After a frustrating day without racing, conditions improved for day two of the Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup in Costa Smeralda. The former Maxi 72s successfully completed two windward-leeward races as part of the Rolex IMA Maxi Grand Prix World Championship, while other classes such as Maxi 3 and 4, Supermaxi, and the 80-100 footers raced a coastal course for the Rolex IMA Maxi 1 World Championship.
The Maxi 1 class sailed a 30-mile clockwise course around the La Maddalena archipelago, while the remaining boats had a slightly shorter course, omitting Isola Piana. This year marks the 40th anniversary of Rolex’s sponsorship of the event, organised by the Yacht Club Costa Smeralda in conjunction with the International Maxi Association (IMA).
In the Maxi 1 race, the westerly wind reached 15-16 knots. Sir Lindsay Owen-Jones’ new Verdier 100 Magic Carpet E started well and maintained a lead over Karel Komárek’s V, finishing first and also winning under IRC corrected time. V placed second, with YCCS Commodore Andrea Recordati’s Bullitt coming in third.
Magic Carpet E’s strategist, Tom Whidden, praised the boat’s performance, noting its competitiveness and speed once the sheets were cracked. In IRC 3, Alex Laing’s RP78 Nice led Dr Peter-Alexander Wacker’s Baltic 68 Café Racer Ganesha and others, finishing ahead by over six minutes. Laing expressed confidence in Nice’s upwind capabilities despite its age.
James Neville’s Botin 65 Artemis Bleu had a successful first race with an all-star crew, including America’s Cup helm Dean Barker. The team finished fourth after a competitive race. In the Maxi 4 class, Riccardo De Michele’s H20 emerged victorious, demonstrating effective manoeuvring in windy conditions.
Among the Super Maxis, Juan Ball’s Swan 115 Moat won by over 18 minutes against Marcos Vivian’s Wally 94 Inti. The race included navigating around competing fleets, but everything went smoothly on board.
The Maxi Grand Prix class witnessed intense competition with Admiral’s Cup winner Peter Harrison’s Jolt team taking the lead after the first race, followed closely by Jim Swartz’s Vesper. The second race saw Hap Fauth’s Bella Mente clinch victory by just three seconds over Jolt.
Overall, the day saw strong performances across all classes, with anticipation building for the continuation of the regatta as weather conditions are expected to change with a front passing through.
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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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