With the start of the RC44 World Championship today off Scheveningen, the Netherlands lived up to its reputation for offering four seasons in one day. The start of racing was delayed by an hour while waiting for the wind to fill in. A massive rain cloud descended on the fleet, providing everyone with a thorough soaking. After the rain, wind and sun appeared, allowing the first race to commence.
Tensions had been mounting all week leading up to this highlight of the 44Cup calendar. This culminated in a significant incident during the first top mark rounding, when Charisma and Peninsula Racing collided in a port-starboard situation. The impact was severe, with Charisma’s bow penetrating Peninsula Racing’s port side and causing its mast to topple, narrowly missing Charisma’s crew. Charisma sustained damage to its bow but continued racing, while Peninsula Racing was unable to continue due to severe damage. Charisma was subsequently awarded seven penalty points, the most ever given in the history of the 44Cup.
Ahead, Team Aqua, led by RC44 class President Chris Bake, managed to come from behind despite a poor start, leading from the first top mark. Bowman Matt Cassidy explained their strategy: “We had a terrible start, but luckily we were the first to tack out on port while the fleet held on starboard, allowing us to escape quickly.” They credited their performance to using a smaller headsail.
In the second race, Markus Törnqvist’s GeMera Racing took the lead early on, aided by a significant left shift that favoured port tackers. Tactician Francesco Bruni stated, “We led from the beginning after a very good start.” However, Luna Rossa’s helmsman noted missed opportunities, including a penalty for touching the mark, which affected their overall position.
For the final race of the day, Vladimir Proshikin’s Team Nika excelled, finishing 1 minute and 15 seconds ahead of the second-place team. Team Ceeref Vaider, helmed by Igor Lah, finished strong, followed closely by the next four teams within a mere 14 seconds. At the end of day one, the top five teams were separated by just three points, with Team Ceeref Vaider leading by a single point over Hugues Lepic’s Aleph Racing.
Racing continues tomorrow with the first warning signal scheduled for 1200. Similar conditions are expected, though hopefully with less rain.
2025 44CUP WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP:
Overall Standings:
1. Team Ceeref Vaider (10 points) – Igor Lah
2. Aleph Racing (11 points) – Hugues Lepic
3. GeMera (12 points) – Markus Törnqvist
4. Artemis Racing (12 points) – Torbjorn Tornqvist
5. Team Nika (13 points) – Vladimir Proshikin
Photos from the event can be viewed on the 44Cup social media channels.
#RC44Worlds #SailingAustralia #44Cup
Photo credit MartinezStudio.es
About the 44Cup:
Five-time America’s Cup winner Russell Coutts conceived the design of the light-displacement, high-performance one-design RC44 with naval architect Andrej Justin in 2005. Created for top level one design racing in international regattas under strictly controlled Class Rules, the concept and design features of the RC44 are aimed at the amateur helmsmen with professional crews.
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