Racing at Porto Cervo reached exhilarating levels during the fourth day of the Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup as conditions shifted dramatically with winds from the north-west Mistral peaking at 22 knots and gusting up to 26. The Yacht Club Costa Smeralda’s race committee initially hesitated to hold racing due to the challenging conditions, yet ultimately decided to proceed with coastal courses for all classes except for the Rolex IMA Maxi Grand Prix World Championship, where two windward-leeward races were cancelled.
Once racing commenced, competitors were sent south of Porto Cervo, away from the strongest winds, yet the conditions remained lively with a short, sharp chop. Experience and precise boat handling proved vital as crews adjusted to the challenging environment.
A highlight of the day was Karel Komárek’s V, which showcased blistering pace and exceptional crew performance, including tactician Ken Read. Despite a setback for Andrea Recordati’s Wally 93 Bullitt, which was disqualified for being over the start line early, V surged ahead, leading into the leeward mark. The black 100-footer maintained its lead to finish first, securing victory by 5 minutes and 13 seconds over David M Leuschen’s Galateia and Joost Schuijff’s Leopard 3.
“The progress this boat has made in two and a half years is phenomenal,” Read remarked, acknowledging the crew’s confidence in handling the boat under challenging conditions. He praised the entire team, from design to execution, for their contributions to the win.
Leopard 3, featuring Australian tactician Chris Nicholson and Olympic gold medallist Matthew Wearn, finished in second place. Wearn described the experience as fantastic, highlighting the boat’s affinity for strong winds, and noted the importance of a clean start in their overall performance.
In the competitive Maxi 1 division, V leads the standings by three points over Galateia as the series progresses. Meanwhile, in the Super Maxi class, Juan Ball’s Swan 115 Moat and Riccardo De Michele’s Vallicelli 78 H2O remain unbeaten, each having won all their races thus far.
Noteworthy challenges were faced by several boats, including Galateia, which experienced issues with their spinnaker, leading to two blown kites during the race. In the Maxi 3 category, Dr Peter-Alexander Wacker’s Baltic 68 Café Racer Ganesha narrowly claimed victory over James Neville’s Artemis Bleu by just six seconds, despite a penalty incurred by Ganesha for a rule violation.
This year marks the 40th anniversary of Rolex’s sponsorship of the Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup, which is organised by the Yacht Club Costa Smeralda in collaboration with the International Maxi Association (IMA). The event serves as a key fixture in the 2025 IMA Mediterranean Maxi Inshore Challenge.
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More information on the Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup here.
For more on the International Maxi Association visit www.internationalmaxiassociation.com
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