ONBOARD Magazine winter 2019

RACE DESIGNED
The RC44 Championship Tour, which has its roots in the
Mediterranean, is now one of the key pro-am tours on the
international yacht racing circuit Words: Sue Pelling
Watch out for the RC44 Championship
Tour next season because with a
total of five European race locations
lined up, this high-profile pro/am series is likely
to be contested just round the corner from
a marina near you.
Racing at this event is renowned for its razorsharp
competition with some of the world’s
top racing hot shots including America’s Cup
and Olympic sailors, battling it out on the
racecourse. There is even provision for ‘ninth
man’ onboard for invited media, sponsors or
VIPs to experience the thrill first hand what
it’s like to be part of high profile race crew.
The idea behind the RC44 Championship Tour,
which was launched in 2007, was to create a
series of race events for professional/amateur
race teams with a strict owner/driver rule
using RC44 design yachts. Twelve years
on, the original overall simple idea to bring
together the worlds of sailing and business,
allowing amateur owner drivers to race, high
performance one-design yachts, with some
of the world’s elite sailors, appears to have
lived up to its expectations.
Chris Bake, owner of Team Aqua and fivetime
winner of the RC44 Championship Tour,
commenting on the class/Tour success said:
ONBOARD | WINTER 2019 | 59