Movable feast - Louis Vuitton Trophy Hong Kong moves to January 2011

by All4One Media on 19 Dec 2009 The World Sailing Teams Association (WSTA) and Louis Vuitton today announced more Louis Vuitton Trophy regattas for 2010 and early 2011, the new international events to follow the successful regatta held in Nice, France, last month. Each Louis Vuitton Trophy regatta is a stand-alone regatta sailed in event-supplied 85-foot long AC Class yachts that require a crew of 17 top sailors to sail.

The regatta concept is designed to transform a port venue, regardless of its previous sailing culture, into the capital of professional yacht racing for two weeks, along with all the associated activities and excitement, on and off the water. The concept of the Louis Vuitton Trophy regattas was inspired by the acclaimed Louis Vuitton Pacific Series raced in Auckland, New Zealand, last February.

The schedule for the next events covers four distinctly different parts of the world:

Louis Vuitton Trophy Auckland: 9 - 21 March 2010
Louis Vuitton Trophy La Maddalena, Sardinia: 22 May - 6 June 2010
Louis Vuitton Trophy Middle East: 13 - 28 November 2010 (venue TBA)
Louis Vuitton Trophy Hong Kong: 9 - 24 January 2011

Jochen Schümann, All4One's sports director and skipper said: 'Great to have a reliable schedule for Louis Vuitton Trophy events, after the success that was met in Nice Côte d'Azur in November 2009.

'All4One is already planning another overall crew training for February in Valencia on ACC boat, in order to prepare an upcoming busy season as one platform for four challenges with the Louis Vuitton Trophy events, the TP52 MedCup, the RC44 circuit and the World Match Racing Tour.

'We will sail in the Louis Vuitton Trophy Auckland with same crews, building on our common experience from Nice. The 5th place in Nice has been a good starting point at our very first regatta as one team. All4One wants to improve and is targeting a top four place in Auckland.

'We are looking forward and we are prepared to face the other top professional teams in tight races in Auckland and La Maddalena. We appreciate that WSTA is taking over the lead role in professional sailing.'

Newly-elected WSTA board Chairman Paul Cayard commented: 'The Louis Vuitton Trophy is gaining momentum following the great regattas held in Auckland and Nice in 2009 and I really believe 2010 is going to be an even better year for our teams, their crews and supporters.'

Apart from being a cost-effective way for teams to match race impressively large yachts close to crowds, the Louis Vuitton Trophy regattas also represent one of the most interesting media/marketing opportunities in yacht racing today.

Innovative low-cost solution to live TV and tracking coupled with live expert commentary from on board the yachts pioneered in Nice last November, allows spectators, hospitality guests and sailing fans around the world to watch live races in a hybrid virtual and real video show on internet (louisvuittontrophy.com).

Use of AC Class yachts from the last two America's Cups now scattered about the world allows the existing boats to be shared regionally without the necessity to constantly ship equipment back and forth; only the crews travel, making for cost effective and easily organised events.

The Louis Vuitton Trophy Auckland will again bring some of the best racing teams back to 'Kiwi land'. Emirates Team New Zealand managing director Grant Dalton said the team welcomed Louis Vuitton's return to Auckland: 'Last February we tested the concept. Its success far exceeded everyone's expectations,' Cayard said.

'The Louis Vuitton Trophy has emerged from that experiment as a viable, top-level regatta. It's good for the teams, it's good for the sport, it's good for host cities and we've given the fans something to watch.'

The calibre of teams competing is second to none. Most sailors are either world champions, Olympic medallists, round-the-world sailors or past America's Cup players. All teams competing at the Nice regatta came with either America's Cup experience or future ambitions.

Emirates Team New Zealand has been both Challenger and Defender in the past, BMW ORACLE Racing (USA) is the current Challenger of Record, while other teams such as Azzurra (Italy), TeamOrigin (Great Britain), Mascalzone Latino (Italy), Synergy (Russia), ALL4ONE (France/Germany), Aleph Sailing Team (France), Artemis (Sweden) all have future plans.

The Louis Vuitton Trophy regattas provide an opportunity to compete at the highest level using similar yachts, with only the crew's sailing ability as the deciding factor. The cost to teams is also a fraction of an America's Cup or an offshore campaign budget, something that has already attracted several new teams to taste the waters at this level of competition.