12.08.12
Dun Laoghaire will play host to sailing’s most exciting new global sailing championship series when the MOD70 European Tour visits from Wednesday 5th September to Sunday 9th September. Ireland has hosted most of the world’s top sailing events during 2012 and the hosting of this new series undoubtedly proves Ireland as one of the best sailing locations in the world.
The MOD70s - Race For Water, FONCIA, Groupe Edmond de Rothschild, Spindrift racing and Musandam Oman Sail - will be hosted by the National Yacht Club and Dun Laoghaire Harbour Company and a 5 day family festival will be held on the East Pier to celebrate the arrival of the most innovative racing trimarans in the world. The festival will include food courts, farmers market, fairtrade & ethnic stalls, craft stalls, street entertainers and vintage amusements. On Friday 07 September and Saturday 08 September the MOD70s will be competing in Dublin Bay in the Dublin City Race and Speed Match Races and there will be live commentary from the East Pier. The trimarans will leave Dun Laoghaire at 3pm for the start of the second leg of the European Tour from Dun Laoghaire to Cascais.
Commenting on today’s announcement Gerry Dunne CEO, Dun Laoghaire Harbour Company stated. ‘We are delighted to welcome the world’s most innovative trimarans to Dun Laoghaire Harbour which has witnessed 200 years of maritime history. 1.4 million people walk the East Pier on an annual basis and we hope that the hosting of this global event will attract many more people to our beautiful harbour in September’
The high speed MOD70 class of trimarans are a new innovation for sailing. They have already proven to be the fastest offshore sailing one design class in the world. Each MOD70 is completely identical, built from the same moulds, so that success – inshore and offshore – reflects the skills of the sailing crew and not any technological advantage.
‘The National Yacht Club has played host to many world championships and in July this year we co-hosted the ISAF Youth World Championships. We are delighted that the MOD70s has chosen Dun Laoghaire to host a stopover on the European Tour and we look forward to thousands of people visiting Dun Laoghaire to enjoy the spectacle’ stated Paul Barrington, Commodore of the National Yacht Club
The MOD70 European Tour starts in Kiel, Germany, then Dublin, to Cascais by Lisbon, Portugal to Marseille, France to a finish in Genoa, Italy. Over the five weeks total duration of the MOD70 European Tour the teams will sail nearly 5000 miles over five offshore stages.
The MOD70 European Tour is the second event of the Multi One Championship, following on from July’s inaugural KRYS OCEAN RACE which saw the MOD70’s race the Atlantic from New York to Brest, France at remarkable speeds. The first three boats finished within less than two hours after traversing the Atlantic in less than five days with the winning boat making more than 711 miles in one 24 hours period.
Already the MOD70 fleet has attracted a cross section of some of the best ocean racing sailors in the world. Michel Desjoyeaux (FRA) has twice won the Vendée Globe solo round the world race and skippers FONCIA. There are more than eight sailors across the different boats who hold round the world records including Britain’s Brian Thompson who sails in Musandam-Oman Sail.
Thompson has more than 20 offshore sailing speed records to his name and was the only Briton on board Banque Populaire V when the giant multihull set a new record for sailing non stop around the world in January.
Marco Simeoni, President of MOD SA commented: ‘The second stage of the MOD70 European Tour is hosted by the National Yacht Club and Dun Laoghaire Harbour Company, who will host a lively public festival to welcome the fleet of MOD70s. Local knowledge & local expertise in hosting worldclass sailing events is widely appreciated. We thank all the institutions involved in this stop over and we look forward to spending five wonderful days in the heart of the local culture. Sports and entertainment is guaranteed in the Dublin Bay from the 5th to 9th of September!’
EDITORS NOTES :
About Dun Laoghaire Harbour Company
The Dun Laoghaire Harbour Company is delighted to welcome this event to this historic 200 year old man-made harbour, which is recognised internationally as one of the most beautiful Harbours in the world. The company has just completed a master plan, which includes exciting plans for the further development of the harbour as a significant location for cruise liner tourism, major sailing events and cultural tourism. The CEO is Mr. Gerry Dunne. See http://www.dlharbour.ie
About National Yacht Club
The National Yacht Club (NYC) has been in operation for well over a century, with the present clubhouse erected in 1870. The Club is very active in yacht racing at both International and National levels and is proud to be the home Club of Annalise Murphy who represented Ireland at the London 2012 Olympics. The Club hosts many World Championship events such as its co-hosting of the ISAF Youth Worlds in 2012 with the neighbouring Royal St. George Yacht Club and the Royal Irish Yacht Club. Through its relationship with the Irish Sea Offshore racing Association (ISORA), it is the primary yacht club in Ireland promoting offshore yacht racing. Its present Commodore is Paul Barrington. See http://www.nyc.ie
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Fiona Bolger
Media Relations _ Ireland
fiona@fionabolger.com
00353 86 8211030
