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Team Alinghi will welcome the seven other champions of the Trophée Clariefontaine Valencia 2008 between 11 and 14 September on the sailing area which saw its victory in the America's Cup 2007. Photo Jean-Marie Liot / SailingOne. It is official, the nineteenth edition of the Trophée Clairefontaine des Champions de Voile will take place in the Marina Real Juan Carlos 1st, i.e. inside the port which has welcomed the base of the competitors for the America’s Cup 2007. The Trophée Clairefontaine de Valencia will be raced on Saturday 13 and Sunday 14 September on this natural nautical stadium known worldwide. Eight great champions will be present.
The Team Alinghi, winner of the America’s Cup, second of the Trophée Clairefontaine 2007 at La Trinité-sur-Mer (Brittany) will welcome the seven other champions on its sailing area, including Michel Desjoyeaux who won his fourth Trophée Clairefontaine last September by one point over the Swiss trio composed by Luc Dubois at the helm, Pierre-Yves Jorand the tactician and Yves Detrey at the manoeuvre. Michel Desjoyeaux is also invited for his victory in the Transat Jacques Vabre last November.
Loïck Peyron, seven times winner of the Trophée Clairefontaine and third in the 2007 edition, just two points behind the Swiss from the Team Alinghi, will also be part of this travel to Spain during which the 100th anniversary of the Papeteries de Clairefontaine will be celebrated. Apart from his excellent prize list and his podium last year, Loïck Peyron is invited to the Trophée Clairefontaine de Valencia for his recent victory - the third in a row - on the England - USA course of the solo transatlantic (Artemis Transat).
Claire Leroy is invited for the first time to this rendez-vous of the international sailing stars thanks to her titles in the World Championship and European Match Racing Championship to her first place in the Female Match Racing World Ranking List (It has been the case for more than two years now) and for her "ISAF Rolex World Sailor" title given by the International Sailing Federation. She is only the second French female sailor to receive this title after Isabelle Autissier in 1995.
Jean-Pierre Dick, who has already taken part in the Trophée Clairefontaine, in 2006 for his second victory in the Transat Jacques Vabre, will be part of the eight guests for the 2008 edition thanks to his victory at the end of last winter in the Barcelona World Race, the double-handed round-the-world without stopover from Barcelona back to Barcelona round the three capes.
Three other places are hold to welcome Spanish crews and for next August Olympic medal winners.
Since its creation, in 1990, the Trophée Clairefontaine is the only event in the world reuniting champions from the different international sailing fields, on equal footing, on spectacular sailing catamarans exclusively designed and used for this purpose (7.65m catamarans).
Valencia, city of art and tradition, is famous for having hosted the America’s Cup 2007. It is the site of a new Formula 1 Grand Prix of which the first edition will be raced on 24 August 2008. Valencia is also the host city chosen for the sailing competitions for Madrid 2016 Olympic Games Candidature.
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