bmibaby announce massive expansion plan from East Midlands Airport - new flight to Alghero (Sardinia)

The British airline bmibaby has announced today a massive expansion plan from East Midlands Airport. The plan breaks down into three key initiatives:



1. Three additional aircraft to be based at East Midland Airport

2. Eight new European routes from the airport to: Alghero (Sardinia), Barcelona, Bastia (Corsica), Cork, Dubrovnik (Croatia), Malta, Newquay and Venice

3. Increased frequencies on key winter and summer routes, with the addition of Palma to the winter flying programme, and a year round service to Geneva and Prague

As a result of the new routes and additional frequencies, the airlines’ capacity will increase by 40 per cent from East Midlands Airport. bmibaby’s expansion plan will mean that an additional 350,000 passengers will fly with the airline from East Midlands Airport in 2010, and an additional 2,872 flights will be operated by the airline next year from the airport. Flights will go on sale today (09 September, 2009) and are available to book at http://www.bmibaby.com/. The news comes just days after easyJet announced its departure from East Midlands Airport.

Alghero & Surroundings: Alghero All locations all Hotels all Houses Villas all Bed & Breakfast All Farm stays



(Image: MMV Reisen)

Costa Smeralda: 20th edition of the Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup starts tomorrow

Forty two maxi yachts are putting the finishing touches to registrations and preparing for the first day of racing September 7th 2009 in the Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup 2009 in Northern Sardinia. The assembled yachts range from 18 to 45.5 metres in length and represent 14 nations (CAN, CAY, FRA, GBR, GER, HKG, IRL, ITA, MLT, MON, NZL, POL, SUI, USA). The event, organized by the Yacht Club Costa Smeralda together with the title sponsor Rolex, will run from 6th to 12th September with racing scheduled to start at 11.30.
The Maxi fleet will be split into five divisions: Cruising/Spirit of Tradition, Mini Maxi Racing, Mini Maxi Racing/Cruising, Racing/Cruising and Wally. Each division will have a separate start and may be assigned different courses. The schedule foresees windward-leeward or coastal races for Monday 7th and Tuesday 8th while a longer Islands Race is scheduled for Wednesday. Thursday will be a lay day and racing will continue on Friday and conclude on Saturday 12th September. The Yacht Club Costa Smeralda’s Race Committee, headed by President Peter Craig, will set courses in and around the islands of the La Maddalena archipelago off the North-Eastern coast of Sardinia.
Competition is expected to be particularly fierce in the Mini Maxi Racing division which sees top level sailors such as Francesco De Angelis, winner of the Louis Vuitton Cup in 2000, calling tactics aboard Luna Rossa and Adrian Stead, America’s Cup participant in 2003 and 2007, aboard Niklas Zennstrom’s Ran.
Stead, who is fresh from victory in the Rolex Fastnet Race aboard Zenstrom’s 22 metre Judel –Vrolijk designed sloop, is looking forward to an exciting week: “I think we’re going to see some absolutely fantastic racing. The forecast is good, moderate to fresh north easterly breezes, at least for the first part of the week. An excellent fleet has assembled here and it’s the first time all eight of the Mini Maxi racers will sail together so there is a lot of interest and expectations are high for this week. I’m looking forward to seeing how the new Alfa Romeo performs.
As regards the boat to beat in his division, Stead was cautious. “All of the boats are strong in certain conditions, there are no weak boats in the Mini Maxi fleet and they are all well sailed.”
Other names of note include America’s Cup winner Jochen Schueman (Alinghi, 2003 and 2007) aboard Thomas Bscher’s Wally Open Season and Karol Jablonsky, 2002 world match racing champion, aboard Albert Buell’s 45 metre Saudade.
As is always the case with YCCS and Rolex events, owners and crews will be kept thoroughly entertained ashore thanks to daily social events including after race refreshments on the Club’s Piazza Azzurra, a Rolex Party for owners and crews and a gala dinner at the Cala di Volpe hotel.
Racing is scheduled to start tomorrow with the first signal at 11.30 for the Mini Maxi Racing division. Seventeen to eighteen knots of wind from north east are forecast.
For news from the regatta course and live tracking please visit http://www.yccsmaxi.com/, for further information visit http://www.yccs.it/ , http://www.regattanews.com/ or contact the press office.

Porto Cervo Costa Smeralda: Maltese Falcon wins at Perini Navi Cup 2009 in Sardinia

Westerly winds gusting at up to 40 knots put paid to racing on the second and final day of racing in the Perini Navi Cup 2009. The results of Friday’s race at the Coasts of Northern Sardinia are valid for the series and therefore the 88 metre, triple masted Maltese Falcon, which reached top speeds of 21 knots during racing, takes victory overall. The 64 metre Felicità west takes second place and the 46 metre Antara third.



The final prize giving took place at 6 p.m. on the Yacht Club’s Piazza Azzurra and the Perini Navi Cup and a Rolex timepiece were awarded to the Maltese Falcon by the President of the Yacht Club Costa Smeralda, His Highness the Aga Khan and Fabio Perini. Prizes were also awarded to the yachts which had completed Friday’s race in the fastest elapsed time. The 56 metre Salute was the swiftest yacht, having completed the 25 mile course in just under 1 hour and 50 minutes, and was followed by the 56 metre Felicità West. The 50 metre ketch Baracuda, which stands out visually due to an unusual steel grey hull combined with violet sails, was third fastest around the course.

“We saw these yachts at their very best on Friday.” commented YCCS Commodore Riccardo Bonadeo. “The racing really was of a very high standard and the fleet is so impressive. Seeing 19 Perinis lined up in front of the YCCS at sunset brought such glamour and elegance that we will remember them for a very long time.”

Owners and guests were due to round off a highly enjoyable two days with a gala dinner on the Yacht Club Costa Smeralda’s panoramic pool terrace.



The Yacht Club Costa Smeralda’s sporting calendar continues immediately with the Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup which starts tomorrow, 6th September with inspections and registrations while racing starts on Monday 7th September.

Marina Yachting, Rolex, Axa, Acqua di Parma, Pommery, Icet and Audi are sponsors of the Perini Navi Cup 2009. Yacht Capital is media partner of the event.
Perini Navi: with a fleet of 46 sailing yachts cruising the world's oceans, Perini Navi is a leader in the design and manufacture of blue water sailing yachts. Famous for revolutionary automatic sail handling systems and for their unique aesthetics, the Perini’s are among the most celebrated vessels in the world. For all results please visit http://www.yccsresults.com/perini09/perini1.htm.

Photos: Atmosphere, Fleet, Maltese Falcon.
Credits Rolex/ Carlo Borlenghi

Daily Telegraph: Sardinia: The lure of the Emerald Coast

Daily Telegraph has dedicated a long article to Sardinia and its Emerald Coast in the North of the Island in its September 2nd 2009 issue. In its article "Sardinia: The lure of the Emerald Coast" Telegraph correspondent Oliver Smith writes about leisure time in Costa Smeralda, the best accomodation between Olbia and Palau, how to arrive at Olbia airport, where to spend the morning, lunch and dinner time and gives hints about golfing, going out and shopping

Daily Telegraph: The lure of the Emerald Coast

Perini Navi Cup 2009 starts tomorrow in Porto Cervo, Costa Smeralda

Porto Cervo, 2nd September 2009. The Yacht Club Costa Smeralda’s September racing calendar is set to start in style as the Club hosts the Perini Navi Cup from 3rd to 5th September. The waters off Porto Cervo will provide the perfect backdrop to the record fleet of 19 Perini Navi sailing ships participating in this third edition of the event. A large number of these sailing giants, are already docked in Porto Cervo Marina, much to the delight of sailing enthusiasts and awestruck passers-by.

Perini Navi yachts are known for their marriage of elegance and cutting edge technology and the fleet, which if lined up end-to-end would stretch for almost a kilometer, will certainly be a sight to behold as it winds its way through the granite islands of the La Maddalena archipelago. Racing will take place on Friday 4th and Saturday 5th September using staggered starts based on each yacht’s ORC Club handicap which will allow the fleet to race in a close group as they proceed around the course. Racing can be followed in real time thanks to on board tracking displayed on the site http://www.perininavicup.it/.

Participating yachts include the most recent addition to the Perini Navi family, the 56 metre Ketch Riela, delivered in June of this year. The 2008 launched Baracuda whose 50 metre aluminium hull boasts an aggressive, aerodynamic line, will also participate. The largest participating yacht will be the 88 metre Maltese Falcon. Winner of the Perini Navi Cup in 2006 and classified second in her class in the St Barths Bucket 2009, Maltese Falcon will have a good chance of finishing in the upper realms of the classification. The tallest mast in the fleet, however, belongs to the 56 metre Salute: measuring 75 metres, it is the tallest aluminum mast in existence today.
“The Perini Navi Cup is always a wonderful event for me and this third edition, with such a large number of participants, is particularly special.” declared Giancarlo Ragnetti, Managing Director of Perini Navi. “It is a record which gives me great satisfaction and which shows how passion and dedication can achieve extraordinary results. Once again our owners have shown their affection for the family that we created at the start of the 80s and which today counts 46 yachts.”

YCCS Commodore Riccardo Bonadeo was also enthusiastic:

“The Yacht Club Costa Smeralda is delighted to organize the Perini Navi Cup for the first time and to welcome this record fleet of ships from the Perini family. The event fits in perfectly with the Club’s development in the superyacht arena and our aim to attract the cream of owners, shipyards, designers and the entire nautical spectrum to the YCCS. I am certain we are going to enjoy some spectacular sailing in a festive atmosphere.”

Tomorrow, Thursday 3rd September, owners and crews will be busy completing registrations and attending the technical briefing while the first race is scheduled to start at 12 midday on Friday 4th September. Racing will continue on Saturday 5th September with the final prize giving scheduled for 6 p.m. A varied programme of exclusive social events will be organized ashore including a welcome cocktail, a cocktail competition aboard the yachts and a gala dinner at the YCCS Clubhouse.

Marina Yachting, Rolex, Axa, Acqua di Parma, Pommery, Icet and Audi are sponsors of the Perini Navi Cup 2009. Yacht Capital is media partner of the event.

Perini Navi: with a fleet of 46 sailing yachts cruising the world's oceans, Perini Navi is a leader in the design and manufacture of blue water sailing yachts. Famous for revolutionary automatic sail handling systems and for their unique aesthetics, the Perini’s are among the most celebrated vessels in the world.


Entry list:

Andromeda la Dea, 47 m
Helios, 45 m
Parsifal III, 53,80 m

Antara , 46 m
Heritage, 45,3 m
Perseus, 49,8 m

Atmosphere, 53 m
Heritage M, 33,5 m
Phyrne, 50 m

Baracuda, 50 m
Klosters, 47 m
Riela, 56 m

Elettra, 24,45 m
Independence, 53 m
Salute, 56 m

Felicità West, 64 m
Maltese Falcon, 88 m


Gitana, 36 m
Ohana, 43,45 m

(Photo courtesy of Perini Navi)