Porto Cervo is likely one of the most spectacular venues on the earth, and this 12 months’s Rolex Maxi Yacht Cup was a feast for the eyes. Andi Robertson reviews
Stroll the hallowed docks of Sardinia’s Yacht Membership Costa Smeralda throughout the Rolex Maxi Yacht Cup and it was unattainable to get wherever quick. The gathering of maxi yachts this 12 months was really mesmerising, every meriting greater than a passing look. Correspondingly, the military of high skilled sailors assembled was actually a who’s who of generations of America’s Cup, Ocean Race and Olympic sailing stars.
To go away the true world and immerse your self within the Porto Cervo bubble is one thing particular. Even the grizzled, white-haired execs who recall the early life of the ‘Maxi Worlds’ and who come 12 months in, 12 months out, present no complacency. They find it irresistible and all the time will as a result of it’s the pinnacle occasion of maxi racing.
Submit-pandemic, greater than ever, there’s a renewed appreciation for this spectacular occasion. Right here there are not any distractions past the wind blown rugged granite surroundings, the turquoise waters and the rocky community of islands forming the La Maddalena archipelago.
The thirty second Rolex Maxi Yacht Cup was not the most important ever, mustering 46 racing maxis in six courses, but it surely was virtually actually essentially the most aggressive occasion for a few years, with high quality in depth by every of the divisions.
The fleet was additionally extra various than ever. For the primary time since 2014 there have been 4 J Class yachts competing underneath their very own JCA handicap – a sublime step again in time contrasting sharply with the debuting foiler Flying Nikka, which raced in its personal class, and the simply launched highly effective ClubSwan 80 My Track which lined up within the 13-boat maxi fleet.
Rambler off Isola delle Bisce lighthouse north of Porto Cervo. Photograph: Luca Butto
A distinct league
“For positive after the pandemic there appears to be extra individuals desirous to sail huge boats than ever earlier than and having the ability to afford to take action. And this regatta was in a special league to earlier occasions by way of high quality,” famous the Worldwide Maxi Affiliation’s secretary common Andrew McIrvine.
“One fascinating growth is now having absorbed the Wally class – which had a bunch of 80-footers and a bunch of 100-footers racing collectively – and getting them into efficiency, relatively than measurement associated courses, we’ve 13-boat maxi class. That’s positively higher.
The foiling Flying Nikka raced in a category of its personal
“And we’ve a extra race oriented fleet, there was cruising maxis, and we’ve extra professionals, whether or not or not you take into account {that a} good factor. We’re nonetheless very strict on the owner-driver rule, besides within the Tremendous Maxi fleet the place the truth is the 2 high house owners are younger and steer their boats anyway.”
In a typical September week at Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup there can be days of sunshine winds and fairly often days misplaced to the Mistral. A set Thursday layday could appear to be an anomaly however many homeowners – and their crews – begin to really feel their age mid week. This version was no completely different, early begins made the perfect of the constructing Mistral on Friday, however Saturday proved unsailable.
With out query the usual of boat and sail dealing with will get larger yearly. To see the J Class rivals tacking up ‘Bomb Alley’, because the rock-strewn passage north of Porto Cervo by the La Maddalena and Caprera archipelago is understood, in 18 knots of breeze and flat water – seemingly inside touching distance of the shore – is unimaginable.
Lord Irvine Laidlaw’s Highland Fling XI. Photograph: Carlo Borlenghi
Working downwind America’s Cup rival helms Peter Holmberg and Ed Baird confirmed a precision of their boat placement akin to crusing a Laser, all whereas choreographing almost 30 crew. Are there components of brinksmanship or bravado? Perhaps, however the fact is lots of the afterguard crew may have raced on these waters dozens of occasions, and laying one nook when others can’t will reap a dividend of a number of boatlengths.
The Tremendous Maxi division victory was the most important win but for a ‘younger’ (at simply turned 50) Swedish proprietor on his Swan 115 Shamanna.
He additionally owns the well-known Spirit 100 Gaia and Gerdney, a basic Swedish Skerries 95ft cruiser. He races Shamanna with eight of his very long time mates – amongst them a cardiac anaesthetist, a pal who was ‘The Bachelor’ on the Swedish actuality present of the identical identify – and a posse of fine execs managed by British former Volvo/Whitbread, America’s Cup ace Man Barron.
The 82ft customized Wally Highland Fling XI. Photograph: Luca Butto
Elevating the requirements
Barron has sought to maintain elevating the requirements of the ‘amateurs’ so they’re absolutely built-in and revered by the professionals, relatively than permitting a ‘them and us’ situation develop. Barron sailed with the proprietor and his mates initially in Sweden and was in a position to impart his data and contain them in a approach which has develop into vital on the massive Swan. “We sat down and stated let’s be certain that your guys get skilled up and are a part of it. So between Shamanna and Gaia we share the identical execs, the identical group and we’re all used to crusing with one another.”
Barron reckons – after some counting – that he has now raced from Sardinia 34 occasions, the primary time being on the 12 Metre Worlds in 1987. “It is likely one of the greatest venues on the earth and I by no means ever tire of racing round by Bomb Alley. It’s breathtaking. I keep in mind I used to be on Boomerang and we had THE crash.
Shut fleet motion. Photograph: Luca Butto
“We hit a rock going 9.5 knots, having simply acquired full pace on we stopped useless. We pulled the engine off the mount, cracked each body within the boat, blew the terminals off the highest of the batteries, flattened the wheel, the pedestals, seized the mainsheet and the runner winch. I ended up in an ambulance with George Coumantaros the proprietor. He’d fallen over and inverted his cheek. I slid ahead, hit the strong stainless reaching stanchion and really fortunately didn’t break my leg. I sail previous there and nonetheless hear the noises in my head. It’s a really great place to sail!”
Mini maxi rivalry
The six boat Mini Maxi 1 division is the area of what had been beforehand the Maxi 72 class. Now solely Jim Swartz’s Vesper and George Sakellaris hull sister Proteus are near Maxi 72 trim, the entire different 4 boats have had intensive modifications. Satirically the highest two general had been Vesper, with Gavin Brady as tactician, and Proteus.
The adjustments throughout the remainder of the fleet have been varied: Peter Dubens’ North Star is the primary boat to now use saved energy for operating rigging and sails with seven fewer crew – which on the Maxi Worlds offers a four-point ranking credit score. Spirit of Jethou (23.5m), Cannonball (22.86m) and Bella Mente (22.55m) have all been lengthened and have deeper keels. Bella Mente has a taller rig, as has Cannonball which may additionally now carry 1,000kg of water ballast per aspect.
Regardless of their variations, this was a really aggressive class of boats which had been conceived because the final phrase in maxi racing and richly laden with expertise.
Rolex Maxi Yacht Cup fleet racing in Sardinia’s La Maddalena Archipelago. Photograph: Carlo Borlenghi
“We had been lucky to be constant. We didn’t screw up,” smiled Gavin Brady after racing. “The truth is the boat is arguably the identical as when it gained the World Championships 5 years in the past (as Momo). It’s cool, I believe, for Vesper to win the World Championship with the identical keel, the identical mast, the identical sails.
“Our sport must see some sustainability and it’s a good message that in case you have one thing that works and also you simply go and sail effectively you don’t want to alter the mast and the keel. That’s one thing particular for Jim as he doesn’t wish to go down the ‘arms race’ route. He needs to go and race, and should the perfect crew win.
“This fleet of seven boats have advanced. It’s clear the house owners wish to develop their boats in the way in which they need and never be advised what to do by a field rule. You might have Jethou at one finish and North Star on the different and all of us went spherical the highest mark inside 30 seconds of one another. It’s not the Maxi 72 field rule of outdated however it’s working and we’ve comfortable house owners.”
Crew on the rail of the long-lasting J Class Velsheda. Photograph: Carlo Borlenghi
Water ballast, and the way it’s handled underneath ranking programs, is one issue many grand prix groups are watching fastidiously, in readiness to adapt their boats. “The water ballast is the elephant within the room proper now,” Brady explains.
“Everyone seems to be attempting to be secretive however everyone knows what’s going on. Everybody has drawings to place water in every little thing from a TP52 to a maxi however we simply don’t know what the rule goes to do. I believe it’s a great way, a clear strategy to make boats go sooner. Salt water is in abundance and if we wish to pump water into the boat to make it sooner and extra enjoyable it’s much more sustainable than carbon fibre and sails that can go to landfill.”
Lord Irvine Laidlaw bade farewell to his trustworthy Reichel Pugh 82ft customized Wally Highland Fling XI with a swansong win within the 13-boat maxi class. Cameron Appleton calls ways alongside navigator Andrew Cape: “Porto Cervo is a novel place normally providing an actual vary of circumstances, inshore racing and navigational kind programs, and it’s a must to be good at each a part of it,” Appleton recalled.
“You get to know the tips of the place and the place the wind bends are however it’s the way you get there to make use of them that’s the talent.”
With co-owner Niklas Zennström driving his first regatta on Svea, flying the flag for his native Sweden, the J Class title was by no means actually unsure, although the racing was all the time shut.
Svea appears to have a pace edge and has a terrific crew marshalled by Bouwe Bekking. The J Class are wanting in direction of a World Championship in Barcelona throughout the 37th America’s Cup with probably seven or eight boats. Subsequent to return to the fold can be Rainbow, purchased by Kiwi proprietor Neville Crichton, who’s refitting the boat in Palma to be prepared for the later a part of subsequent season.
In the event you loved this….
Yachting World is the world’s main journal for bluewater cruisers and offshore sailors. Each month we’ve inspirational adventures and sensible options that can assist you realise your crusing goals.
Construct your data with a subscription delivered to your door. See our latest offers and save at the very least 30% off the quilt value.
