Audi MedCup

The Audi MedCup is a sailing competition which began in 2005 and has turned into the world’s leading regatta circuit. The event was last held in 2011.

It is sailed in the TP 52 and Soto 40 classes (previously the GP42 class in 2009–2010).

The circuit, which is sponsored by the German car manufacturer Audi, is run annually throughout Southern Europe and, similar to the America's Cup, continually attracts the best sailors in the world. The five-regatta circuit lasts five months starting in May and culminates in September.

The circuit is based on a box rule where every boat, in theory, has a similar design. This leaves it to the skill of the sailors to decide the winner, much like Formula One. There is some leverage in the rule in that deck layouts can be adjusted and sails can be crafted differently but the main design features such as weight, beam, and mast height and sail area are restricted to this "box rule" standard.

While originally sailed only on TP 52s, the Audi MedCup in 2009 became a two class regatta with the introduction of the GP42 class. In 2011 the GP42 was replaced as the second class by the One Design Soto 40. It costs roughly 2.5 million Euros to build a brand new TP52 on which to race and an additional five hundred thousand to one million Euros for sails and deck gear. This plus the added cost of maintaining the yacht and running a professional sailing campaign make the Audi MedCup one of the richest sailing circuits in the world.