AMERICAN
HARRY MACKLOWE’S UNFURLED WINS CRUISING CLASS A IN DAY
ONE OF MAXI YACHT ROLEX CUP 2005
ALEXIA
OF ARGENTINA WINS WALLY CLASS, ITALY’S ROMA AND WHITEFIN
WIN CRUISING CLASS B AND SPIRIT OF TRADITION RESPECTIVELY;
RACING DIVISION RACE TO BE RESAILED
PORTO
CERVO, Italy (September 5, 2005) – The record fleet
of 37 maxis competing in the Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup 2005, organized
by the Yacht Club Costa Smeralda (YCCS), kicked off the regatta
with long coastal racing today in a 10-knot north-easterly
breeze. Last evening, event organizers divided the yachts
into five divisions with separate starts for each. In today’s
race, the USA’s Unfurled, owned by New York real estate
magnate Harry Macklowe, won Cruising Class A by six minutes
corrected time over fellow American, Arne Glimcher’s
Ghost. In the Wally Class, Argentina’s Alexia, owned
by Alberto Roemmers, took race one, and two Italian boats,
Filippo Faruffini’s Roma, and Alfredo Canessa’s
Whitefin won in the Cruising B and Spirit of Tradition classes
respectively. Charles Brown and Bill Buckley’s Maximus
of New Zealand took line honors in the Racing Division, however,
the race committee has decided that today’s race for
this division will be resailed. Racing is scheduled to continue
tomorrow.
The Spirit
of Tradition boats were first off the line today on a 20-mile
course which took them past the Golfo delle Saline before
sailing north towards the Monaci islands and finishing in
front of the port of Porto Cervo. The other three divisions
sailed a longer, 30-mile course which took them north past
the Monaci islands before rounding the Barettinelli islands
to the north of La Maddalena, and heading down past Santo
Stefano before finishing in front of Porto Cervo.
In the
Spirit of Tradition division, American George Lindemann’s
180-foot Adela took line honours ahead of Whitefin and C.E.
Van Asbeck’s Annagine of the Netherlands. Italy’s
Whitefin moved up to first in corrected time with Annagine
and Adela in second and third respectively.
Among
the Wallys, Magic Carpet Squared, owned by L’Oreal CEO
Lindsay Owen-Jones of Great Britain, got off to the best start
but finished second in corrected time behind last year’s
winner Alexia of Argentina, with Nariida of Norway in third.
Tiketitan, helmed by Wally Yachts president Luca Bassani,
moved up to first place in corrected time followed by Alexia,
while third place went to J One of Great Britain, owned by
Jean Charles Decaux.
Among
the Cruising Division Group A, Arne Glimcher’s Ghost
took the lead from the start and held on to cross the finish
line with a 12-minute lead over Italian Vittorio Moretti’s
Viriella, with Harry Macklowe’s Unfurled in third. Unfurled
moved up to first in corrected time ahead of Ghost. Viriella
placed third in corrected time. Filippo Faruffini’s
Roma meanwhile took line honours in the Cruising Division
Group B ahead of Gunter Hertz’s All Smoke and Sei Tu
2, owned by Italian Antonello Morina. Roma and All Smoke held
on to first and second respectively in corrected time while
Italy’s Charis, owned by Fabio Mangifesta moved up to
third.
As expected,
competition in the Racing Division was tightest between Australian
Grant Wharington’s Skandia and New Zealand’s Maximus,
owned by Bill Buckley and Charles St Clair Brown. Just after
the start some confusion occurred regarding whether boats
should have sailed a windward-leeward leg, which most of the
fleet attempted to do, before heading for the Monacis. After
some radio contact with the Race Committee the fleet continued
and Maximus took line honours five minutes ahead of Skandia,
with Great Britain’s Black Dragon a good 12 minutes
behind in third. Given the confusion over the course, however,
it was decided that race one for this division should be re-sailed
tomorrow.
Tomorrow’s
forecast predicts south-easterly winds of 5-8 knots in the
morning which should strengthen to around 8-12 in the afternoon.
The first start, for the Spirit of Tradition class, is scheduled
for 11.30.
Full results,
photos and updates from the sea can be found at www.yccsmaxi.com.
For high-resolution photos please visit www.regattanews.com
The Maxi
Yacht Rolex Cup and the Rolex Settimana delle Bocche (Week
of The Straits), a regatta for the one-design Farr 40 and
Swan 45 classes and IMS racers taking place September 12 through
17, will close the Yacht Club Costa Smeralda’s 2005
sporting calendar. For full details of these regattas and
all of the Club’s events visit www.yccs.it.
Maxi
Yacht Rolex Cup Provisional Results Race One
CLASSIFIEDS AUSTRALIA
