The Swiss company, already partner of Intrepid in the 1960s and more recently of Oracle, winner of the America's Cup in San Francisco in 2013, continues to cultivate its passion for sailing in Italian waters. TAG Heuer is in fact partner of the Vela Cup, the most important sailing circuit in our country, which includes 7 stages at the most interesting regatta spots on our coasts. The debut was in Santa Margherita Ligure on the occasion of the VelaFestival sponsored by TAG Heuer, and it will continue throughout the summer until returning to Liguria for the closing in Loano in October. In addition, for the first year TAG Heuer was partner of 151 miles - Cetilar Trophy, the all-Tuscan offshore race that challenges the Tyrrhenian waters from Pisa to Punta Ala. The 2019 edition, the tenth, which greeted the arrival of fine weather from 30 May to 1 June, saw a record entry of 220 boats and an exceptional performance by the Maxi Yacht that took the victory, namely Rambler 88, which covered the 151 miles in the record time of 13 hours and 50 minutes, a full 1 hour and 40 minutes less than the previous record. Owned by George David, Rambler 88 is skippered by New Zealand skipper Brad Butterworth, winner of several editions of the America's Cup. TAG Heuer rewarded the six class winners in the regatta with its underwater model dedicated to the passion for the sea, the Aquaracer 300M. From an idea born at the TAG Heuer VelaFestival in Santa Margherita Ligure, i.e. to create a large sailing circuit in Italian waters open to all types of boats, the Saturday Vela Cup at the VelaFestival was born, sailed in the Gulf of Tigullio, and which is to date the most crowded in the Tyrrhenian Sea and second in Italy only to the Barcolana. The stage in Santa Margherita Ligure opened the games, inspiring other prestigious Italian locations to host their own TAG Heuer Vela Cup. Venice, Marina di Pisa, Caprera, Lerici, Capo d'Orlando and Marina di Loano soon joined forces for the 2019 edition, with plans to bring sailing enthusiasts to the most exclusive and most characteristic places in Italy. "Every year TAG Heuer VELAFestival grows more and more engaging and consistent with our claim, #dontcrackunderpressure. The birth of the TAG Heuer Vela Cup sailing circuit fully expresses the disruptive spirit of freedom, adventure and joy of those who, like us, enthusiastically sail the seas and face life's daily challenges", said Roberto Beccari, General Manager of TAG Heuer Italia and CEO of LVMH Watch&Jewelry Italia. To date, the TAG Heuer Vela Cup is the sailing meeting circuit with the largest number of participants in Italy. For 2019, there are seven events planned, from May to September: 600 boats from 5 to 30 metres, 20,000 enthusiasts involved, 300 prizes up for grabs for the winning crews in fourteen categories, seven villages directly on the sea, seven Saturday night parties with prize-giving, food and music. And seven prestigious TAG Heuer Aquaracer 300M watches (one per leg) drawn from among all participants. TAG Heuer's Aquaracer 300M collection is the #dontcrackunderpressure divers' series for professional diving, available in a time-only (pictured) or chronograph version. It has a unidirectional rotating ceramic bezel that is resistant to scratches, shocks and salt erosion, and is the ideal sports watch for wearing on board a sailing boat as well as on a bike; Waterproof and resistant to a pressure equal to that which develops at a depth of 300 metres, it is the #dontcrackunderpressure watch by definition, with a 43 mm steel case, SuperLuminova treatment on hour markers and index hands for reading the indications in low visibility conditions, and a steel bracelet with an extendible clasp for wearing over a wetsuit or over windproof jackets. The movement, mechanical automatic, is the Calibre 5 (price: 2,400 euros).
TAG HEUER SAILING CUP 2019 CALENDAR
- Santa Margherita Ligure - 4 May
- Venice - 15 June
- Marina di Pisa - 30 June
- Caprera - 26 August
- Lerici - 14 September
- Capo D'Orlando - 5 October
- Marina di Loano - 19 October
