The RC 44 Austria Cup – 10 – 15 May – will be a special occasion for Team Aqua as they race in their new boat for the first time. Chris Bake’s Team Aqua has been a leading force on the RC44 circuit since its launch in 2007. The team won the RC 44 Championship Tour in 2007, and finished first in the match race ranking in 2010 with pro sailor Cameron Appleton at the helm. Team Aqua was however sailing on the oldest boat in the fleet up until now, and decided that to maintain the momentum a new boat would be invested in for the 2011 season.

“The RC 44 boat and concept are a winner”, says Bake. “Dynamic one design boat, ease of transport, varied locations, competitive, huge support from the class and ultimately fun. I absolutely love it and I am determined to carrying on competing at the highest level. The fact of acquiring a new boat is a testimony to the quality of this Class. We hope many other teams will join in in the near future.”

Boat captain Nigel King has been working closely with RC 44 boat builders Pauger to make sure that the new boat is ready and raring to go by the time racing commences at the RC 44 Austria Cup on Lake Traunsee. He explained: “Chris Bake is a massive supporter of the class and committed for the long-term so the team felt it was the right time to invest in a new boat to see Aqua through the next few years.”

“Nigel King, Karl Funk and Chris Noble have done a great job at preparing the boat”, said Cameron Appleton, the team’s project manager, match race helmsman and fleet race tactician. “Thanks to their hard work we will have a race-ready boat for the next race on Lake Traunsee. We are all looking forward to this; those are exciting times for our team.”

Besides being one of the principal contenders of the Tour, Team Aqua uses its boat as a platform to promote an eco-friendly message. The team supports the World Land Trust and “2041”, an organisation founded by polar explorer, environmental leader and public speaker Robert Swan, OBE, the first person in history to walk to both the North and South poles, and dedicated to the protection of the poles. Team Aqua offsets its carbon footprint and promotes sustainable development.

Photo Credit: © Nico Martinez

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