Audi Medcup Circuit - www.cruiser-racer.com will race new Soto 40

by Sabina Mollart-Rogerson on 25 Aug 2011 Audi MedCup Circuit - www.cruiser-racer.com, the Spanish team which is competing this week in Cartagena in the 40 Series demo boat, hull number 22, confirmed yesterday that they will race their new Soto 40 at the Conde de Godó-Barcelona Trophy from September 12th-17th. Their new Soto 40, hull number 27, will be owned by Álex Laplaza and Toni Guiu.

Guiu, who is a yacht broker and project consultant from Barcelona raced two Whitbread Round the World Races in the 1980’s aboard Licor 43 and Fortuna Lights and was an early supporter of the founding of the Barcelona World Race.

The new Soto 40 www.cruiser-racer.com will be the sixth boat from the class to compete in the 40 Series this season on the Audi MedCup Circuit and will join the finale event of the season Conde de Godó-Barcelona Trophy on their home waters.

The owners, Álex Laplaza and Toni Guiu, revealed the details of their plans at the at the Región of Murcia Trophy where they are racing the demo Soto 40 as www.cruiser-racer.com whiile their own new boat, built by M Boats in Argentina, is aboard a cargo ship en route to Barcelona.

The new Soto 40 www.cruiser-racer.com will be the sixth boat from the class to compete in the 40 Series. The Spanish duo are looking to the long term in the class and they aim to compete over the course of the full 2012 season.

'It's all about taking advantage of a great opportunity that we've been handed to be in the circuit's last two events. We are moved by our excitement, passion and desire, we left all our previous plans aside to be here', explains Guiu who is director of the company Cruiser Racer´s which sells, brokers and develops race and racer-cruiser boats. One of their successful projects has been the Botin designed Sinergia 40.

After just two days aboard the demo Soto 40 they race in Cartagena, aboard www.cruiser-racer.com (aka XXII), Laplaza describes the boat as 'quite technical'. 'We are happy with the boat speed that we've reached and we know our limitations and where we stand. It will be extraordinarily difficult to fight against teams like Iberdrola and NH Resorts, but the simple fact the we are doing it is positive, because we are guided by our excitement as owners'.

Guiu has also pointed out that the Soto 40 provides a great opportunity to be part of a competition of such a high level as the Audi MedCup Circuit, because it's 'the perfect plan for owners who are interested in putting a project together'.

Seventy per cent of the team come from Toni Guiu and Laplaza usual crew: 'They've always sailed with us, we come here directly from a third place with Sinergia at the Copa del Rey Mapfre', says Guiu. For these next two 2011 events, the team has added two Greek sailors from North Sails Greece and German tactician Sabine Schumann, based in Barcelona.

The members of www.cruiser-racer.com are Toni Guiu, Ramón Calvera, Dimitris Degliannis, Simos Kambouridis, Lucas Llobet, Joan Navarro, Pol Oses, Sabine Schumann and Borja Audi MedCup website