MARIGOT/ST.BARTHS--The countdown has begun for the organizers of the St. Barth Cata Cup. In fact, it is just two weeks before the starting gun of the 11th edition on November 14-18, 2018 and the regatta promises to be spectacular with highly competitive races.
This event reserved for Formula 18 will feature 60 teams of two, which include some of the top international specialists in this discipline.
At the top of the list: Iordanis Paschalidis and Konstantinos Trigonis. This Greek duo, back to defend their title in St. Barths, recently won gold at the World Championships that took place in Florida on October 12-19, finishing every race in the top eight places, and winning four races.
With this victory under their belt, it goes without saying that this tandem is one of, if not the top, favorites for this edition of the St. Barth Cata Cup. Four other duos having finished in the top 15 at the Worlds will also be present: Mitch and Ruben Booth (7th), Cruz Gonzalez Smith and Mariano Heuser (9th), Emmanuel Boulogne (10th), and Charles Tomeo and Dalton Tebo (15th).
Other top name competitors are champions aboard sports catamaran or in other sailboat classes are in the mix. They include Australian Gavin Colby; Noé Delpech, world vice-champion 2018 in the 49er class; and Morgan Lagravière, winner of the Cata Cup in 2014, and who has been racing recently on the 60 ft. IMOCA circuit.
These ace sailors have just confirmed their participation or have been given wild cards, to complete a roster that was already impressive, and only continues to get better.
All of the above sailors, and other top names already confirmed such as Enrique Figueroa, Patrick Demesmaker, Olivier Gagliani, Pierre Le Clainche, Antoine Joubert, Marc Pirinoli, Erik Maris and Gurvan Bontemps, will be joined by other big hitters who have confirmed their participation.
