44Cup: New venue for 2020 season

The 2020 season is set for the 44Cup and for the first time the ultra-competitive one design owner-driver RC44 fleet will join one of the oldest and most respected regattas in the world, Cowes Week.

As they did in 2019, the 44Cup will start its 2020 season on the Adriatic Sea with the 44Cup Portorož, Slovenia, April 22-26. Portorož holds a special place in RC44 history having been the location of the first sea trials for the Russell Coutts conceived one design in 2006 and was where the class’ first regatta was held in 2007.

For the 2020 edition, the event will be hosted for the first time in Portorož town centre with the RC44s moored on the main town pier and the race course set against the backdrop of the walled historic town of Piran.

Defending their 2019 44Cup tour champions title, local heroes Igor Lah’s Team CEEREF will be looking to add their first event win to the scoreboard on home waters: “Sailing under Slovenian flag is a great challenge and responsibility”, explained Lah.

“To be located in the city center will be fantastic for the spectators and teams as we will have the atmosphere and connection to city life alongside the racing. The competition will be tough as all the teams are well prepared and sailing is as close as possible. This gives a lot of challenge and opportunity to everyone.”

From Slovenia, the fleet will move to Scandinavia for the 44Cup Marstrand, June 24-28. A favorite for the RC44 fleet racing over the midsummer period the Swedish island comes alive ashore with sailing fans lining the dock and thrilling big wave racing for the teams.

For the third event of the 2020 season, the 44Cup will make its debut at Cowes Week – one of the world’s oldest and most famous regattas but one that has moved with the times, delivering a balance of world class regatta racing and a vibrant social scene. Hosted as a mini-series within the event, August 11-15, racing on the Solent will take place with a start or finish each day off the prestigious Royal Yacht Squadron line complete with sound signals from the club’s cannons.

The 44Cup fleet will form part of an impressive line-up of professional racing occurring on The Solent this summer. The Emirates America’s Cup World Series Portsmouth will take place on The Solent, June 4-7, and the SailGP foiling catamaran circuit will coincide with the 44Cup as a feature event at Cowes Week, taking place in the late afternoon on August 14-15.

As a World Sailing recognized special event, the 2020 44Cup World Championship will take place in Sotogrande, Spain with the race course set against the backdrop of Gibraltar, September 23-27. The fleet then moves further south for the season finale, November 11-15, in Lanzarote.

44Cup information – Event details – Results – Facebook

Launched in 2007, the RC44 Class enters its 12th season on the 44Cup, a five-stop international racing tour throughout Europe.

44Cup Events Schedule 2020
44Cup Portorož, Slovenia – April 22-26
44Cup Marstrand, Sweden – June 24-28
44Cup Cowes, UK – August 11-15
44Cup World Championship Sotogrande, Spain – September 23-27
44Cup Calero Marinas – Lanzarote, Spain – November 11-15

About the RC44 boat
Five-time America’s Cup winner Russell Coutts conceived the design of the light-displacement, high-performance one-design RC44 with naval architect Andrej Justin in 2005.

Created for top level one design racing in international regattas under strictly controlled Class Rules, the concept and design features of the RC44 are aimed at the amateur helmsmen with professional crews. For its thirteenth season in 2019, the RC44 Championship Tour was rebranded the 44Cup.

Source: 44Cup