Extreme 40

With the Extreme 40 catamaran fleet now numbering 14 boats, there is potential that even more will make the start line of the five iShares Cup events, which begin in Lugano, Switzerland, on May 30. The entry list reads like a Who's Who of sailing, bursting with the very best skippers and crews in the sport. America's Cup sailors will be lining up against Olympic medallists, ocean racers, and world champions, all coming together on the unique iShares Cup sailing circuit. With the next America's Cup looking set to take place in multi-hulls, the Swiss ! Defender Alinghi will be putting their cat-sailing skills to the test in this year's iShares Cup. America's Cup-winning helmsman Ed Baird has been putting in plenty of training in the Extreme 40 with the Alinghi crew in Valencia. Even this multiple world champion admitted that the powerful catamarans can be pretty challenging. The 2008 iShares Cup Extreme 40 Sailing Series takes in five European venues, each chosen for their fantastic sailing and viewing opportunities - from the spectacular Swiss lake of Lugano, to the bustling centre of UK sailing at Skandia Cowes Week, before bringing high speed sailing action right into the heart of the city at the event finale in Amsterdam.