Bermuda Gold cup

april14 bermuda sTaylor Canfield (USVI) Hoists the Gold Cup in celebration of his victory against Johnie Berntsson (SWE) 3-0 in the Argo Group Gold Cup 2012. Photo by Charles Anderson / AGGC2012Hamilton BERMUDA, April 11, 2013 - The Royal Bermuda Yacht Club and Argo Group have issued invitations for the 2013 Argo Group Gold Cup. Match racing for the King Edward XVII Gold Cup Trophy is scheduled to start October 8th on Hamilton Harbour in Bermuda. The finals are scheduled for Sunday October 13th.

Taylor Canfield, (USVI) USone Sailing Team, confirmed that he will be back to defend his 2012 title in the Gold Cup. Speaking about his fourth Gold Cup competition, he said, "I am most definitely looking forward to coming back to Bermuda to defend our Argo Group Gold Cup title. USone Sailing Team is ecstatic to be a 2013 Alpari World Match Race Tour Card Holder."

"Making the Tour has been a dream of mine for several years now. While we are the 'rookie' team this year we are looking forward to giving it our all. Hopefully, we'll be carrying over some of the momentum from the end of the 2012 season including our win in the Gold Cup. There is an incredible line-up on the Tour this year and it is an honor to sail against the best."

"The Argo Group Gold Cup is a great event on the AWMRT," Canfield continued. "It allows younger up and coming teams to get a taste of the tour and a chance to compete against the best in the world. Having sailed in three Argo Gold Cup's as a non tour card holder, we are really looking forward to return as a part of the AWMRT."

"While the boats - classic, full-keeled IODs - are quite unique compared to boats in any other venue," Canfield noted, "the variety of sailing conditions and beautiful, but variable weather make this event one of the best in the world. Bermuda has been an incredible place to sail. I started in the RenRe Junior Gold Cup and now I'm going back to Bermuda as the defending champion… It's a dream."

Automatic invitations went to the eight Alpari World Match Racing Tour Card Holders and eight more invitations went to top sailors in the ISAF Match Race 'Open' Rankings, to some past participants in the Gold Cup and to skippers with top match racing records over years on the match racing scene.

Four more entries, unless they have already accepted, automatically come from winners of qualifying events - the Knickerbocker Cup and the Detroit Cup in the USA, the Polish Match event and the Bermuda National Match Race Championship.

Adam Minoprio (NZL) BlackMatch, another Tour Card Holder, has also accepted along with the great French match racer Mathieu Richard. Richard was a Gold Cup champion in 2007.

The 2013 event will be sailed with the same 20-team format used for the first time in 2012. This Argo Group Gold Cup format is unique on the Alpari World Match Racing Tour. It now allows for two 10-team groups. Skippers in each group are ranked and divided by Alpari World Match Racing Tour officials and the organizers at the Royal Bermuda Yacht Club.

Rankings in the groups are based on international AWMRT and ISAF rankings and other performance factors. Each group will sail a round robin with their top four teams moving directly to the quarterfinals.

Alpari World Match Racing Tour Card Holders for 2013 include Johnie Berntsson (SWE) Stena Sailing Team, Bjorn Hansen (SWE) Hansen Sailing Team, Adam Minoprio (NZL) BlackMatch, Pierre-Antoine Morvan (FRA) Vannes Agglo Sailing Team, Phil Robertson (NZL) WAKA Racing Team, Keith Swinton (AUS) Black Swan Racing, Taylor Canfield (USVI) USone and 2012 Tour winner Ian Williams (GBR) Team GAC Pindar.

The deadline for acceptance by the initial group is April 26. After this date, the Tour Card Holder's entry in the event will not be guaranteed. The selection committee will consider additional ranked skippers and other applicants to be invited to fill any available slots.

Visit Bermuda for the Argo Group Gold Cup

October is a perfect month to vacation in Bermuda and the Argo Group Gold Cup is a showcase event culminating in the finals weekend October 12th-13th. Special rates for Gold Cup week are available at the Hamilton Princess Hotel.

http://www.fairmont.com/hamilton-bermuda/

This year will mark the 63nd staging of the King Edward VII Gold Cup, with previous winners including some of the greatest names ever to match race. Since the event was reformatted to be an event under the Match Racing Association in 1985, multiple winners include Chris Dickson (NZL), Russell Coutts (NZL), Peter Gilmour (AUS), and Ben Ainslie (GBR).

The 2013 Argo Group Gold Cup runs from October 8th with Finals scheduled for October 13th. Spectator friendly racing is held in Hamilton Harbour, adjacent to the Royal Bermuda Yacht Club Marina, a spectacular attraction for tourists and Bermuda residents alike.

The Argo Group Gold Cup is the penultimate sixth stage of the Alpari World Match Racing Tour, in which the teams compete for the ISAF Match Racing World Championship. Match racing for The King Edward VII Gold Cup is recognized as one of the classic heritage events on the Alpari World Match Racing Tour.

Argo Group Gold Cup Media Contact:
Talbot Wilson, Talbot Wilson & Associates, Inc.
Tel: +1 (850)432-8170 Fax: +1 (850)432-8050
Mob: +1 (850)217-7138
Email:
SKYPE: talbotwilson

Argo Group Contact:
Lisa Scannell VP - Marketing & Communications
Email: l
Tel: +1 (617) 478 5206
Mobile: +1 (857) 205 9668

Royal Bermuda Yacht Club Contact:
Nicole Butterworth, Sailing Secretary
Email:
Tel: (441) 295 2214 Ex 105
Fax:(441) 295 6361

Alpari World Match Racing Tour Contact:
Audrey Lakai
Mobile: + 6 012 502 2206
Email:

Alpari World Match Racing Tour Press Information:
Craig Mitchell: Tour Director at ALPARI World Match Racing Tour
Mobile: +44 (0) 7710 907986
Skype: craigymitchell
Email:

About Argo Group:
Working Together to Serve Specialty Markets

Argo Group International Holdings, Ltd. (NasdaqGS: AGII), is an international provider of specialty property and casualty insurance, reinsurance and managed risk solutions. The companies that make up Argo Group share a firm commitment to working together with our independent agents and wholesale and retail brokerage partners to deliver innovative products for niche markets.

Argo Group clients and shareholders alike benefit from our deep understanding of the markets we serve, our ability to manage through all insurance cycles, our well developed and prudent risk management practices and controls, and our track record of growth and profitability.

Through our operating companies, we offer a comprehensive line of high-quality products and services designed to meet the unique coverage and claims-handling needs of our clients in four business segments: Excess and Surplus Lines, Commercial Specialty, International Specialty and Syndicate 1200 at Lloyd's.

At Argo Group, we've built a company with a fundamental purpose of securing the future and a straightforward vision to achieve outstanding results realized together. Organization-wide, our strategy -easy to define and rewarding to deploy -is to grow hand-in-hand with our clients.

http://www.argolimited.com

About Bermuda

Although Bermuda is an Atlantic island paradise in its own right, many people mistakenly believe Bermuda is part of the Caribbean. In fact, the island rests hundreds of miles north of the Bahamas, a mere 650 miles east of North Carolina. Flights from New York and other eastern US cities are less than two hours. From London, direct flights are about seven hours.

All of Bermuda fits in a cozy 20.7 square miles surrounded by 75 miles of dramatic coastline. Bermuda is famous for hospitality and sparkling pink-sand beaches. Activities include racquet sports, dramatic golfing, spectacular spas, and cultural festivals in all seasons. Of course Bermuda is famous for sailing as a destination for ocean races from Marion, Newport, and Charleston, for Cruising rallies for other East Coast ports and as host to many national and international competitive events.

From chic international cuisine in posh dining rooms to conch stew and local Rockfish at a roadside café, we have a taste to please every palate and budget. While Bermudians do value island tranquility, we like to have a bit of fun, too. From swanky clubs to friendly neighborhood pubs, these after-hours establishments satisfy every thirst. Cocktail in hand and warm sea breeze at your back, set sail on one of our evening cruises along our famous coastline.

For details on all the excitement and events Bermuda has to offer, call your travel agent or visit us at http://www.bermudatourism.com

About the Alpari World Match Racing Tour

The Alpari World Match Racing Tour (AWMRT) is the leading professional sailing series featuring seven World Championship events across the globe, sanctioned by the International Sailing Federation (ISAF) with "Special Event" status.

The Alapri World Match Racing Tour awards over US$1.72million in prize money with points awarded at each event culminating in the crowning of the "ISAF Match Racing World Champion". The prize fund includes a US$500,000 overall Tour Bonus for the top teams in the Championship.

Events take place in identically supplied racing yachts to place the focus on teamwork and skill. Racing takes place close to the shore so that spectators and fans can follow the racing in a virtual on-the-water stadium.

Media and television highlights coverage reaches in excess of 183 countries around the world.

For more information, visit http://www.wmrt.com

2013 Alpari World Match Racing Tour Calendar:
Stage 1: May 15 - 20 - Match Race Germany, Langenargen, Germany
Stage 2: May 28 - June 2 - Korea Match Cup, Gyeonggi, South Korea
Stage 3: July 1 - 6 - Stena Match Cup Sweden, Marstrand, Sweden
Stage 4: August 6 - 11 - Chicago Match Cup, Chicago, USA
Stage 5: Sep 17 - 22 - Dutch Match Cup, Lelystad, Netherlands
Stage 6: Oct 7 - 13 - Argo Group Gold Cup, Hamilton, Bermuda
Stage 7: Dec 2 - 7 - Monsoon Cup, K.Terengganu, Malaysia

2013 Tour Card Holders:
Johnie Berntsson (SWE) Stena Sailing Team
Taylor Canfield (ISV) USone
Bjorn Hansen (SWE) Hansen Sailing Team
Adam Minoprio (NZL) BlackMatch
Pierre-Antoine Morvan (FRA) Vannes Agglo Sailing Team
Phil Robertson (NZL) WAKA Racing
Keith Swinton (AUS) Black Swan Racing
Ian Williams (GBR) GAC Pindar

About Alpari

With a history dating back to 1998, the Alpari companies are among the world's fastest growing providers of online Forex trading services. The companies provide cutting edge technology, low-cost trading, comprehensive market research tools, advanced educational programes and world-class customer service.

The association of Alpari companies has offices in over 20 countries. Locations include London, New York, Tokyo, Shanghai, Dubai, Moscow, Mumbai and Frankfurt. Combined, the companies look after over 170,000 active trading accounts, generating monthly trading volumes in excess of USD210 billion and employ over 630 people worldwide.*

*May 2011.