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22 April 2005, 11:05 am

World Class Field

Toscana Elba Cup 2005

Elba Island, Italy

This May, Italian America's Cup Challengers, Team Capitalia-Mascalzone Latino are joining a field of the top match racers in the world who are participating in the fourth edition of the ISAF Grade 1 Toscana Elba Cup for the Locman Trophy 2005.

Kiwi, Hamish PEPPER will be helmsman. At his side in the role of tactician, will be Italian, Vasco VASCOTTO. Joining PEPPER and VASCOTTO are trimmer Jonathan ZISKIND (USA), Antar VIGNA (ITA) in the cockpit and bowman Alberto BAROVIER.

PEPPER, now with Team Capitalia, sailed with Team New Zealand America's Cup team in 2000 and 2003. VASCOTTO is one of the best known of Italian sailors having 14 World and 22 Italian titles to his name.

PEPPER and his team are in for the toughest competition match racing can offer with the top three sailors in the ISAF World Match Race Rankings, Ed BAIRD (USA), Peter GILMOUR (AUS) and James SPITHILL (AUS) in Elba along with last year's winner Russell COUTTS (NZL).

The four days of Racing will be held in Porto Azzurro, Elba Island, Italy from 1-8 May 2005.

Also awaited on the scene to challenge COUTTS are match racing champions and teams which are challenging for the 32nd edition of the America's Cup. Sailing for Alingi (SUI) is Peter HOLMBERG (ISV) and BAIRD, for Luna Rossa Challenge (ITA) Francesco DE ANGELIS and SPITHILL. Also present will be BMW Oracle Racing (USA) with Gavin BRADY (NZL), Emirates Team New Zealand with Ben AINSLIE (GBR), K-Challenge (FRA) with Thierry PEPONNET (FRA), Victory Challenge (SWE) with Magnus HOLMBERG (SWE), Team Shosholoza (RSA) with Ian AINSLIE (RSA), +39 Challenge (ITA) with Iain PERCY (GBR), and Pizza-La Sailing Team with GILMOUR.

Teams will all be racing SM40's (LOA 40feet), the one design by Pelle PETERSON in collaboration with Paul CAYARD (USA) and Magnus HOLMBERG.

Team Capitalia-Mascalzone Latino has already begun working in the waters of Portoferraio with their America's Cup Class boats USA66 and Ita 72. They are scheduled to move the operations to Valencia in June and, from the 16 June, will be participating in the Louis Vuitton Acts 4 & 5.