Overnight, the 2011 Rolex Middle Sea Race fleet parked up off the coast of Sicily near Catania – in the shadows of Mount Etna.  So far, Esimit Europa 2 (SLO) and Rán (GBR) were the lone boats to have slipped through the Messina Strait, Esimit around 0330 Sunday morning, followed by Rán at 0830. Esimit, which rounded Stromboli four hours later, has since slowed down, and leads Rán by about 50 miles.

The bulk of the fleet is nearing the Strait, including the 90-foot maxi, Med Spirit (FRA) which is reporting 16 knots of boat speed, no doubt in a favourable current. The Mills 68, Alegre (GBR) is further east, hugging the Italian mainland coast. Current Class 2 leaders on the water are Dralion (MLT) and Cantankerous (ITA), while front of Class 3 are the Grand Soleil 50, One (ITA) and the Xp44Vikesha II (MLT) co-skippered by Oleg Evdokimenko and local Maltese sailor Timmy Camilleri. This is Camilleri’s 17^th Rolex Middle Sea Race, which he has won overall three times. Aziza (MLT), Pita Maha (ITA), Aurora (ITA), Three Sisters (CZE) are close together leading Class 4, approximately 40 nautical miles south of Messina.

Atame (GBR), is a 42-footer being sailed double-handed for the second year in a row by Beppe Bisotto and Ian Knight. The duo on the Fast 42 chose a course through the night just off the Sicilian coast. Bisotto from Venice, Italy, emailed a report, “What a night! Tacking against other boats, alone helming! This afternoon we expected the gusts and did not hoist the large spinnaker; nonetheless we changed eight times the sails and exploded one spinnaker. Our race is against all the fleet and we do not hesitate to keep our performance up.”

He may have been rethinking his choice to sail shorthanded, as he added, “My kid Attilio, nine years old, called me tonight asking ‘what are we doing just two on board?’ It is like playing soccer against a team of eleven, with just one goalkeeper and one midfielder!”

Nearby Beppe Fornich, skipper of the Dufour 34, Nigno (ITA) called in to verify a slow night with the breeze at only four to five knots. But Nigno was within sight of the formidable Mount Etna and the crew was enjoying their tea and brioche, and looking forward to the next meal prepared by their onboard  ‘chef’ Mario Cudio.

The crew of the J/133, Oiltanking Juno (MLT), is clearly enjoying itself despite one or two issues yesterday, reporting in with a recap the early adventures, “Once out of the harbour, some local storm clouds brought with them squalls. We saw some boats tear their code zeros and spinnakers. On Juno, we were not free of problems either. Even though we made the correct sail calls at the right times, at one point we lost both our spinnaker sheets and tack lines, giving us major problems with one of our spinnakers. Due to great teamwork, we managed to make a good recovery and now find ourselves sailing up the east coast of Sicily towards the infamous straights of Messina.”

A further report will be issued this afternoon, by which time the Royal Malta Yacht Club expects many more of the fleet to have passed through the notorious Messina Strait.

Part of the Aeolian island chain, Stromboli is located in the Tyrrhenian Sea, off the north coast of Sicily. The active volcano is approximately 900 m (3,000 ft) high, and its most recent eruption was in August 2009. There are two villages on the island with several hundred inhabitants.

Stromboli gained acclaim in1950 when Italian director, Roberto Rossellini set the classic movie “Stromboli” starring Ingrid Bergman, on the island. The island, and nearby Strombolicchio, are marks of the Rolex Middle Sea Race course, left to port by the race fleet.

70 yachts started the 32^nd Rolex Middle Sea Race on Saturday, 22 October.

In 2007, George David’s Rambler (USA) established the current Course Record of 47 hours, 55 minutes, 3 seconds. 
In order to beat this record the first boat must finish by approximately 11.30 CEST Monday, 24 October.

The final prize giving is at 12.00CEST on Saturday, 29 October at the Mediterranean Conference Centre in Valletta.

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Come early September and as the height of the Mediterranean summer season passes with the grace of a fading sunset, the eyes of the sailing world will be focused firmly on one stand-out attraction: the Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup. This annual meeting of the bold and the beautiful, elegance and finesse, onshore refinement and offshore adventure, takes place in Porto Cervo, Sardinia.

Event organisers the Yacht Club Costa Smeralda (YCCS) are expecting a record presence for the 22nd edition, which takes place from 5-10 September. It represents a trend. Last year’s competition welcomed 49 of the world’s most state-of-the-art yachts. Forty-two yachts from 12 countries and territories have already committed to taking part this time around. Whilst the event’s appeal has always been unquestioned, the growth in popularity of the Mini Maxi yacht and the subsequent birth of the competition within a competition, the Mini Maxi Rolex World Championship (open to yachts from 18.29-24.08 metres), have led to the mushrooming of the regatta. This year promises to be an eye-catching feast.

Irish whispers
Close attention will be paid to the second running of the Mini Maxi Rolex Worlds. Whilst the final list of entries is still to be confirmed, several impressive campaigners will be attacking the waters of the Costa Smeralda. Niklas Zennström’s Rán 2 (GBR) and Andres Soriano’s Alegre (GBR) finished first and second last year. Intriguingly, 2010’s third placed yacht is also returning albeit under new ownership. The 72-ft Reichel Pugh Shockwave (USA) has changed hands from serial regatta winner Neville Crichton to George Sakellaris, who previously campaigned the CM60 Captivity. Shockwave has been preparing for the Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup in Palma.

The crew of Whisper (IRL) have long been captivated by the lure of Porto Cervo. Michael Cotter’s 78-footer has become a fixture at the event and won the Racer/Cruiser division in 2009. The experienced crew have been focused on the Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup for quite a while, as captain Mark Dicker explains: “Whisper’s preparations for the Maxis started in January and this will be our sixth participation. We have a good set up and hope to be on top of our game in Porto Cervo. Over the past winter the boat undertook a large refit with the upgrade of many of its racing systems. We then did a ‘shake down’ regatta at Easter in Palma so we feel confident the boat will be in great shape for the Maxis. Currently Whisper is completing a cruising period around Greece before heading back to prepare for the event and two days training.”

The Irish crew, competing in the Mini Maxi Rolex Worlds, have always performed impressively on the Emerald Coast. Dicker reveals the key to yacht’s success: “The Whisper team have been campaigning the boat for six years with a core crew mostly of Irish sailors, who are happy to keep on coming back. The owner is very competitive, but a laid back approach seems to help the boat stay in good form and even the small handful of professional sailors onboard relish a week’s sailing on Whisper. Certainly the secret to the event is consistency, the conditions around Porto Cervo are very challenging and any mistakes can quickly end a regatta.”

For the crew of Whisper, like many others, the appeal of the event is obvious. “Within the Med there is certainly no other regatta like the Maxis,” closes Dicker, “from the picturesque scenery to the high level of competition returning year after year. Racing up Bomb Alley and round the islands is certainly like no other race course we embark on.” Following on from the Maxis, the Whisper crew will take part at another Rolex supported event – Les Voiles de Saint-Tropez.

The rest of the best
Completing the global gathering of competing nations are the Danish crew onboard the 61-ft Vertical Smile, the 78-ft All Smoke (GBR), owned by the German businessman Günter Herz, the 60-ft Arobas (FRA) and Caol Ila (USA), fresh from an impressive performance at the Giraglia Rolex Cup. Sir Peter Ogden’s 60-ft Jethou (GBR) will also be in attendance, having campaigned at both the 2009 and 2010 Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup.

Italian presence is guaranteed with the involvement of six yachts. Alessandro Rombelli’s Baltic-65 Stig finished second behind Aegir in the Racer/Cruiser division last year. She will face stiff competition from Riccardo de Michele’s H20 and Adriano Calvini’s 61-ft Itacentodue, both race day winners in 2010. Completing the elenco of Italian entrants are the 60-ft Aleph-Aniene 1° Classe, the 61-ft Tyke and Enrico Gorziglia’s Good Job Guys.

Homeward bound
Outside of the Mini Maxi Rolex Worlds, racing will be equally intense in the prestigious and long-established Maxi (24.09-30.5m yachts), Supermaxi (those in excess of 30.5m) and Wally competitions.

The Swan-90 DSK Pioneer Investments (ITA) will compete in the Maxi category and has enjoyed a demanding season in the Mediterranean, taking part in the inaugural Rolex Volcano Race in addition to the Giraglia Rolex Cup, where she was the fifth boat to finish on elapsed time. The yacht has miles in her sails. Fortunately, the Maxis require less travelling for the crew. Owner Danilo Salsi is a member of the YCCS and Porto Cervo happens to be DSK’s crew base. “We like the race area and feel we have good local knowledge,” explains team manager Andrea Casale, “the big challenge for us is to take advantage of this.”

DSK Pioneer Investments triumphed in Porto Cervo at the Rolex Swan Cup in 2010, although the crew realise that repeating their success on the Costa Smeralda in the Maxi division will be a tough challenge. “The Swan Cup was a completely different scenario,” continues Casale, “as we were not competing against the likes of Esimit Europa 2. The yachts in our division this time around will be faster than us on the water so they will be more difficult to beat. We have to be very smart and wise with the tools that we have at our disposal.”

After the gruelling ocean challenges earlier in the season, Casale and the crew are focused on a different type of racing at the Maxis: “We are pleased with the two offshore races, but the Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup is going to be a very different game. ‘Day racing’ requires more manoeuvring and decision-making in a short space of time. We are adding some new crew members to our standard roster to save time when changing sails. In addition we are ‘tuning’ our rating certificate. Hopefully it will all help.”

Meanwhile, the Wally division is already shaping up to maintain its recent trend of intense battle. Claus-Peter Offen’s Y3K (GER) and Sir Lindsay Owen Jones’ Magic Carpet (GBR) have winning experience in Porto Cervo although the divisional crown is sure to be contested to the very last nautical mile of the final race. The impressive fleet comprises100-footers Dark Shadow (MON) and Kenora (GBR) as well as slightly more slender but equally impressive campaigners such as Jean Charles Decaux’s J One (GBR), winners in 2007, and Thomas Bscher’s Open Season (ESP).

Next month’s preview press release will provide full details on this year’s list of competing yachts.

On The Agenda
Racing commences on Tuesday 6 September and concludes on Saturday 10 September. Yacht Club Costa Smeralda, along with title sponsor Rolex, will provide a lavish array of first class social events including Saturday’s final Prize Giving Ceremony, where the Maxi Yacht Rolex Cups and Rolex timepieces will be awarded.

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The waiting is nearly over: the 44th edition of the Rolex Fastnet Race, one of the great ocean challenges is just 2 weeks away. With a staggering 350 entrants at the ready, 1979’s record-breaking tally of 303 participating yachts will almost certainly be surpassed. The sheer size of the fleet is impressive. Its quality and diversity quite breathtaking. Inspiring and exhilarating in equal measure, there is every reason to believe that the 2011 Rolex Fastnet Race will maintain the event’s pioneering and prestigious tradition.

The numbers game
Due to the Rolex Fastnet’s unique allure, event organisers the Royal Ocean Racing Club (RORC) never have any difficulty ensuring that there is a large and impressive fleet in attendance. This year is no exception. Entries came in thick and fast and were closed within ten days of opening in January. However, the requests kept arriving. After being inundated with additional enquiries from the Volvo Open 70s, the IMOCA 60s, Class 40s and Multihulls to join the 608-nautical mile marathon, the RORC adjusted the entry limit to allow these ‘professional’ classes to be counted above the initial cut-off mark.

The Rolex Fastnet Race commences from Cowes on Sunday 14 August (the first signal sounds at 10:50 BST). Whilst crews with the ambition of being the fastest to the finish will hope to spend only one or two nights at sea, spare a thought for those at the back of the pack, for whom a near week in often punishing conditions may be the order of the day.

Rambler 100 enjoying Leopard hunt
Short of a catastrophic breakdown, the fastest boat on the water at the 2011 Rolex Fastnet Race will be the 100-foot trimaran, Banque Populaire (FRA), which just broke the round the Britain Isles record by almost a day and a half. However, the battle for monohull line honours is the most anticipated clash and is expected to be the privilege of two other 100-ft challengers: Mike Slade’s ICAP Leopard (GBR), first elapsed-time finisher in the past two editions, and arch-rivals George David’s Rambler 100 (USA). The two crews know each other extremely well, given their series of tussles in recent months. A head-to-head battle in the Transatlantic Race, which saw Rambler 100 ease to line honours after ICAP Leopard lost her bowsprit, the freshest encounter.

“Having won the Rolex Fastnet Race twice, the big play is to win three in a row, which would be quite exceptional,” explains Slade, whose yacht also holds the course record of 1 day, 20 hours and 18 minutes [set in 2007]. “During the RORC Caribbean 600, Rambler 100 proved to be the faster boat in her ideal conditions. However, Rambler 100 may also need to protect herself in bad weather, more than ICAP Leopard. We feel we have a good chance in light and heavy airs, it is the bit in between that we might have a problem! I am really looking forward to the Fastnet, it should be a very exciting race but above all else, I don’t want to lose our record to Rambler 100, that would be heartbreaking and we will vigorously defend it.”

Rambler 100 is as keen to renew hostilities. “We’re anticipating sailing in Cowes Week from 9-11 August and hope ICAP Leopard and others will be competing as well,” explains David, “we’ve had three races together already, the Caribbean 600, the Annapolis to Newport and now the Transatlantic Race. Rambler 100 took line honours and corrected ahead of ICAP Leopard in all three.”

David is fervent about the upcoming Fastnet Race and describes his own personal highlights of the parcours: “Beating out through The Needles in a huge fleet, the beauty of the south coast of England, the approach to the [Fastnet] Rock, and the wind and weather conditions all over the place.”

Whilst these two ocean greyhounds are clear monohull line honours favourites, they may not have it all their own way. There is the significant presence of six Volvo 70s, including two of the latest breed: Abu Dhabi (UAE) and Groupama IV (FRA). Then there is the Mini Maxi class including defending Rolex Fastnet handicap winner, the 72-ft Rán (GBR), owned by Niklas Zennström, in addition to Andres Soriano’s Mills 68 Alegre (GBR), a fantastic campaigner in the Mediterranean in recent seasons. Throwing in the American challengers, the STP65 Vanquish, and the Reichel-Pugh 66 Zaraffa, who like ICAP Leopard and Rambler 100 competed in the Transatlantic Race, it promises to be a tight contest at the top of the fleet.

Tales from the foreign third
Of the record breaking 350 yachts competing at this year’s Rolex Fastnet Race, approximately a third are non-British crews. A scan of the 2011 entry list highlights the global pull of the event, with yachts competing from the following countries: Austria, Belgium, China, Finland, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Ireland, Italy, Lithuania, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Russia, Sweden, Switzerland, the UAE and the USA.

Karl Kwok, owner of the 80-ft Beau Geste (HKG), will be taking part in the event for the third time. “I am definitely here for the challenge as this is one of the most interesting and competitive offshore races in the world,” he explains. “My first time here was in 1995, followed by my second appearance in the last edition [in 2009]. We did well on that occasion, but it could be better still!” Kwok adores offshore racing: “For me the top three blue water offshore classics are the Fastnet, Sydney to Hobart and Newport to Bermuda – in that order. And Rolex has the top two!” Beau Geste will be another yacht snapping at the heels of the 100-footers and also arrive in Cowes fresh from competing in the Transatlantic Race.

One overseas crew in particular has reason to treasure its association with the Rolex Fastnet. Six years ago, Frenchman Jean Yves Chateau’s 33-ft Nicholson Iromiguy won the competition on corrected time, the first time in three decades that the overall prize had been won by a yacht under 40 feet. For the Saint Malo-based skipper, the victory was both a surprise and a fulfilment of an ambition: “To win the Rolex Fastnet Race was like a childhood dream, it is like an ‘Everest’ in my life and in the life of each member of my crew: absolutely fantastic, unbelievable, gorgeous, not to mention the incredible fact of having beaten all the big guys. It was also very important for me to be the third French sailor to win this race and to have my name engraved on this Cup close to Eric Tabarly [the legendary French skipper who won the race in 1967]!”

Regarding the ‘draw’ of the Rolex Fastnet, Chateau continues: “It is a mythical race. This year will be our seventh time and we are always very pleased and enthusiastic to participate with the crazy dream of winning it one more time.” Amongst the sizeable French contingent is the intriguing story of the IMOCA 60 DCNS 100 (FRA), sailed by skipper Marc Thiercelin and his famous apprentice, former downhill skier and endurance motorsport driver, Luc Alphand. DCNS 100 is one of seven IMOCA 60s, including Cheminées Poujoulat (SUI) launched in May this year.

John Towers is helming the J/122 Oojah (GBR) with a US-based crew joining British boat owner Peter Tanner, their navigator for the race. The English Channel is some distance from their usual racing haven of the east coast of the United States. “As a group of Americans, we consider the Rolex Fastnet Race to be a once in a lifetime adventure that is a natural compliment to our passion for distance racing,” explains Towers, “the Fastnet is a big deal for us and an adventure that we have been planning for the last two years.”

Tanner continues: “Our goal will be the same as any other race we enter. Priority one is a safe passage. Priority two is that the experience is very positive for all members of the crew. Our third priority is to be competitive.”           

Triple TP52 challenge
The three TP52s competing at the Rolex Fastnet Race will resume their engagement having been near inseparable at the recent Giraglia Rolex Cup. On that occasion, Franck Noël’s Near Miss (SUI) finished the 243-nautical mile race less than two minutes ahead of Johnny Vincent’s Pace (GBR). Bryon Ehrhart’s Lucky (USA) was only a further hour behind. On corrected time, only seven places separated the three crews, with Pace coming out on top. Over a considerably longer distance, this ‘race within a race’ will be one to follow come August.               

Back of the pack
The crew of the Contessa-32 Drumbeat (GBR) will likely have one opportunity to admire ICAP Leopard and Rambler 100 – during the passage out of the Solent. For co-skippers and brothers-in-law, Mark Himsworth and Pierre Walrafen, the race ahead will be one of endurance and, at times, solitude: “It feels amazing to be one of the smallest and slowest boats competing, tacking or gybing down the Solent against much larger and faster machines after the start. All the while competing on handicap directly against them,” explains Himsworth, who will be taking part in the Rolex Fastnet for a third time.

The reality soon becomes quite different, as Himsworth reveals: “After 24 hours, most of the competition is long gone. Thereafter it’s occasionally difficult to keep your mind away from the thought of the faster boats turning towards (or arriving at) Plymouth while ours plugs steadily westwards round Land’s End. It’s a pretty solitary undertaking when you’re on watch and your co-skipper’s sleeping and none of your competitors are visible, but that’s all part of the attraction, and there’s still plenty going on in Plymouth when we arrive!”            

Trophy hunt
The main trophy for overall victory in the Rolex Fastnet is the Fastnet Challenge Cup. In addition, there are more than 30 additional trophies that will be awarded at the prize giving on Friday, 19 August at the historic Royal Citadel, home of the 29 Commando Regiment Royal Artillery, overlooking Plymouth Sound and Sutton Harbour, where the majority of the fleet will berth.

 

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Glamorous La Canzone del Mare is considered as one of Capri’s most famous establishments. The picturesque lido typifies the heart and soul of Capri. Located in the sunny Bay of Marina Piccola with stunning vistas of the Faraglioni and the turquoise waters of the Tyrranean Sea, La Canzone del Mare has been the realm of celebrities for decades and continues to attract an international clientele.

Last night, guests of Rolex Capri Sailing Week reveled in the hedonistic atmosphere, enjoying a gourmet buffet in the comfort of magnificent terraces at the water’s edge. After enjoying a fine dinner, the party was treated to a special video presentation of Rolex Capri Sailing Week, including the stunning scenery of the Rolex Volcano Race. The ensemble danced the night away to live music from famous Caprese band, Anema e Core.

Today, there was some spectacular racing in the Bay of Naples for the final day of Rolex Capri Sailing Week. A light blanket of cloud high above the magnificent island of Capri signified a steady gradient breeze. Out on the six-mile windward leeward course, twelve knots of wind and glorious sunshine provided ideal conditions to bring the inshore regatta to conclusion.

In the Comet Class, Marco Paolucci’s  Libertine won the first race of the day putting pressure on the class leader, but Alberto Franchella’s Farewell 3 won the last two races of the regatta to take the title. The Swan 45 Class has enjoyed some scintillating racing. Henrik Brandis’ German entry Earlybird won the first two races of the day, stamping their authority on the event to take the class victory. Andrea Masi’s Ulika has sailed with precision all week and finished the regatta in style, winning the last race and securing second place for the class.

The ORC division produced a convincing winner: Vincenzo De Blasio’s Scugnizza won all but one of the seven races. Olympic medalist, America’s Cup and World Match Racing exponent, Paolo Cian was calling tactics on Scugnizza. He comments:

“Today was a good example of the fantastic conditions in Capri, I have been sailing here for a very long time and Capri brings back very happy memories for me, especially winning the J24 World Championship. Scugnizza is a small boat in this fleet and we were always conscious of trying to stay in clear air. I am very happy for Vincenzo and all of the crew who have sailed so well all week. Capri is my favourite place to come to, especially for sailing.”

The Prize Giving was held at the Yacht Club Capri in the safe confines of the beautiful Marina Grande. Massimo Massacesi, President of  Yacht Club Capri, presided over the ceremony.

Gian Riccardo Marini, CEO of Rolex SA, was on hand to officially present a Rolex Submariner timepiece to Andres Soriano, Alegre,  for Line Honours and Overall Winner of the Rolex Volcano Race and to Giancarlo Simeoli, helmsman of Comet 45, Farewell 3.

RESULTS:

ROLEX VOLCANO RACE
1. ALEGRE Andres Soriano GBR
2. GRANDE ORAZIO Massimiliano Florio ITA
3. EDIMETRA VI Ernesto Gismondi ITA

COMET
1. FAREWELL 3 Alberto Franchella ITA, 3-1-1-1-2-1-1-10.00
2. LIBERTINE Marco Paolucci ITA, 1-2-2-5-1-2-3-16.00
3. ATHANOR Y.C.Capri / A.S.D. 23 NODI ITA, 2-3-3-2-3-3-2-18.00

SWAN 45
1. EARLYBIRD Henrik Brandis ITA, 1-3-1-3-1-1-2-12.00
2. ULIKA Andrea Masi ITA, 2-1-2-2-4-3-1-15.00
3. TALJ Giovanni Arturo di Lorenzo ITA, 3-2-3-1-2-2-4-17.00

ORC
1. SCUGNIZZA Vincenzo De Blasio ITA, 1-1-1-1-1-2-1- 8.00
2. TWIN SOUL 5, Luciano Gandini ITA, 2-2-3-2-2-1-2-14.00
3. VLAG Salvatore Casolaro ITA, 3-3-2-3-3-3-3-20.00

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It was a long wait, but the Giraglia Rolex Cup eventually got underway this afternoon at 15.28 CEST after a long wait for the wind to fill in. When it did come, the wind was piping at 20 knots, with gusts of 25 knots, and the Yacht Club Italiano/Société Nautique de Saint-Tropez race committee put on a short fast race of 9 nautical miles, which Esimit Europa 2 (EUR) had the audacity to complete in a few seconds under 40 minutes. The rest of the fleet was at sea for a little longer enjoying a brief, productive start to the inshore series. Winners today include Container (GER) in IMA, Near Miss (SUI) in IRC A, Nusantara (FRA) in IRC B and Keonda II (ITA) ORC B.
Whilst the first three days of racing in the Bay of Saint-Tropez are treated competitively, it is the distance race component of the Giraglia Rolex Cup that deservedly garners most of the attention, and, the winners most of the plaudits. There is likely to be a record fleet this year, with large numbers entering across all categories. There is added significance for the Maxi fleet; the distance race forms part of the 2010 International Maxi Association (IMA) Championship, a season long series that culminates in the Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup in September. Within the IMA category, the Mini Maxi class has gathered in force with plenty of both Racing and Racer/Cruiser examples in the entry list.

Amongst the Racing Mini Maxis, Neville Crichton’s 21.8 metre Reichel-Pugh designed Shockwave (NZL) (class winner at the 2009 Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup) is the longest and should be the fastest. Last time he competed, Crichton was by some way the fastest and set a new course record. But that was on his former steed, the 30.5 metre Alfa Romeo II (now Esimit Europa and in the hands of Igor Simcic), and, the course differed in that the finish was in Genoa rather than San Remo.

At just under a metre shorter, Andres Soriano’s Mills 68 Alegre (GBR) may be slower than Shockwave on paper, but Soriano and his crew have beaten longer boats before. In last year’s Giraglia Rolex Cup, Alegre took line honours in the distance race (also to Genoa) despite conceding waterline length to others in her category.

According to Soriano, last year’s result was down to perseverance in the face of testing, light wind conditions. For Soriano the key to success and consistency in a highly competitive class relies upon “being prepared and keeping the same team together, making small adjustments, after each regatta to try to do better, in terms of boat preparation, sails and teamwork. Last year showed that hard work pays off, even though it took a while coming.” Like many of the other race boats, the crew of Alegre is hoping that the San Remo finish will lead to a faster race. History suggests that may not be the case, but optimism is the prerogative of those looking ahead. “This year is probably going to be shorter than it normally is, with the probability of better wind and better approach to the final destination,” commented Soriano, quickly adding that this is only his second Giraglia. “So I’m no expert!”

Ian Budgen is tactician on Sir Peter Ogden’s 18.3 metre Jethou (GBR), one of the smallest in the Mini Maxi Racing category. Budgen explained that although the inshore races are taken seriously, they bear little relationship to the distance race. “In reality the inshore part of the event is no preparation for the offshore race, which starts on Wednesday. The offshore race is 241 miles. It is going to be somewhere between 24 and 30/36 hours. It’s overnight and probably long enough that you’ve got to rest some of the guys, who’ve got to get some sleep. I’m currently trying to put together a watch system so everybody gets some rest even if it is for a short space of time. There is nothing worse than all the key people trying to stay awake in their proper positions for 24 hours and then find you have another 12 to go.”

Apart from managing the crew, another big decision for the race-oriented yachts will be sail inventory. The eventual decisions will be made as close to start time as possible since, whilst all are looking at the long term weather predictions, the wise know well that the best guess as to the course conditions will be made on Wednesday morning. Budgen gave a résumé of the inventory Jethou has to choose from. It was enough to give mere mortals a serious headache, so what will he do when the time comes to leave the dock? “We have two considerations, what we think we need and the weight of those sails. When it’s light we want the boat as light as possible, so we try to take the minimum amount. My general rule is to take everything we think we might need, even if it makes the boat slightly heavier because if you get caught without a sail that you need then the difference in boat speed is huge.”

Budgen, at least, has plenty of experience with Jethou. Spare a thought for Marton Jozsa, skipper of Wild Joe (HUN). Landlocked Hungary is not noted for its offshore prowess, but it has an active sailing community particularly in the Olympic classes. Jozsa, however, has gathered a crew to race on what was, when it was first launched, one of the first canting-ballast twin-foiled race yachts. Designed by Reichel-Pugh, it spawned some of the finest fastest yachts of recent years. As Wild Oats, the yacht was part of the winning 2003 Admiral’s Cup team from Australia so it has some pedigree.

Jozsa and his crew are up against it. “This is our first regatta,” he calmly remarks when asked if this is his first Giraglia Rolex Cup. “She arrived in Europe a month ago. We have had 10 or 11 days training on her, so we’re quite new to this category of boat and sailing. Our crew is quite young, but we have a number of Olympic class sailors in the crew, so we have experience, but it is still a big step up to this type of boat.” Jozsa is expecting wind for the offshore race, but is taking nothing for granted and is checking the situation everyday.

Amongst the Racer/Cruiser Mini Maxis, Aegir (GBR) is another taking part in the IMA Championship. The owner, Brian Benjamin, confesses to being new to competitive sailing, but discovered recently that with two previous Giraglia Rolex Cups under his belt he is possibly one of the most experienced, certainly on this race, in his crew. Even so, with Andy Beadsworth, Ian Moore and Guy Barron in the team he has plenty of knowledge to call on. Benjamin is looking forward to Wednesday, “the long distance race is great. It is totally different to the inshore races, calling on different disciplines and skills, creating different problems – lack of sleep, lack of wind, too much wind.” Benjamin pointed to another issue he believes needs to be considered, “it’s important to get on, because you are out on the boat for a long time together. We have an Anglo-Spanish boat, which makes it interesting, particularly making up the watches. We did well last year so we are hoping to improve on that.”

Tomorrow is another day for the crews competing in the Giraglia Rolex Cup, with more inshore racing planned. We will be talking to the extreme ends of the fleet, getting a feel for how their approaches differ or, indeed, do not.

The 241 nautical mile offshore component of the 58th Giraglia Rolex Cup starts on Wednesday, 16 June from Saint-Tropez. Prior to this there are three days of inshore racing on the Bay of Saint-Tropez.

The prize giving for the inshore series will be held at La Citadelle, Saint-Tropez, on the evening of 16 June. The prize giving for the offshore race will be held on the evening of Saturday, 19 June at the Yacht Club San Remo.

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Clear blue skies and crystal clear water typify the sailing grounds around Capri.
The first day of the Rolex Capri Sailing Week was blessed with sublime conditions. A warm breeze of eight to twelve knots from the south to southeast was a little more than forecast.

There was spectacular racing today for all classes on windward leeward courses in the strait between Capri and Punta Campanella. The majestic island of Capri acted as a perfect back drop but also created some tactical nuances requiring forward thinking and high precision sailing.

“The great thing about the Bay of Naples is that you can sail here all year, it is never cold,” explained one of Napoli’s most famous sons, Francesco de Angeles, tactician on Andres Soliano’s Mini-Maxi Alegre. “Capri is 18 miles offshore and has more current than Naples, also the wind can be more tricky. For me it is a wonderful place to sail. I grew up here sailing dinghies in the Bay of Naples. There is a lot of history in and around Capri, each cape has its own story, the volcano Vesuvio, Pompeji… there are many more. It is a multi-cultural place, the Greeks, the Normans, the Spanish have all been here…
I hope that all of the sailors who have come to Capri enjoy some great sailing.”

It was all smiles on the Mini-Maxi yachts, fully powered up in little breeze, sailing as fast as the wind. The powerful boats seem to glide effortlessly through the water. Andres Soriano’s Mills 68, Alegre sailed with precision and guile to win both of today’s races. Alegre were a class act but they had to be at their best.

“The pressure is always on,” explained Alegre’s navigator, Will Best. “One mistake in this class and you are unlikely to recover. Capri is a complex place to sail and it is easy to get caught in a spot without breeze and in this fleet; they will take full advantage. Leading from the front, you are always looking over your shoulder, you always have to be on your toes.”

Peter Ogden’s Jethou was extremely well sailed today, crew work and boat handling were both impeccable. Jethou had a great tussle with Benjamin Brian’s Maxi Dolphin 65, Aegir. Although the two yachts were far apart on the water, on corrected time there were two very tight finishes, Aegir beating Jethou in both races by just seven seconds.

This is the first regatta for Alex Schärer’s Marten 67, Caol Ila, but Alex  has sailed in Italian waters many times before in previous boats, including the Giraglia  Rolex Cup. Calling tactics on Caol Ila is one of Ireland’s finest sailors, Gordon Maguire, who has been involved in some of the most prestigious sailing campaigns worldwide. Most recently as helmsman on Mike Slade’s Maxi, ICAP Leopard.

“We have come to Rolex Capri Sailing Week to launch a new boat,” explained Maguire. “ And what a great place to start a campaign. Alex and his crew are new to this level of sailing and it is really important that he gets the right guidance. That way they will truly enjoy the experience, even if at first they are not winning every race. It gives me as much satisfaction to see the smiles on board Caol Ila, as it does winning a grand prix event. Our priority this week is to enjoy sailing the boat but to do so to the best of our ability.”

The X-41 Class provided the closest racing of the day. The one design class produced some adrenalin pumping action, especially at mark roundings where close encounters were a regular occurrence. Starts are always important and especially so in light air. A clean get away puts the leader in undisturbed wind whilst the competition is literally struggling for air behind.

X-41, Raffica is owned by Orofino Pasquale’s. He hails from Ischia and knows these waters well. Raffica had an excellent day winning two races and lead the class. The boat  has an excellent crew including Andrea Trani, who represented Italy  at the Athens and Beijing Olympics in 470, and veteran yachtsman, Paolo Semeraro who is calling tactics. Paulo also represented Italy at two Olympic Games and has won countless World and National titles.

‘We had a bad start in the first race and it was a real struggle to fight our way back to third but the boat speed and crew work were good, we felt we could come back. I have been coming to Capri since 1985 and it is a great place to visit. I think that the racing will be very close all week, especially with WB Five.”

The most exciting finish of the day came from the Comet Class. In the first race of two of the pre-race favourites crossed the finish line within a boat length of each other. Reigning class champion, Alessandro Nespega’s Fral 2 taking the gun from Marco Franco’s Libertine by the narrowest of margins. After three races, Fral 2 is in first place with Libertine second. Massimo Guardigli is one point behind in third.

Addessi Vincenzo’s Fra Diavolo is the over night leader of the Mylius Class, winning two of today’s races.  Vittorio Landolfi’s Pithecusa is currently second overall with Luciano Gandini’s Twin Soul Five in third place.

After returning to the Grande Marina, the Yacht Club Capri provided refreshments for all of the competitors. Racing at Rolex Capri Sailing Week continues tomorrow and local weather expert, Filippo Petrucci is confident that the competitors can expect even more wind than today, which should provide more exciting action from Capri.

Provisional Standings after 3 Races
Place, Boat Name, Owner, Nation, R’s-Points

Mini Maxi
1. ALEGRE Andres Soriano GBR, 1-1-1-3.00
2. JETHOU Sir Peter Ogden GBR, 3-2-2-7.00?2. AEGIR Brian Benjamin GBR, 2-3-3-8.00

COMET
1. FRAL 2 Alessandro Nespega ITA, 1-2-1-4.00
2. LIBERTINE Marco Franco ITA, 2-4-2-8.00
3. ALLURE Massimo Guardigli ITA, 3-3-3-9.00

X-41
1. RAFFICA Pasquale Orofino ITA, 3-1-1-5.00
2. WB FIVE Gianclaudio Bassetti ITA, 1-2-3-6.00?
3. MALAFEMMENA Giovanni Arturo di Lorenzo ITA, 2-3-2-7.00??

Mylius
1. FRA DIAVOLO Vincenzo Addessi ITA, 1-2-1-4.00
2. PITHECUSA Vittorio Landolfi ITA, 3-1-3-7.00?
3. TWIN SOUL 5, Luciano Gandini ITA, 4-3-2-9.00

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Following a successful introduction in 2005, the sixth edition of Rolex Capri Sailing Week returnst to the turquoise waters of Capri from the 26 to 29 May 2010, offering an opportunity for some spirited competition early in the Mediterranean racing season. The strikingly picturesque island
located in the Bay of Naples provides a stunning backdrop to the on-the-water action and a perfect setting for the off-the-water social activity.

Hosted by the Yacht Club Capri, the regatta comprises four days of highly competitive racing for a range of classes including Mini Maxi, Farr 40, Comet 45, Comet 41, X-41 and Mylius 14E55 yachts. Rolex Capri Sailing Week is hosted and organised by the Yacht Club Capri (YCC) with
the support of the Italian Sailing Federation (FIV), the Unione Vela Altura Italiana (UVAI) and the international Maxi Association (IMA). The Title Sponsor of the regatta is Rolex.

The regatta headquarters, including the Race Office and Media Centre, will be at the Marina Grande in the main port of Capri. This fully equipped, modern harbour also provides perfect berthing for the fleet. The racing area will be on the waters around the island.
All classes will sail a maximum of nine races. The Farr 40s and X-41s will sail only windwardleeward
(W-L) courses; whilst the mini maxis, Comet 45s, Comet 41s and Mylius 14E55s will sail
W-L courses and one coastal race.

The current entry list is made up of 34 entries from six different classes, two of which are one-design models, including the respected Farr 40s that will see Massimo Mezzaroma’s (ITA) Nerone, fresh from their win at the 2010 Rolex Farr 40 Worlds, competing on the water. With the mercurial Vasco Vascotto in the hot seat, Nerone has a reputation to uphold and will certainly capture a fair amount of attention as the current class favourite.

The Farr 40 Class also welcomes other international “top guns” such as the German-American architect Helmut Jahn, who will be racing on Flash Gordon and American Jim Richardson on Barking Mad, joining the rest of this international fleet that also features teams heading to Capri from Germany, Ukraine and the United Kingdom.

The other one-design class participating in the 2010 Rolex Capri Sailing Week is the X-41. Launched by X-Yachts, this class consists primarily of Italian competitors and sees the 2009 World Champion Pier Vector Grimani as one of the strongest in the fleet. The focus will also be on Alberto Signorini, co-helm of Nerone at the Rolex Farr 40 Worlds, who will be at the helm of Gianclaudio Bassetti’s WB Five, and Maurizio Pavesi at the helm of Coq Hardy, both contenders for victory in this class.

The Mylius 14E55 and the Comet 41S and 45S will race under the ORC International Rule, a system of measurement for “handicap racing,” designed to allow different sized boats to compete against one another. Handicap racing proves time and time again that a well-honed amateur crew with a competitive and well-maintained boat can upset the expected results. More information about the ORC handicap rule can be found in the Rolex Capri Sailing Week 2010 Press Pack on the regattanews.com event page.

For the Comets all eyes will be on Athanor, winner of its class in the 2009 edition of this event, and Libertine, frequent winner in Capri and overall winner of the 2007 Giraglia Rolex Cup. This year, Libertine’s Italian owner Marco Franco, member of the Yacht Club Capri, and Conny Vuotto, head of the YCC Sailing School, will be sailing onboard to defend the Comet 45S title.

The event this year also welcomes the participation of the Mini Maxi fleet for the first time. This class will include entries such as Andy Soriano’s (GBR) impressive 68-footer Alegre, overall winner at the 2009 Rolex Middle Sea Race, Peter Ogden’s (GBR) Jethou, Brian Benjamin’s (GBR) Aegir and Robertjan Zonneveld’s (ITA) Swan 601 Cuordisole among other massive beauties that complete the entry list.

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Final day at the 20th Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup dawned with blue sky and a gentle north-easterly breeze between 8 and 10 knots. One more opportunity for those already at the top of the standings to prove themselves worthy of winning. Good news also for those yachts still within touching distance of the top. A race would mean opportunity and in yacht-racing opportunity is everything, but only if you are prepared to take it. Getting your name inscribed on the trophies at the Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup is no easy feat. Only those most deserving achieve the feat. At close of play those truly in clover were: Ronald de Waal and Velsheda (GBR); Claus Peter Offen and Y3K (GER); Mick Cotter and Whisper (IRL); Filippo Faruffini and Roma-Aniene (ITA), and, Neville Crichton and Alfa Romeo (NZL). Flush with victory and the spoils associated – the Maxi Yacht Cup and a Rolex Yacht-master Chronometer.

If only it were so simple. In Cruising/Spirit of Tradition, Velsheda had wrapped up her division a day early by virtue of winning every race to that point. In Wally, Y3K was also impregnable, by virtue of having scored more firsts than her closest rival, Open Season (GER), which could only match Y3Ks score however badly Offen’s crew sailed the last race; a situation where count-back would favour Offen.

In Racing/Cruising, Roma-Aniene never seemed likely to be overtaken by DSK Pioneer Investments, but the door was still open if DSK could repeat yesterday’s result and finish ahead of Roma. The chances of this seemed slim given Roma had not given DSK a sniff all week until her mainsail issues of yesterday. The same scenario existed in Mini Maxi Racing/Cruising, where both Aegir (GBR) and OPS 5 (ITA) had a mathematical chance to overtake Whisper, should she finish seventh or worse, something Whisper had not done all week. She had had problems yesterday, though, finishing fifth. So a glimmer of hope flickered on. In both cases you had to think lightning does not strike twice.

The classification where the duelling would go closest to the wire looked to be Mini Maxi Racing. Tight battles looked likely in both Mini Maxi Racing (Owner/Driver) and the larger overall Mini Maxi Racing 00 group. The Owner/Driver contest was between Neville Crichton’s Alfa Romeo 3 (NZL) and Hap Fauth’s Bella Mente (USA). The stakes were high; the pressure was on. The maths were simple for Bella Mente, she had to come first. Anything less would not be enough. For Alfa, if she could win or prevent the American crew from winning she would prevail.

The 00 group was also a two-way tussle and also involved Alfa Romeo, with the likes of triple Olympic Gold medallist Ben Ainslie in the crew roster, along with Niklas Zennström’s Rán (GBR). With a three-point separation, the onus was on Alfa to win and hope Rán would finish no better than fourth. Heading out to the start there was every possibility that Crichton might be distracted by his battle with Fauth, since that was where the major prize would be awarded. At the beginning of the week, though, Crichton had stated his aim was to win both groups. Given his competitive streak is longer and wider than most, no one would bet against the New Zealander attempting to win outright from the front.

In the end, the excitement came in only one spot.

Velsheda confirmed her supremacy in Cruising/Spirit of Tradition winning the final race. Hasso Plattner’s Visione (GER) did enough to beat Charles Dunstone’s Hamilton II (GBR) in the race today and to take second on the podium. Roma-Aniene confirmed yesterday’s problems were no more than a blip by adding a fourth bullet to her Racing/Cruising scoreline. Danilo Salsi’s DSK’s second place in the race and the overall standing will be some compensation. Whisper, too, asserted herself once more adding a fourth bullet to her Mini Maxi Racing/Cruising record and securing the class by 10-points over Brian Benjamin’s Aegir.

Ronald de Waal skipper and helmsman of Velsheda attributed his victory in Cruising/Spirit of Tradition to his crew, “the team we sail with has been together for a long time, some have been with us for eight years. Of course, we sail with some of the very best in the world and that helps.” This is de Waal’s first overall win at the Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup; he has sailed several times before and really enjoys the competition and the location, “it’s a combination of nature, the area, we always have beautiful wind, really beautiful surroundings and always a very good fleet.”

Claus Peter Offen sealed his Wally Division victory with another win. Not bad for a yacht launched in July this year. Sailing with designer Mani Frers onboard as a guest, Offen was understandably delighted with his yacht and the win, “we thought we could get in the top three, but to win with a brand-new boat is unexpected. You usually will have some technical problems, but in all six races we were always first over the line and never had any problems.” Offen paid tribute to his crew, particularly acknowledging the work on the first two days when conditions were at their most difficult.

Filippo Faruffini came, saw and conquered for the second time; Roma confirming her superiority over the series in Racing/Cruising. Faruffini was surprised given how they had come into the competition, “this is sport and you can leave nothing to chance. We only decided only one month ago to race and were really under-prepared. Our sails are old and we broke many, many things.” A number of his crew, from the Circolo Canottieri Aniene (a sporting club in Rome), were new to sailing and to turn them into a team capable of holding their own against the likes of DSK is a true achievement, as tactician Vascotto explains, “all the guys made a real effort today. We pushed hard. We had 22 guys that are not professional at all, but at the end of the week we look to be doing the same manoeuvres as we do with professional guys. Everyone has improved and they can see this, which is our aim.”

Mick Cotter’s emphatic result with Whisper in Mini Maxi Racing/Cruising was a revelation, but had been hinted at last year’s Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup when Cotter’s crew won a sub-division prize, “it’s been a wonderful week, everything went really well. I had a great team and that’s what did it for me. We had few mistakes yesterday, but you can’t expect to go through a week’s regatta and not have a few. The conditions were ideal for us, which helped us considerably in the overall results. The crew know the boat well and the pros have got to know both us and the boat.”

As predicted, the true battle came in Mini Maxi Racing and it was fought tooth and nail between two boats – Bella Mente and Alfa Romeo. Fauth’s crew knew they had to win. Tactician Dee Smith saw to it that Bella Mente won the start at the pin end, whilst Alfa went for the committee boat end. As both yachts sailed their own race for the first leg, the first crossing was a critical moment. It went to Bella Mente and she held off her larger rival until the top of the second beat. At this point the Americans were still within a shout of victory. They were sailing so well that within the Owner/Driver category they were undoubtedly winning. With three more legs it was never going to be easy and, unfortunately for them, Alfa had no thoughts of mercy in mind. She forced her way past and then proceeded to match-race Hap Fauth’s yacht progressively out of the running. Conceding waterline length and therefore speed it was never going to end happily for Fauth. Bella Mente corrected out ahead of Alfa, but critically Andres Soriano’s Alegre (GBR) and Sir Peter Ogden’s Jethou (GBR) corrected out ahead of her. Crichton won by one point.

Crichton knew he had been in a scrap and paid due compliment to the tenacity and sailing skills of Fauth and his crew, as did his tactician, Michael Coxon, and relief helm, Ben Ainslie, who knows plenty about the need for ruthlessness in such circumstances. Crichton was thoroughly pleased with the result “we’re delighted. It was pretty tough out there today. We had to do what we had to do, and we got there in the end. They (Bella Mente) camped on us on the first beat. We finally got them back and then just sat on top of them.”

Meanwhile, Zennström and his Rán crew were able to sail their own race with the fight going on far behind. Once again, Rán took the gun and in doing so walked away with an eight-point victory over Alfa Romeo in the Min Maxi Racing 00 grouping. Zennstrom readily admitted they were flattered by the gap, which had been accentuated by the duel between the Alfa Romeo and Bella Mente.

All in all it has been an enthralling week of competition. The weather has played ball. Each day of racing has produced quality conditions and allowed the crews of the gathered maxis to strut their stuff in style. We’ll allow a newcomer to capture the sensation of racing here. Rachel Howe is the sole female navigator competing this week. Not only that, but she did so on Jethou in the intense environment of the Mini Maxi Racing group. Jethou went out on a high today, finishing the race first in Owner/Driver and second in 00. According to Howe, “this is the most prestigious event that I’ve done, the field that we’re racing in is absolutely spectacular. It’s an inspirational fleet to be part of. To get the opportunity to race against the people we’re racing against is just incredible. It is a real privilege. It’s intimidating at first, but once you are out there getting on with your job you realise everyone is pretty normal.once you see past the (Olympic) gold medals and the America’s Cups!”

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