McNeill on 11 Jul 2006 What - Locman Cup – Elba Island, Stage 8 of the 2005-’06 World Tour

Where - Porto Azzurro, Elba Island, Italy

When - July 11-17, 2006

Host Club - Elba Cup Organizing Committee

Prize Purse - 100,000€ (approximately $127,000), 1st place – 35,000€ (approx. $44,000)

Boat - Solaris 36 OD

Racing Area - Bay of Porto Azzurro

Who’s Entered - Three of the top-five skippers of the World Tour; four teams representing syndicates for the America’s Cup; World Tour leader and World No. 1-ranked Peter Gilmour.

ENTRY LIST (as of July 10, 2006)

Ian Ainslie (RSA) Team Shosholoza — Placed 8th at 2005 Locman Cup – Elba Island

Cameron Dunn (NZL) Mascalzone Latino – Capitalia Team — Placed 10th at Brazil Sailing Cup last March

Peter Gilmour (AUS) PST — Attempting to win first Locman Cup and 11th World Tour event championship

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

Pierre Mas (FRA) China Team — Placed 11th at 2005 Danish Open

Thierry Peponnet (FRA) Areva Challenge — Placed 2nd at Brazil Sailing Cup last March

Giovanni Segnini (ITA) Locman Sailing Team — Local qualifier

Ian Williams (GBR) Williams Sail Racing — Placed 5th on World Tour leaderboard


About STAGE 8:

The 5th annual Locman Cup – Elba Island is the eighth and final stage of the 2005-’06 World Match Racing Tour season. Hosted in Porto Azzurro on the southeast coast of Elba Island, racing is held in the Bay of Porto Azzurro, which is surrounded by high cliffs to watch the racing. Elba Island is the largest of the Tuscan Islands and third largest island in Italy after Sicily and Sardinia. It is located 6.5 miles off Italy’s Western coast. Organized by Elba Tourism and local towns, local yacht clubs are united under the Elba Cup Organizing Authority and share management of the racing.

Peter Gilmour won Stage 7, Match Race Germany, to secure his third consecutive World Match Racing Tour championship. Gilmour also won his fourth ISAF World Match Racing Championship. The World Tour and ISAF entered in agreement earlier this year to present the Tour championship and World championship in conjunction.

For more information on the World Match Racing Tour, its competitors and events, please visit the official World Tour Web site, www.WorldMatchRacingTour.com.