4 Sep 2012

Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup Porto Cervo 2012

By Jason Holtom

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Sunshine, blue skies and a south-easterly breeze of 10-15 knots were a welcome opener to the five race series from 3rd to 8th September organised by the Yacht Club Costa Smeralda in collaboration with the International Maxi Association with rain and mistral winds of 15 to 20 knots forecast for the next two races.



The course took the fleet from the start off Porto Cervo north to round Monaci island before heading south through the narrow strait at the Capo Ferro lighthouse down to the islands of Mortoriotto, Mortorio and Soffi and back to the finish.



In the Mini Maxi’s, racing for their third World Chamionships, George Sakellaris’ Reichel Pugh designed Shockwave had a very close race with class favourite Niklas Zennstrom's 72-foot Judel-Vrolijk designed Ran2 holding the lead for the first two thirds of the race before coming to a grinding halt when tacking too close to the shore.

Hitting a submerged rock at over eight knots,17 of the crew hanging on the weather rail were thrown into the water when the stanchions and life lines broke and the helmsman crashed into the steering pedestal. Fortunately nobody was injured and the boat is expected to carry on racing after an inspection of the bulb keel.



Charles Dunstone's new 30.47m Judel-Vrolijk designed Wally Cento Hamilton built by Green Marine led the Wally division but was back in 7th place on corrected time with the 28.53m Magic Carpet 2 taking the honours.



Among the Racing yachts the 30.38m Esimit Europa 2 (ex- Alfa Romeo) was the fastest round the course finishing in just over two hours and thirty-two minutes with the 39.5m J Class Velsheda talking first place on corrected time ahead of Irvine Laidlaw's 25.24m Highland Fling.
 


The 66m carbon fibre ketch Hetairos built by Baltic Yachts was the fastest around the course in the Super Maxi division with the 34m Reichel Pugh designed Nilaya taking first on corrected time ahead of Peter Harrison's 35m Frers designed Sojana and Albert Buell's Tripp designed 45m Wally Saudade.



Tomorrow’s racing sees the Mini Maxi and Wally classes scheduled to negotiate windward/leeward racing while the remaining classes contest a second day of coastal racing.


Photos: Carlo Borlenghi/Rolex and Jason Holtom

Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup Results

Racing Division

Boat name	R1	TOTAL
Velsheda	1	1.0
Highland Fling	2	2.0
Esimit Europa 2	3	3.0

Wally

Boat name	R1	TOTAL
Magic Carpet 2	1	1.0
J One	2	2.0
Inti	3	3.0

Supermaxi

Boat name	R1	TOTAL
Nilaya	1	1.0
Sojana	2	2.0
Saudade	3	3.0

Mini Maxi Rolex World Championship

Boat name	R1	TOTAL
Rán 2	1	1.0
Bella Mente	2	2.0
Jethou	3	3.0

Related Links

Yacht Club Costa Smeralda

Full Results

Rolex Mini Maxi

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