USA-17, the American boat owned by Larry Ellison and skippered by three times America’s Cup winner Russell Coutts (NZL), the current MedCup Circuit champion skipper, won on her first and only outing planned for the 2008 series. The brand new all white TP52 missed the opening regatta of the season three weeks ago in Alicante and will take no further part in the six regatta international Audi MedCup Circuit as the BMW Oracle race crew focus on their main goal, winning the 33rd America’s Cup.

The City of Marseille Trophy Regatta came to a premature end on Saturday afternoon with the famous Mistral wind still blowing strong. At more than 28 knots on the Rade Sud race area, racing was abandoned without anyone even leaving the Vieux Port of Marseille, and USA-17, the overnight leaders, ended their one and only regatta Audi MedCup Circuit with a win. Just behind them was the Swedish boat Artemis with BMW Oracle Racing team-mates on the identical Reichel/Pugh-designed hull. Artemis was six points adrift of the lead after eight races including one 40-miles coastal race.

The partnership between the two boats USA-17 and Artemis (SWE) – the new TP52 of the Torbjorn Tornqvist’s (SWE) 2007 champions – has been a key part of the American boat”s success in Marseille, which was helmed through parts of most races by Ellison himself. Although the new USA-17 was only launched on 21st May, the settings and tuning notes gathered from Artemis in Alicante earlier last month were be applied directly to USA-17 to get her up to speed quickly.

After a modest sixth and fifth on the opening day, USA-17 won three races to complement their two third places, a second and a fourth places, always looking quick and at home over a regatta where the wind speed never fell below 15 knots.

Top 10 Final Results after eight races(14 starters)

1. USA-17, Russell Coutts, 26
2. Artemis, Torbjorn Tornqvist, SWE, 32
3. Bribon, HM King Juan Carlos, ESP, 38.2
4. Platoon by Team Germany, Jochen Schumann, GER, 41
5. Quantum Racing, Terry Hutchinson, USA, 46
6. Matador, Guillermo Parada, ARG, 50
7. CxG Caixa Galicia, Roberto Bermudez De Castro, ESP, 57.6
8. El Desafío, Laureano Wizner, ESP, 70
9. Audi by Q8, Riccardo Simoneschi, ITA, 73
10. Cristabella, John Cook, GBR, 78

For more information, visit www.medcup.org .