Sailing would have a much easier time raising sponsorship if it got its collective calendar sorted out. If companies could plan their budgets knowing when and where races were going to be with a bit of notice, it would all be a lot simpler for everyone. Of course this is the kind of thing that a world governing body like ISAF should control. The sheriff should be able to tell the duelling cowboys which dates they could have so that the sport as a whole could make the most of the calendar.

That’s not going to happen anytime soon, but well done to the Audi Med Cup for getting their dates at least out in the public domain. The series, which seems to have survived the loss of some of the more well known America’s Cup teams will run 5 events throughout 2011. Markets visited include France, Italy, Portugal and Spain.

The 2011 Audi MedCup Circuit season will feature both the TP52 Series fleet and the exciting new S40 one-design class which has been attracting worldwide attention since it was announced as the Circuit’s second class from 2011 onwards.

The 2011 dates will be:

• Trophy 1 – Tuesday 17th – Sunday 22nd May
• Trophy 2 – Tuesday 14th – Sunday 19th June
• Trophy 3 – Tuesday 19th – Sunday 24th July
• Trophy 4 – Tuesday 23nd – Sunday 28th August
• Trophy 5 – Monday 12th – Saturday 17th September

The events will a nice short format with the TP52s starting racing Tuesday and finishing on Sunday. There will be a coastal race at each regatta, usually on the Friday. The S40 programme has to be confirmed but will maximise their racing time and they will not race coastal races.

Venue announcements for the 2011 Audi Med Cup will be made shortly. Ignacio Triay (ESP), Audi MedCup Circuit Director, explains:

“We are finalising negotiations with venues at the moment. The principles remain the same and we expect to be returning to a number of the venues that proved so successful in 2010. We are very conscious of delivering what the owners like and also what the preferences are for our sponsor Audi.”

“On the one hand, returning to successful, known venues makes a lot of sense for everyone involved, it allows continuity for everyone: it allows the cities to build on their successful formula, it streamlines logistics for organisers, teams and hosts. And we have built good data on weather reliability and wind patterns for efficient race management on the water. But on the other hand, we all like to visit new cities for different reasons, not least to introduce new challenges for the competitors, which they enjoy.”

More Audi Med Cup News …

With the announcement of a new deal for the America’s Cup, sailing talent is shuffling to fill gaps as campaigns put together teams. With the announcement that Terry Hutchinson will leave Quantum Racing’s TP52 campaign to learn how to race catamarans with Artemis,  America’s Cup winner Ed Baird, who has also won the Extreme Sailing Series on Extreme 40 catamarans has been confirmed to helm next season.

Ed Reynolds, President of Quantum Sail Design Group and Managing Director for Quantum Racing (USA) says:

‘Ed is an 11-time world champion, has sailed with many of the guys on our team and is very much committed to our program, which is as much about product development as it is winning races. His accomplishments both on and off the water are impressive and his analytical approach to sailing is a real asset. We’re very excited to bring him on board and will value his expertise as we work to put a new boat, rig and sails on the water.’

Reynolds added:

‘We wish Terry all the best as he prepares for the America’s Cup. He’s done an excellent job for us and we’re grateful for his sailing leadership and contributions to our test team program. This is not unexpected, as we’ve been aware of Terry’s aspirations to one day join an AC campaign. We’ve had a great run with Terry at the helm and fully expect his participation in the America’s Cup to be just as successful.’

Baird has a great sailing CV. He was the winning helmsman of America’s Cup 32 aboard Alinghi, the 2007 ISAF Rolex World Sailor of the Year, and was part of the 1995 America’s Cup winning team, Team New Zealand. Baird has raced in the Whitbread Round-the-World Race, is a three-time Match Racing World Champion and the only American ever to reach #1 on the ISAF World Match Racing rankings. Baird also has extensive Grand Prix and Olympic racing experience and numerous World, International and North American one-design championships to his credit.

More Audi Med Cup News….

There was a time when the Audi Med Cup circuit might have been seen as temporary; the kind of event that existed as a whim for owners who one day would get bored of the TP52 and want to race something else. Some saw the announcement of an America’s Cup in catamarans as the death-blow for the series, but since then, several teams have announced new boats for the 2011 season.

Russia’s Synergy Sailing Team are the latest to announce that they will build a new TP52 for the 2011 Audi MedCup Circuit. The campaign is part of a project to improve the top level of Russian grand prix sailing and introduce more young Russian talent to the upper levels of professional sailing.

The new build TP52 will be built from the same mould as the new Botin Carkeek designed Quantum Racing (USA). The boat will be backed by the same group of five enthusiastic owners and co-sponsors with the team also looking for new co-sponsors to come on board.

Synergy Sailing Team’s project manager Maxim Logutenko says:

“We are in a really good working relationship with Quantum Racing and will build a sistership from the same mould, but there will be some differences in the deck layout and we have been developing some interesting electronics systems this year. We have developed a lot of different tools to use, software and hardware”  “We will work together for next year. At the moment we are in the design process with Botin Carkeek for the deck. But the boats will both look very similar, the hull shape will be the same.”

“We find that for our team the America’s Cup and MedCup are two completely different stories and we can work in parallel with this project. The Audi MedCup Circuit will allow us to bring more and more Russian people on board, training them to be ready for the America’s Cup. That is why we have had a young Russian helm here. The interest in Russia has gone up and up, and the Russian sailing community is happy to see us pushing and pushing. The long term process is to have fully Russian teams and you cannot do that in ten days, in one year. This is a long term project.”

Decisions as to the exact composition of the crew for next season have not been taken. This season their boat was steered by Karol Jablonski (POL) with Rod Dawson (NZL) on tactics, Chris Main (NZL) trimming mainsheet and Francesco Mongelli (ITA) navigating.

“The helmsman for sure will be Russian. We are very excited about the project. It is a good opportunity to bring Russian sailing to the world sailing community. We have five co-owners and some co-sponsors and we are looking for more sponsorship for next year. It is the same group which is pushing, pushing all the time.”

More Audi Med Cup News...

Can professional teams race side by side with ‘Owner / Drivers’ in the same race and benefit both audiences? For sports that are more mainstream, owners are quite content to let their stars do the work, but in some sports like sailing and parts of motorsport (sports car racing), there is a well established tradition of owners competing at the highest level.

For a series like the Audi Med Cup, sports car racing is a great model for organising a championship. This is good news, because Audi are rather good at it. Audi has won the 24 hours of Le Mans 8 times out of the last 10 (9 if you count the Audi disguised as a Bentley). The format of Le Mans, and supporting races that use the same rules, puts 4 classes of car on the track at the same time. Million dollar budget teams race side by side with ‘privateers’, making the spectacle more exciting for fans.

In some cases, the line between pro-team and extremely well funded private team is very fine – and this doesn’t seem to matter. Sailing should be able to manage a similar set of conditions.

The entry of  Niklas Zennstrom’s Rán team into the 2011 Audi Med Cup is good news for the monohull series. After announcing that Audi would continue to support the European tour for TP52 boats, the commitment of an owner like Zennstom gives confidence to teams and sponsors considering their plans for a future made slightly uncertain by America’s Cup manoeuvring.

Niklas and Catherine Zennstrom’s (SWE) Rán (GBR) sailing team, winners of the 2009 Rolex Fastnet Race and current MiniMaxi class world champions and class winners in the last Rolex Sydney-Hobart Race, have decided to make the ‘next logical step’ for them, to race next year’s Audi MedCup Circuit with a boat which starts building imminently at Green Marine in Lymington, England.

Their successful project is run by Tim Powell, who skippers Rán, and has many years experience of the MedCup Circuit as longtime co-helmsman/strategist on Cristabella (GBR).

Zennstrom, co-founder of Skype, will steer the boat. He has been a passionate owner-driver since returning to sailing as a boat owner in 2007, and in 2008 campaigned Rán, an IRC optimised TP52 (the former Patches) in a hot IRC TP52 fleet of six boats in UK and Irish waters.

The boat build will be project managed in England by Chris Hosking, whose TP52 track record includes three Artemis TP52’s, including the 2007 MedCup champion, and the 2006 Vrolijk designed TP52 Illbruck.

Niklas Zennstrom (SWE) owner-driver Rán (GBR):

“I think it is a natural progression for us, we have been watching the Circuit and it seems to be very competitive and very well managed, and seems to be the best thing to do if you want to get more high level racing in. It is a big challenge.”

“It is primarily my wish to get into this fleet, we have discussed it and initially we thought about getting into the fleet in 2012, but we decided that 2011 is more attractive with the Cup teams disappearing. Watching from outside this year, the media coverage it enjoys shows how competitive it is. Full on Cup teams make it difficult to do well, so with some disappearing it can be easier for a team like us to be more competitive.”

“The thing that maybe characterises us as a team is that alongside myself and my wife we don’t have so many so called ‘superstars’, we work very well as a team, and together we just hate losing.”

“It is about winning. Winning as a team is a great thing. It is the whole thing about it that I love, from the planning. I am excited about building a new boat now. We have been good with the MiniMaxi 72 footer, building a very competitive, well built boat, setting up the programme. But in IRC there is so much flexibility. In the TP52 there are very small changes, so that is a very different thing.”

“I am very confident with our team. I don’t have any illusions. I am going into this realising that it will be a learning experience. We are up against full pro teams. We will do our best, but it is going to be hard to do very well.”

Nacho Postigo (ESP), technical director Audi MedCup Circuit:

“ We are very pleased with Rán joining the Audi MedCup Circuit. The team is relatively new but they have done so well and sailed at such a high level, it will be a very interesting new team to join the Circuit. The other two exciting and encouraging things for me are that Niklas is planning to steer his own boat, and this is the first time that we have seen an owner attracted to the Audi MedCup Circuit having had experience of owning and campaigning an IRC moded TP52, and we hope this will encourage more to do the same. I think he will find this challenging at the beginning, but he looks like the kind of person who enjoys a challenge.”

The entry of Rán into the Audi Med Cup silences rumours that Zennstrom will back an America’s Cup campaign any time soon.

More Audi Med Cup News…

Audi Renews Title Sponsorship Deal for 3 Years

One of the questions that recent America’s Cup announcements raised was  - what would be the effect of a new annual series in catamarans have on existing professional events like the Audi Med Cup? One of sailing’s most involved and savvy sponsors, Audi have responded to that question with a renewed 3 year title sponsorship deal for the TP52 series. AUDI AG and World Sailing Management have signed a new collaboration agreement which extends AUDI´s title sponsorship of the Audi MedCup, through to the end of 2013.

In fact, BMW ORACLE’s pursuit of a young, extreme, ‘Facebook’ generation of fans, may allow events like the Audi Med Cup an opportunity to attract sailing fans alienated by the new approach announced for the America’s Cup.

In 2007, AUDI AG formed a significant relationship with the MedCup sailing circuit, which a year later developed to become title sponsor allowing the Audi MedCup Circuit to develop over the course of 2008, 2009 and 2010.

While some potential America’s Cup Teams may leave the series to focus on developing multihull capabilities, the Audi Med Cup has a proven track record of delivering world class sailing competition and a specific market niche that sponsors seem to be happy with. Rather than ‘waste’ sponsorship euros in markets that are irrelevant or wait for venues to be announced, partners of the Audi Med Cup can activate in known territories and assign budget from local business units.

Lothar Korn (GER), Head of Marketing Communications of AUDI AG, says:

“Audi AG joined the world’s leading regatta circuit in 2007 as an official partner. The following year they initiated what has been a very successful three year title partnership to become the Audi MedCup Circuit. This partnership links our global brand to one of the most technologically advanced disciplines in sailing. We are proud to extend the relationship for a further three years.”

“The profile of the Circuit has gained in prestige and the thrilling competition has captivated a wider audience. Through our joint efforts as we will strive to ensure the success of the Audi MedCup Circuit together with innovations year on year.”

Companies like Audi realise that sailing is not a mono-culture. Segmentation is important, and the Med Cup obviously fits with the market they are trying to promote to. The renewal of the title sponsorship deal will also provide comfort to other partners and allow them to plan for the next three years.

Fernando Iñigo, Marketing and Communication Director of Grupo Santa Mónica Sports, parent company of World Sailing Management says:

“The fact that AUDI AG has renewed the contract reinforces the Audi MedCup’s success. The last three years of support from AUDI AG has allowed an unprecedented qualitative leap, by implementing a series of products and services that today are the identifying hallmark of the Circuit. We are facing this new stage with the goal to keep making this sport popular and accessible to a global audience and even more attractive to the sponsors.”

Ignasi Triay (ESP), director of the Audi MedCup Circuit:

“After four years of sponsorship, the relationship between AUDI AG and MedCup extends so much further than the details of the contract. For us, it means us offering a brand association that automatically communicates prestige and reliability which are of vital importance when we are talking about attracting teams, venues and media.”

Quantum Racing Commit to Audi Med Cup with new TP52

Perhaps also seeing the opportunity for the Med Cup to become the premier Monohull series, now that the America’s Cup is in catamarans, long term Audi MedCup Circuit competitors Quantum Racing are the first of several teams to announce that they will campaign a new build boat for the 2011 Circuit.

The new Quantum Racing will follow a very similar established winning recipe, being designed by Botin Carkeek and built in Spain by Chimo Lopez Longtitude Zero in Burriana, ready for launching and work up in the Mediterranean early next season.

Project manager Ed Reynolds, President of Quantum Sail Design Group said:

“ We want to support the Audi MedCup. I’ve watched for years when a new one design class or a new boat comes out and it’s always like ‘well if you sell six boats we’ll buy one’. Somebody just has to stand up first and say ‘we believe the direction, we believe the new concept and we like the new boats.

“We’re going to be here for a while and hopefully it will all kind of give enough confidence to some of the other teams to say yes, the Audi MedCup is going to be here for a while Let’s step up and go too.

“The Audi MedCup is the most competitive, highest level of monohull racing ever, it is so intense, so defined, and I personally believe what’s happened with the Americas Cup with multihulls has created an amazing opportunity for the Medcup to truly take a grip of grand prix, the ultimate level of sailing in the world.”

More Audi Med Cup News…

We’re taking a little break, making the most of some late summer sunshine… Here are some stories that we’ve noticed in the last week or so.

GP42 Class to Split from Audi Med Cup

The GP42 Class, which has supported the Audi Med Cup in 2010 will  go their own way in 2011. Marrying these boats with the TP52 seemed like a good idea at the time, potentially giving spectators more racing to watch on any given Sunday and allowing series promoters some economies of scale.

The GP42 class says that the decision to split from the Audi Med Cup is to attract previous GP42 teams back to the class and attract new teams. It is reported that GP42 owners will help event organisers in their planning and give the class “a strong hand in pursuing potential sponsorship opportunities.”

GP42 Class President Javier Goizuetas said:

“We are excited to make this firm commitment to the 2011 season. The Audi MedCup has been fantastic for us, but we look forward to expand class racing to new and exciting racing venues.”

More Audi Med Cup News…

CYCA Announces Club Marines as Naming Right Sponsor of Twilight Series.

Some places are blessed with the geographic and cultural conditions to make sailing a more accessible sport. Not only does Sydney have a great sailing venue, but the locals have a work culture that allows people to step away from their computers and boardroom tables early on a Wednesday to sail.

Club Marine has become the new naming rights sponsor of the longest running, largest midweek twilight series on Sydney Harbour conducted by the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia. The Club Marine sponsorship commences with the 2010/2011 season which starts on Wednesday 6 October 2010, and will continue up to and including the 2013/2014 season.

More than 100 yachts compete each week in the non-spinnaker, non-pointscore series, with great prizes to be won every week. The Club Marine Wednesday Twilight Series comprises of 20 races commencing on 6 October and running until 30 March 2011.

Every Wednesday evening during daylight savings 1000 sailors will take to the water to participate in the Club Marine Wednesday Twilight Series, taking advantage of the fun harbour racing which finishes at sunset, followed by a celebratory drink and a meal at the CYCA deck overlooking the floating marina.

CYCA Commodore Garry Linacre said

‘I welcome the sponsorship support from Club Marine for one of our most popular summer sailing series. Thank you to Chief Executive Officer Greg Fisher and NSW State Manager Andrew O’Reilly for their support and generosity.’

Club Marine CEO Greg Fisher said:

‘The CYCA works long and hard to ensure the Wednesday Twilight Series always has the mix of fun and competitiveness just right and Club Marine is proud to stand behind an event that brings so many sailors together for such a good time.’

More Sailing Sponsorship News….

Sponsor the British Keelboat Academy for 5 miles and win a day sailing on a TP52

There are not many opportunities for UK companies to sponsor UK sailing in UK waters. While TEAMORIGIN are putting together a team of current keelboat rockstars to compete for the America’s Cup, there is no obvious place for the next generation of talent to come from. While offshore sailors now have the Artemis Academy, those wanting to make the step up from dinghies or Olympic classes to larger boats have to make their own path to success.

The British Keelboat Academy has a lot of potential, but hasn’t quite cracked the right business model to give it the recognition it deserves. Those taking part in the program have been getting good results and the RORC Sevenstar Round Britain and Ireland Race is a great opportunity to showcase the talent developed via the academy to a wider audience.

The British Keelboat academy has access to a TP52 “John Merricks II”. The team have worked to convert that boat from an inshore racing yacht to a platform capable of taking on offshore challenges.

From a sponsorship point of view, the ‘Round Britain and Ireland Race’ is quite an opportunistic deal. Just as Jaguar tipped in some cash to get some benefit out of TEAMORGIN’s participation in the 1851 Cup, so too could a sponsor pick up the sponsorship of the British Keelboat Academy at the last minute for much less than it would typically cost to sponsor a boat of the same size in the same race.

The team at the Academy say:

Our budget for running the boat for a season is less than similar boats spend on one mainsail, all of our work had to be done creatively in house. This said, it’s impressive what you can do if you have the right people, time and a little guidance or advice from our supporters within the marine industry. Some big modifications include building and fitting a nav. station from scratch, rig modifications, sail modifications and offshore sheeting options to list but a few.

From our Fastnet experience we had a long list of obstacles that had to be tackled before we could think about leaving the dock for the startline: watermakers, batteries, safety equipment, crew experience. All of which have been overcome bar one, unfortunately we are still just short of our target budget to be able to start the race. With this in mind a couple of the team have designed a website where supporters of our campaign can sponsor miles of our race.

The sponsorship campaign is a nice twist on the crowdsourcing model that has been tried with limited success in the past. Rather than sponsor a percentage of the boat or hull, the team is looking for a more traditional ‘per-mile’ sponsorship campaign to get to the start line.

It’s a big ask in a short period of time. The team needs over 1500 people to contribute to the campaign, but they are asking for just £5 you can sponsor a mile. For corporates, there is an added bonus: Anyone who sponsors 5 miles will be entered into a prize draw to win a day sailing with the team, which will provide the once-in-a-lifetime chance to sail a high performance 52’ racing yacht. £5 for a day’s sailing on a TP52 – that sounds like a good deal to us!!

Sponsor the British Keel Boat Academy at www.johnmerricks-rbi.co.uk

Despite the brief rule of Multihulls in the last America’s Cup, those with pretentions to the next edition have returned to monohull racing. The Audi Med Cup has announced that another ‘America’s Cup’ team will join TEAMORIGIN and Emirates Team NZ competing in the 2010 cup. Series title sponsor Audi will sponsor the Franco-German ALL4ONE team in the TP52 events.

ALL4ONE? squad was established originally by Stéphane Kandler and Jochen Schümann in September of 2009. Other German sponsors include Adidas. The Audi A1 Team powered by ALL4ONE boat will not only contest the five regattas of the Audi MedCup between May and September but also the TP52 World Championships in Sicily in October.

Lothar Korn, AUDI AG Head of Marketing Communications said:

“We’ve been partnering with the Audi MedCup for several years now and are equally thrilled with the top-caliber sporting competition and the possibilities for presentations on water and along the coast? The additional support of the Franco-German boat now provides us with close links to the team and enables us to offer our guests and customers an unforgettable sporting experience?.

The TP52 represents the Kieler Yacht Club (GER) and the Cercle de la Voile de Paris (FRA) and is currently located at its home yacht harbor in Valencia. From there, the yacht will be taken directly to the Audi MedCup season opener to be staged in Cascais (Portugal) from May 11 to 16.

Audi MedCup Circuit Director, Ignacio Triay said:

“This is great news for the Circuit, not just because we see an increase in terms of entries, but also because of the rise in quality of team competitiveness. Audi A1 Team powered by ALL4ONE means the first French team in the history of the Audi MedCup, and the combination of Jochen Schümann and Stéphane Kandler promises to prove tough competition for the other 10 teams.”

The automotive industry continues to keep competitive sailing afloat. Earlier this week, Volvo announced it’s continued support of Team GBR and brands like BMW and Accura support sailing around the world. The other carmaker that continues to invest in sailing around the world is Audi. The German company is once again the title sponsor of the Med Cup for TP52 and in Australia, Audi is a prolific sponsor of the sport.

Audi has announced that it will support one of Australia’s premier keelboat regattas for another three years, bringing its title sponsorship of Audi Hamilton Island Race Week to six years and its involvement in the event to seven.

The 27th regatta is scheduled to take place from 20-28 August, 2010 and will feature the inclusion of a new division for superyachts, including Lang Walker’s magnificent new 58-metre sloop, Kokomo. In contrast to an event that hosted 93 yachts in 1984 on an Island under early construction, 200 boats now race from the start-line of the newly opened Hamilton Island Yacht Club. Australia’s premier yachts and well-known faces flock to the Whitsundays Island for the week-long spectacle that many now consider a central fixture on Australia’s social and sporting calendar.

Javier Degen, Hamilton Island Marketing Director stated,

“Race Week has grown immensely over the last few years and we are delighted with the continuation of our partnership with Audi. Last year’s social program further raised the bar of what people have come to expect of the event and plans are in full swing to ensure that we do not disappoint this year. The stunning new Hamilton Island Yacht Club will form a central venue for the week’s events and the new Hamilton Island Golf Club will provide an extra element to the week for those who are looking for an alternative to the sailing.”

Anna Burgdorf, General Manager of Corporate Communications at Audi Australia, stated,

“Our sponsorship of Audi Hamilton Island Race Week is one of the key events in our national sailing sponsorship program. It is the jewel in the crown of our annual program for customers and guests who attend the event, and importantly it is also the final race in our prestigious four-part Audi IRC Australian Championship series. The competition and carnival atmosphere of the regatta makes this a special event on which to conclude the championship. We take our sponsorship of the event very seriously – awarding a brand new Audi vehicle to the winning team of the week’s racing.”

Now that some of the uncertainty around the America’s Cup has been replaced by a different type of uncertainty, the professionals have to amuse themselves somehow for the 2010 season. Two contenders for AC34, TEAMORIGIN and Emirates Team NZ will be going head to head in the Audi Med Cup along with several other teams with America’s Cup talent.

The Audi Med Cup series has managed to establish itself as one of the most recognisable and prestigious annual series in professional yacht racing. The series attracts the world’s best sailors and has stayed true to it’s concept, not over-reaching with events in new markets. The TP52 has shown to be a boat that can be adapted to suit the competitive nature of owners and in the absence of an AC34 rule, provides teams with a training platform to keep teams at the top of their game.

Audi MedCup organisers have announced that two of Europe’s most desirable cities, Barcelona and Cascais/Lisbon, have now been confirmed as venues for the 2010 calendar.

Nacho Postigo, Technical Manager of the Circuit said:

“ It’s realising a dream for us in many ways. We have been wanting to go to Barcelona for a long time. In sailing it is one of the most renowned Spanish venues for every sailor, and also to Cascais, where strong wind should be assured”

Cascais, in May

The Audi MedCup Circuit 2010 schedule opens with an entirely new venue. The year’s first event will take place between the 11 and the 16 of May in Cascais, Portugal.

Few cities in Europe can offer the weather conditions which the Portuguese city enjoys in spring and summer.. The reputation for strong, consistent winds was apparent when the city hosted the 2007 ISAF World Sailing Championships, and the venue is open to the Atlantic which should ensure big swells.

It could be the Estoril Circuit of sailing, potentially one of the most exciting regattas of the season, a great curtain raiser, which would have a good chance to provide images reminiscent of the ones which emerged from the big days off Cartagena, where the boats surfed spectacularly on, and through, lumpy swells several metres high.

Barcelona, in July

Barcelona will host the third event of the 2010 Audi MedCup Circuit between the 20th and the 25th of July. At this time the Catalan capital city enjoys great thermal winds of the southwest, known as Garbí.

As well as the pleasant summer weather conditions, Barcelona is the perfect showcase for the Circuit, richly endowed with the experience and infrastructure of a city which holds many sailing competitions in Spain including the 1992 Olympic Sailing Regatta. The 2010 Audi MedCup Circuit event benefits from the full participation of the city hall in the organization of the events which will ensure a lively public village while the races take place on the water. And of course as a backdrop, the major European city needs no introduction as a cultural, architectural, culinary and nightlife capital that few can rival.

Audi MedCup Circuit’s Schedule 2010:

• Event 1: Cascais (Portugal), 11th to 16th of May
• Event 2: Marseille (France), 15th to 20th of June
• Event 3: Barcelona (Spain), 20th to 25th of July
• Event 4: Cartagena (Spain), 24th to 29th of August
• Event 5: Cagliari (Italy), 20th to 25th of September