Good forecast for Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup

Porto Cervo, Italy (September 2, 2018) – The 29th edition of the Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup & Rolex Maxi 72 World Championship begins tomorrow with the first start scheduled for 11.30 a.m., and will conclude on Saturday, September 8 with a layday on September 6.

The weather forecast indicates ideal wind conditions for tomorrow, with a mistral wind of up to 18 knots, while a thermal breeze is expected for the rest of the week with a possible return of the mistral on Friday, September 7.

The yachts have been divided into six categories on the basis of their technical and performance characteristics. The “smallest” boats in the fleet are the Swan 601s together with the 60′ Spectre, while the longest is the J Class Svea, measuring 43.61 metres in length.

The Rolex Maxi 72 World Championship sees six boats battle for the world title of the Maxi 72 class. The reigning champion Momo, owned by YCCS member Dieter Schoen, will be up against Cannonball, Jethou, Lucky, Proteus, and Sorcha. The J Class yachts Svea, Topaz and Velsheda will sail in the Supermaxi class along with My Song and Viriella. Also present in Porto Cervo is the high-speed Rambler 88, which recently claimed Line Honours in the Palermo – Porto Cervo – Monte Carlo race.

Among those defending their titles are Galateia in the Wally Class, Roberto Lacorte’s SuperNikka – seeking a hat-trick after victories in 2015 and 2017 in the Mini Maxi Racing Cruising (RC) group 1 division – and Riccardo De Michele’s H2O, last year’s Mini Maxi RC winner both in group 2 and overall.

The many stars of sailing participating include Italy’s Alberto Bolzan – back from his second VOR campaign – tactician on My Song, multi world champion Vasco Vascotto, tactician on the Maxi 72 Cannonball, Tommaso Chieffi, tactician on the Maxi 72 Proteus, former Luna Rossa skipper Francesco De Angelis on the J Class Svea, Michele Ivaldi – navigator on Momo, Lorenzo Bressani and Enrico Zennaro in the afterguard on SuperNikka and Mauro Pelaschier at the helm of Viriella, owned by YCCS member Vittorio Moretti.

Famous names among the international sailors attending include Brad Butterworth on Rambler, Ken Read on the J Class Svea, Tony Rey, strategist on the J Class Topaz, and the legendary Tom Whidden and Jochen Schuemann on the Wallycento Magic Carpet Cubed.

Event details – Entry list – Photos

Source: Yacht Club Costa Smeralda