Soto 40s to line up in Barcelona

One designs to join the TP52s and Wallys at the Conde de Godo later this month

In less than three weeks the 39th edition of the Conde de Godo Trophy, first event of Soto 40 European Championship will start at Real Club Náutico de Barcelona over 24 to 27 May. This regatta is the starting point of a circuit that will have five events which will decide the absolute European champion and the winner of the Owner Driver Trophy.
 


For this first event of the championship, seven Soto 40 from four different nationalities will be in the starting line in one of the most competitive One Dessign classes.
 
The Iberdrola Team headed by Agustin Zulueta and skippered by double J/80 World Champion 'Pichu' Torcida, current winner of the Audi MedCup last year and PalmaVela trophy last april, is the Soto 40 to beat.

Other teams with experience in Soto 40 class who will compete in the Conde de Godo are the British boat Ngoni skippered by his passionate owner-driver Tony Buckingham, the Spanish Solete with Roman Turró at the helm, who competed last season as visitmalta.com, and Luis Martín Cabiedes' Noticia IV which managed to secure second place at last year circuit.
 


With less experience in the class, but not less competitive are four other teams; the new Alegre, Andy Soriano´s Soto 40, run by a very experienced international team which just finished second in at PalmaVela. Black Pearl will be campaigned by German owner Stefan Jentzsch while Spanish XXII for this regatta will be sailed by the local hero team Gunter, representing Real Club Náutico of Barcelona.

Soto 40 Class will share the same race area with the TP 52 and Wally classes.



Andy Soriano, owner-driver of Alegre said: 
"What is clear is that Iberdrola is the team to beat and the entire fleet aspires to reach their level. In PalmaVela they were better in every aspect: maneouvres, tactics, speed but every day their advantage against other competitors decreased. This will undoubtedly be the general trend of the season. There is also great competition among the owner drivers, will be a fun season."

Teams Trofeo Conde de Godo

ESP02 Solete - Román Turro (Spain)
ESP19 Iberdrola Team - Agustín Zulueta (Spain)
GBR20 Ngoni - Tony Buckingham (United Kingdom)
ESP21 Noticia - Luis Martín Cabiedes (Spain)
ESP22 XXII - InYachts (Spain)
GER27 Black Pearl - Stefan Jenztsch (Germany)
BVI33 Alegre - Andrés Soriano (BVI)

Soto 40 European Championship Calendar

Trofeo Conde de Godo - 24 to 27 May (Barcelona)
Sardinia Cup - 11 to 16 June (Porto Cervo)
Copa del Rey Audi Mapfre - 18 to 21 July (Palma de Mallorca)
Copa Sotogrande - 10 to 13 August (Sotogrande)
Final Soto 40 European Championship - 19 to 22 September (Valencia)