2010 MedCup

2010  MedCup Circuit

Event 1  11th – 16th May         Cascais, Portugal  

Event 2  15th – 20th June       Marseille, France     

Event 3   20th – 25th July       Barcelona, Spain       

Event 4   24th - 29th August   Cartagena, Spain 

Event 5  20th – 25th September   Cagliari, Italy

The MedCup Circuit

The 2010 MedCup Circuit sees the continuation of sailing’s most successful Fleet Racing Circuit. For the second year the highly competitive, exhilarating TP52 class (TP52 Series) will be joined by the slightly smaller GP42 class (GP42 Series) . Both sail in real time: whoever crosses the finish line first wins.

Each of the five regattas stand alone as a separate regatta event, with a regional or national focus, but winning the Audi MedCup Circuit is about being consistently excellent: the winning team will have scored the best over all five regattas.

Typically in a full season of five regattas, wind conditions permitting, there can be up to 50 races – a maximum of 10 at each regatta. For the TP52 Series, their programme includes one coastal race of between 25 and 45 miles per event. The TP52 and the GP42 are designed to a “Box Rule”. In other words, the dimensions which govern speed and power are constrained to a collection of tight measurements, otherwise designers are given a free rein to extract the most speed they can on each point of sail. How they, and the teams who commission them, balance their objectives is the important equation; it is rarely possible, for example, to aim for better upwind speed without trading away some downwind speed.

As the seasons pass, so the designs have evolved to become increasingly similar in speed as well as in appearance. But, just as with F1 race cars, so there are subtle differences in deck layout, in rig and sail plan, and the quest to find advantages – no matter how small – has become a primary focus of many MedCup teams.

The MedCup Circuit represents the top of the sport today and attracts the very best designers, sailors and technicians, and this has inspired many owners to participate and to continue to participate along the four-year history of the MedCup tour.

The emphasis has always been on the MedCup’s venues where the owners and their teams prefer to sail. Each venue provides excellent conditions for sailing, but also onshore, with good hotels, restaurants and bars, easy travel networks and often a strong cultural and historical identity as well.

2010 Venues

City of Cascais Trophy - Cascais, Portugal (May 11th to 16th 2010)






City of Marseille Trophy - Marseille, France (June 15th to 20th)
Racing will be held again on the Rade Sud, just a short distance from Marseille’s imposing Vieux Port. Sailing under the gaze of Notre Dame de la Garde, the imposing, iconic church on the top of the hill that Marseille is built on, the race crews will again prepare for all conditions, ranging from light airs to the blustery Mistral winds that this area is famous for. The Audi MedCup Regatta village will be at the heart of the Vieux Port, a mix of the bustle of the central business district of the city of Marseille with but with a surrounding horseshoe of cafés, restaurants, shops, bars and nightclubs surrounding the moorings. Marseille is also a sportsmad city. It hosted some of the games of the 2000 Football and 2007 Rugby World Cups, the first Act of the 32nd America’s Cup, stages of the world-renowned Tour de France cycling race and of course Marseille is the home of the most popular
French football Team, Olympique de Marseille.



Conde de Godó Trophy - Barcelona, Spain (July 20th to 25th)



Region of Murcia Trophy - Cartagena, Spain (August 24th to 29th)
Home of the Spanish Navy and one of the oldest cities in the world, Cartagena has a proud and varied history which leaves it with a very cosmopolitan heritage. The MedCup Circuit visited for the first time in 2008 and the response was so positive from the local area, and the conditions excellent, so the 2009 season will climax in this up and coming region of Spain which has been enjoying considerable investment as a tourist destination over recent years. Cartagena has been increasing in popularity among international visitors as a specialist sporting destination as well as for family holidays.



City of Cagliari Trophy - Cagliari, Sardinia, Italy (September 20th to 25th)
Cagliari proved a popular venue when the MedCup visited Sardinia for the first time in 2008, with reliable winds and a good, city centre location. It has been something of a well-kept secret by Italian sailors but this jewel of a sailing venue is now becoming well known too by overseas foreign yachtsmen. The Old Port, extremely important strategically since the beginning of time, is today surrounded by restaurants, cafés and bars. An important tourism destination, the region of Cagliari offers many complementary activities, from local history and culture to excellent nearby beaches.