Blu26 is official boat for St. Moritz Match Race

by Media Services on 17 Apr 2008
The sixth St. Moritz Match Race, which takes place from 2-7 September this year, will be competed for using the new blu26 boats, a decision recently reached by the event’s organising committee.

The Bluboats team are delighted about this selection and will deliver six blu26 one-design yachts for this high-level event in the Swiss mountains in which the world’s best sailors from the America’s Cup and the match racing scene participate.

The four-man boat has been especially developed by Bluboats for match- and fleet-racing, and has been designed with Switzerland’s particular wind and weather conditions in mind. The result is a highly developed and refined racing yacht, which is ideally suited for racing on Lake St Moritz. In fact, the blu26 was trialled here during last year’s Match Race event.

Also in the news is the fact that the Spanish Grade 1 Regatta, Open Espana in Calpe, is now an official Qualifier Event of the World Match Racing Tour for the St. Moritz Match Race 2008.

This Regatta was held from 8/12 April, and the winner Paolo Cian, as well as Eric Monnin, the Swiss Match Racing Champion 2007, have received starting slots for the Match Race in the Swiss mountains.

Besides Paolo Cian (ITA) and Eric Monnin (SUI), reigning World Tour champion Ian Williams (GBR) and Sebastien Col (FRA) have confirmed they will be taking part. Other matchracing specialists to have declared their interest for this year’s edition is the current No 1 of the worldranking list Mathieu Richard (FRA), and America’s Cup skippers Ed Baird (USA), Peter Gilmour (AUS), Magnus Holmberg (SWE), Jochen Schümann (GER) and Ben Ainslie (GBR). Confirmation of more top sailors is expected shortly.

The St. Moritz Match Race Regatta offers the highest prize money in Switzerland, and not only does it form part of the World Match Racing Tour, but it also counts towards the ISAF World Match Racing Championship. This status guarantees very competitive racing with the world’s best in the Engadin valley... this year on the blu26.

blu26 - Dimensions

Length: 8.00 m
Width: 2.20 m
LWL: 7.19 m
Draught: 1.0 – 1.8 m
Weight: 1'200 kg
Mainsail: 21 m2
Genoa: 19 m2
Jib: 14 m2
Spinnaker: 70 m2
Gennaker (opt.): 60 m2

http://www.bluboats.com