Four former King Edward VII Champions will return to lead the fleet including reigning champ Taylor Canfield and reining Tour winner and 2006 Gold Cup champ Ian Williams.
Hamilton BERMUDA, May 17, 2013 - As the Alpari World Match Race Tour kicks off this week with Match Race Germany, the Royal Bermuda Yacht Club- organizers of the Argo Group Gold Cup- can certainly say that the regular schedule of tour events will conclude with a top slate of skippers. All eight of the Tour Card Holders have accepted their invitations to the 2013 Argo Group Gold Cup, the penultimate stage of the ISAF Championship Match Racing Tour.
The start of the Bermuda event is scheduled for October 8th and the finals for October 13th. Sailing for the King Edward VII Gold Cup and the $100,000 prize purse is near the RBYC and the Fairmont Hamilton Princess Hotel in Hamilton Harbour. The scene is a spectator friendly, natural sailing auditorium... perfect for a Bermuda 'sail watching' vacation.
Seven of the Tour Card Holders now rank in the ISAF Open top nine. The eighth and one of the best, Adam Minoprio, has been away from Match Racing for other offshore sailing commitments. 2013 should be one of the best matches in Gold Cup History.
The Tour Card Holders who received automatic invitations are 2012 World Tour winner and 2006 Gold Cup Champion Ian Williams (GBR) Team GAC Pindar #1, Bjorn Hansen (SWE) Hansen Sailing Team #2, Pierre-Antoine Morvan (FRA) Vannes Agglo Sailing Team #3, Phil Robertson (NZL) WAKA Racing Team #4, Taylor Canfield (USVI) USone- winner of the 2012 Gold Cup-#5, Keith Swinton (AUS) Black Swan Racing #6, Johnie Berntsson (SWE) Stena Sailing Team- 2008 Gold Cup winner- #9, and Adam Minoprio (NZL) Team Alpari FX #124.
In addition to these elite tour Card Holders, five other skippers have accepted. They include William Tiller (NZL) Full Metal Jacket #7, Simone Ferrarese (ITA) Ferrarese Racing Team #11, Eric Monnin (SUI) Swiss Match Racing Team #13, Jordan Reece (AUS) #16 and 2007 Gold Cup winner Mathieu Richard (FRA) French Match Racing Team #18.
Three more skippers have now been invited to fill out the 16 invitational slots. Then four more entries, unless they have already accepted invitations, 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.
The 2013 Gold Cup 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 that progress through elimination rounds to the Sunday finals. 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.
The Royal Bermuda YC, Organizing Authority of the Argo Group Gold Cup, has now posted the Notice of Race for the 2013 edition of this classic event.
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. 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: [email protected]
SKYPE: talbotwilson
Argo Group Contact:
Lisa Scannell VP - Mkting & Communications
Email: [email protected]
Tel: +1 (617) 478 5206
Mobile: +1 (857) 205 9668
Royal Bermuda Yacht Club Contact:
Nicole Butterworth, Sailing Secretary
Email: [email protected]
Tel: (441) 295 2214 Ex 105
Fax:(441) 295 6361
Alpari World Match Racing Tour Contact: James Pleasance
Mobile: +44 7711 130886
Email: [email protected]
Alpari World Match Racing Tour Press Information:
Vicky Pounds, Media & Communications Manager
Alpari World Match Racing Tour
Mobile: +44 7921 020845
Email: [email protected]
About Argo Group:
Working Together to Serve Specialty Markets
Argo Group International Holdings, Ltd. (NasdaqGS: AGII), is an international provider of specialty proper 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.
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 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 Alpari 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 distributed by IMG. For more information, visit 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: Oct 7 - 13 - Argo Group Gold Cup, Hamilton, Bermuda
Stage 6: 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) Team Alpari FX
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
The association of Alpari companies ("Alpari") serves global clients from offices in over 20 countries. Locations include London, New York, Tokyo, Shanghai (Representative Office), Dubai, Moscow, Mumbai and Frankfurt.
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