The final pieces are now in place for the 2008 iShares Cup Sailing Series. The venue for the German leg of the European tour has been confirmed as Kiel, on the Baltic Sea, and Tommy Hilfiger has been announced as the ninth entry in the series.

Kiel, in northern Germany, is the fourth event on the circuit – the Extreme 40 fleet will race there from 29-31 August. The city has a strong maritime history, and lies on the busiest artificial waterway in the world, the Kiel Canal.

“Both the area’s exceptional natural sailing stadium, and the enthusiasm of the city of Kiel to host the German venue of the 2008 iShares Cup, easily convinced us when it came to making the final call,” explained Event Director Gilles Chiorri, of OC Events, “The racecourse will be so close to the spectators that it will be an amazing spectacle to watch the Extreme 40 fleet rounding the marks just a couple of metres from the shore!”

Another new entry has also been confirmed, bringing the 2008 iShares Cup fleet to nine boats so far. The latest team to line up for this year’s contest are Tommy Hilfiger, who will be returning to the circuit after finishing fourth in last year’s iShares Cup.

“Having Tommy Hilfiger back in the 2008 iShares Cup is already an important milestone for the circuit, and moreover having such a cat legend Randy Smyth as skipper on board gives an extra level of interest – certainly a lot is expected from this crew,” said Chiorri.

The 2008 iShares Cup kicks off in 21 days time. The first event is in the mountain city of Lugano, racing on the lake on the Swiss-Italian border, before moving on to the French leg of the circuit at Hyères. It heads to Britain on 2-4 August to race during Skandia Cowes Week, then Kiel from 29-31 August. The iShares Cup concludes in Amsterdam as the Extreme 40s return to the scene of last year’s dramatic finale, racing right in the centre of the Dutch city over 19-21 September.

To find out more, visit www.iSharesCup.com .