Platu 25 World Championship ready to roll 14 countries 101 boats

by Sabrina Bonaiti on 28 Sep 2009 Here we are: the count down for the most expected appointment of the 2009 Sailing Season is on. In a few days, from the 27th of September to the 3rd of October, The Platu 25 World Championship is going to start.

The pre-enrolled crews reached the remarkable number of one hundred and one and they are ready to be welcome by the prestigious Yacht Club in Punta Ala, Tuscany.

The most competitive crews, nationally and Internationally, will take part in the World Championship in Punta Ala, coinciding with the IV leg of the Italian Circuit. There will be crews coming from 14 different Countries, including Japan and Thailand; even a team from New Zealand, the very far Country of Russel Coutts, a great protagonist in the most recent edition of the America’s Cup.

As Edoardo Barni, the Italian Platu 25 President, confirmed: 'The delegation from New Zealand in Punta Ala - the National fleet grew up with 11 new boats in Auckland in 2008 - is a very clear symptom of both the Platu 25 growing and the International class nature.

Besides 'Ocean Bridge' – that’s the name of the boat from New Zealand – for the first time in Italy there’ll be a crew from Thailand. There will also be two Japanese crews; one of them is the very competitive 'Bros' of Yuji Koike, with Eiichiron Hamazaki at the helm. 'Bros' is sponsored by 'Lexus' that will support the 2009 Platu 25 World Championship in Punta Ala. There will be also the present Platu 25 World Championship, the Greek crew of 'Modus Vivendi – 3 Alfa'.

The Platu 25 Class is vital and it’s growing everywhere: numbers and data coming from Spain and Germany confirms this trend. In these Countries there was a very significant growth in the last years. The success of this class is also confirmed by the wide participation at the Platu 25 World Championship in Punta Ala. Yes, because the Platu 25 is a inoxidizable class, growing up in also in Italy.

'Local Italian fleets in Anzio and Neptune (near Rome) are growing and the other fleets in Cala De’ Medici (Tuscany), Palermo (Sicily), Monopoli (Puglia, South Italy) and Lake of Como in the North of Italy confirms a remarkable stability. That makes the difference in our class' Edoardo Barni remarked.

Between the Italians, 'Nanuk' of Gianrocco Catalano, with Luigi Ravioli at the helm (Rcc Tevere Remo) is in pole position. He conquered the prestigious Platu 25 Italian Championship in Monopoli last July. In the Italian fleet, an other famous crew that won’t miss the appointment is 'Brera Hotels' of Emanuele Vitrano who, with Alberto Wolleb at the helm and Paolo Montefusco as a tactician, conquered the Gavitello D’Argento in Punta Ala last May.

Then there will be 'Parco Cinque Terre – Breakwind' of Giovanni Bocelli, with Ugo Giordano (Lni Procida) at the helm, winner of the Italian Championship of Minialtura 2009 in Nisida, near Naples, and 'Fight for Fighting' (Lni Monopoli) owned by De Bellis and Masi, with Alberto La Tegola at the helm. La Tegola is the winner of the Platu 25 Italian Ranking list with the best helmsmen of 2008.

Organized by Punta Ala Yacht Club with the support of Lexus as a main sponsor, Marina of Punta Ala and Fiv (Italian Sailing Federation), for sure the Platu 25 World Championship will be one of the most important and competitive appointments in the International Sailing Landscape.

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