ALICANTE 2010 WILL BE A RECORD WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP

ALICANTE 2010 WILL BE A RECORD WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP, SAYS EDOARDO BARNI, PLATU 25 INTERNATIONAL CLASS PRESIDENT

For the Platu 25 International class, 2010 is revealing an exciting sailing year. After the Primo Cup and the Alpen Cup (fist and second leg), there is just the Kiel Week left in the 2010 Platu 25 calendar before the highlight event, the World Championship in Alicante from the 18th to the 24th of July.

The pre-registered crews already total more than seventy and the next Platu 25 World Championship edition is expected to be a memorable event. After the incredible success of last year's World Championship in Punta Ala, Italy, we have all the conditions for repeating this in Alicante.

As Edoardo Barni, Platu 25 International Class President underlined.........

- The World Championship in Alicante is expected to be a record event. Probably there will be more than 100 boats.

Why, at the moment, does Spain offer such a good fertile ground for the Platu 25? Is it perhaps because of the long "Valencia effect" or are there other reasons?

"In Spain, sailing is a real national sport. The Class aroused a strong enthusiasm in Germany and Italy during 2000/2005, now this enthusiasm has come to Spain. Nevertheless, the real success of the Platu 25 class will be when we achieve an unquestionably international soul, and a close friendship between all Platu 25 owners, wherever the World Championship is held.

- By the way, why Alicante?

"The International Class has always decided, three years in advance, where the World Championship would take place and the National Platu 25 Organization of the chosen Country has to select the place and the Yacht Club. The Spanish Class organizers – which includes our General Secretary, Fernando Lago, held a competition between the local Yacht Clubs. The Alicante Yacht Club submitted the most advantageous proposal to assure the success of the event"

- How healthy is the Platu 25 International class?

"It’s very good, with two new countries, Turkey and Russia and the increasing interest in the Class in Asia, Australia and New Zealand, thanks to the new XSP production in Singapore.

Unless we have last minute surprises – always possible – I see Spanish, Greeks and Germans, protagonists in the last few seasons, as favourites for this World Championship.

-Will it be a "four Continents" World Championship like last year? Will the Internationality of the class, be confirmed one more time?

It will depend on the possibility to find charter boats, but I trust the organizing skill of the Spanish Class to provide enough .

- Have you a desire, as International Class President, for this World Championship?

- I hope the Class will widen its horizons, and we are working hard to move the World Championship outside Europe by 2012.

Info and photo. Platu 25 International.