22nd Rolex Swan Cup Day 3: North-east winds between 7-10 knots
by Yacht Club Costa Smeralda 19 Sep 12:19 PDT
15-21 September 2024
Rolex Swan Cup Day 3 © Rolex / Kurt Arrigo
The third day of competition in the 22nd Rolex Swan Cup featured a north-easterly breeze of 7-10 knots, enabling races to commence on time at 12 noon CEST, with all scheduled events completed.
The Swan One Design classes raced on a dedicated windward-leeward course, marking the first appearance of the new ClubSwan 28 class boats. Other divisions, racing under compensated time, navigated coastal courses measuring 21 miles for Division A Swan Maxi and 18 miles for the remaining divisions. After rounding an offset mark placed 1.5 miles from the start and then a reaching leg to the second mark, the fleet proceeded downwind towards Mortorio and Soffi islands, which denote the southern edge of the La Maddalena archipelago. After rounding Soffi, the fleet turned back upwind to Porto Cervo, while only the Division A boats continued to a mark near the start before racing back to round Mortoriotto and head towards the finish.
The victors of today’s races in Group 1 included:
In the Maxi Grand Prix category, Swan 80 Umiko; for Maxi Cruiser, Swan 90 Freya; Mini Maxi Grand Prix was won by Swan 60 Sea Quill; Mini Maxi Cruiser went to Swan 65 Marlin II; S&S Racing winner was Swan 38 Mascalzone Latino; S&S Classic went to Swan 47 Dream; Swan Grand Prix saw Swan 45 Tengher take the title; and Swan Cruiser was won by Swan 53 Bedouin.
In Division A Swan Maxi, Swan 90 Freya maintained her unbeaten streak, leading ahead of Hummingbird in the provisional overall standings. The Swan 60CR Sea Quill also achieved a hat-trick of wins within the Swan Mini Maxi class, trailed by Swan 601 @robas.
Andrea Fornaro, skipper of Sea Quill, remarked: “Prior to the Rolex Swan Cup, we undertook a thorough preparation process that is yielding results. We readied the boat meticulously; the crew is experienced, and we executed tasks well, from starts to tacks and maneuvers. We are quite pleased. The highlight is Young Azzurra athlete Maddalena Spanu onboard. She has swiftly adapted to the intricacies of a maxi unlike her Wingfoil world champion discipline, actively engaging with the crew rather than merely being a passenger!”
In Division B S&S Classic, the Swan 47CB Matilda leads, followed by Swan 36 Isabella and Swan 44 Solano, all tied on points. Division B S&S Racing sees the Swan 38 Mascalzone Latino XXXIII in the lead, tied on points with Swan 48 Elan, while Swan 65 Shirlaf occupies third place.
In Division C Cruiser, the Swan 54 Katima from Germany retains her lead in the provisional rankings, ahead of today’s victor, the Australian Swan 53CB Bedouin. Leading Division C Grand Prix is the modified Swan 45 From Now On, followed by the day’s winner, another modified Swan 45, Tengher.
Today’s Group 2 winners included:
In Clubswan 28, the victor was Anya Race; Clubswan 36 had Fra Martina take the lead; Clubswan 42 was won by Canopo; Clubswan 45 went to Ex Officio; and Clubswan 50 saw victory for Moonlight.
In the ClubSwan 50 Class, Olymp secured its position at the top by discarding an 11th-place from today’s second race, after finishing third in the first race. Moonlight and Perhonen were victorious in today’s two windward-leeward races.
In ClubSwan 36, Fra Martina surged to the lead thanks to a first and second place finish today, followed by Black Seal and Cuordileone with a first and a third. “This was definitely a gratifying day results-wise,” noted tactician Lorenzo Bressani, “but it was tough with a light and wavy breeze of about 80 centimeters. We’re very pleased with our boat’s speed.”
Swan 45 Ulika holds the provisional lead, just one point ahead of Greek yacht Ex Officio, today’s winner.
In the ClubSwan 42 class, Canopo remains unchallenged, dominating with five consecutive wins. “These achievements are the result of efforts made since last year,” tactician Michele Regolo elaborated, “each championship allows us to refine the details. We recorded two second-place finishes at the Copa della Reina in Valencia and Copa del Rey in Palma, always seeking that elusive edge. Thanks to thorough post-event analysis, we have improved across the board; we’re making solid progress but must stay focused.”
Anya Race celebrated victory in the inaugural race for the ClubSwan 28 class, securing a first and third place today, with Enrico Zennaro serving as mainsail trimmer and tactician. Marcello and Django followed closely behind.
Tonight, owners will be treated to Nautor Swan’s Owner’s Dinner on the terrace of the Yacht Club Costa Smeralda, one of the main social highlights of the Rolex Swan Cup. The Rolex Dinner Party will invite all regatta participants tomorrow evening.
Racing resumes tomorrow at 12 noon CEST, with the ClubSwan 28 and 36 classes set for windward-leeward races, while remaining divisions will participate in a coastal race. The forecast indicates light north-easterly winds ranging from 7-10 knots.
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