It binds World-wide of Candle

Paul Cayard, Russell Coutts and João Lagos announce World-wide League of Candle.

A new global competition is confirmed and the first event will be in 2009

Two legend of the sport of the candle, Russell Coutts and Paul Cayard, have been united to the Portuguese sport promoter, João Lagos, internationally recognized, to create a new annual event of world-wide sport competition. The new World-wide League of Candle - World Sailing (WSL) League- will be disputed in the most important fields of regata of the world and the winner of the league will receive a heel for 2 million dollars (U.S. $ 2.000.0000). 

Twelve equipment representing twelve nations will compete in identical catamarans, of 70 feet, and more the outpost technology. The competition will have like scene to waters of the Mediterranean, of the North of Europe, the Middle East, Asia, North America and South America. As much Cayard as Coutts is had it jeopardize as skippers of individual equipment in the league. 

João Lagos - whose company, Lagos Sports, organize international events of golf, cycling, tennis and motor races commented: “I recognized the potential of World-wide Liga of Candle and am excited Immediately about the possibility of improving the image of the candle, here in Portugal, thanks to international a sport event. Also the possibility of a Portuguese field of regatas and equipment exists, but not yet it is possible to be confirmed.” “Of the results of ours properly detailed diligence and of the conversations with possible sponsoring fields, skippers and, I can confirm that the level of support for this new and innovating concept has been remarkable and we are enchanted to be implied.”

Russell Coutts explained because João Lagos is the ideal partner for WSL: “We have been planning this during long time and were looking for an organization who wanted to share our vision of World-wide Liga of Candle. In João Lagos we have the figure of the entrepreneur with the vision to see the potential of these events, together with the masters and credibility to make reality the concept. And thanks to our association with Lagos Sports, a promotional leader in the organization of events, we can today make public east event.” 

Cayard added: “We are Russell, João Lagos and I myself reuniting our experiences of the Glass of America, the Olympic Games and a multitude of sport competitions. We have adopted the best ideas of sport events worldwide - and addition innovating concepts to generate exciting a new league that will exert important an attractiveness for regatistas, sponsors and spectators. For an event like this also the Federation has been determining that the International of Vela (ISAF) approves the concept and its complete support has confirmed us.” 

World-wide Liga of Candle will use a format of regata in fleet although year other innovating concepts like time tests and regatas in slalom to be able to prove the boat prototype. Also it will have a support boat to transport the boats and their equipment to the next field of regatas. The boat will be similar to one pit lane, with all the technology necessary to maintain the catamarans of 70 feet.

The design of the boats will be finalized at the beginning of the summer of this year and the launching of the first prototype calculates for the last semester of the 2007, to allow to sufficient verifications and refinement. The 14 boats of the One-Design class will begin to be constructed in the 2008, to be ready to be presented/displayed during the league of that year. 

The new boats have been designed by an equipment that includes Marc Van Peteghem and Lauriot Prévost and are in forward edge of the technology. The catamarans, of 70 feet, will combine the speed with the ability to sail closely together of the coast so that the spectators see of the best possible way the competition.

About:

João Lagos, ex- player and captain of the Glass Davis, decorated with the Order of the Merit of Portugal, founded Lagos Sports (LS) on the 1977. Since then, internationally recognized promotional the sport one bound state to sport events of first order, especially tennis, and has kneaded an impressive portfolio. From 1990, ls have organized and promoted a tour of ATP, a Match the International of Tennis, Estoril Open and the Glass Masters of Lisbon in the year 2000. Ls are also prominent in the world of golf, including Europe PGA Tour Portugal Open, Madeira Island Open, Brazil' s River & S. Paulo Opens. The company has worked in many other fields, including the events of the World-wide Glass of Volleyball, events of surfing WCT and equestrian CSIO and “Discharge School” besides the Cycling Return to Portugal. In the 2007, ls will promote two new events of candle: the Portuguese stage of 52 Medcup TP and new Class RC 44 with an impressive event in Portugal.

Paul Cayard (47) is a North American regatista that has led equipment in an ample range of events of candle concerning world-wide championships, including the Glass of America, the Olympic Volvo Ocean RACE and Games. 1998 the World on board EF Language became the first one to skipper American to gain regata Whitbread Round and, in 2005-06, he was to skipper of the equipment of Disney, Pirates of the Caribbean, in the winning and final stage of the VOR until Gotemburgo. Paul has twice participated in the Olympic Games and five times in the Glass of America, besides gaining seven championships of the world. In the 1998 Better Regatista Rolex was chosen and was selected for the Sailing World Hall of Fame in the 2002.

Russell Coutts (44) of New Zealand, has a unique CB: an Olympic Gold medal and three victories like skipper in the America Glass between its profits. Its record of candle also includes to gain Youthful the World-wide Championship of the ISAF, Championship of the World of RACE, numerous international victories of match RACE, IOR, IMS and World-wide Championship of One Design. From the JJ.OO of 1984 leader has obtained to an extraordinary reputation as and is recognized like the best champion of match RACE. Russell also is a described engineer. Been it has always implied in the aspects of design and technology of many of the projects in which it has worked and recently co-diseñó a monocoque one design of 44 feet denominated RC 44.