PORTO CERVO, ITALY

SEPTEMBER 4 - 10, 2005

• Record fleet for 2005 Rolex Maxi Cup
• SEPT 4, 2005: YACHT CLUB COSTA SMERALDA’S 2005 MAXI YACHT ROLEX CUP BEGINS TOMORROW WITH A RECORD FLEET FROM 13 COUNTRIES
• SEPT 5, 2005: AMERICAN HARRY MACKLOWE’S UNFURLED WINS CRUISING CLASS A IN DAY ONE OF MAXI YACHT ROLEX CUP 2005
• SEPT 6, 2005: CHANGING WEATHER PRESENTS CHALLENGES TO COMPETITORS ON DAY
• SEPT 7, 2005: ANOTHER HEAVY AIR DAY FOR RACERS IN DAY THREE OF MAXI YACHT ROLEX CUP; AMERICANS LEAD CRUISING A AND SPIRIT OF TRADITION DIVISIONS
• SEPT 8, 2005: NO RACING TODAY IN MAXI YACHT ROLEX CUP; RACING DIVISION RE-SAIL POSTPONED DUE TO POOR WEATHER CONDITIONS
• SEPT 9, 2005: WINDY CONDITIONS CONTINUE TO CHALLENGE MAXI YACHT ROLEX CUP COMPETITORS

• FINAL DAY: SEPT 10, 2005: 2005 MAXI YACHT ROLEX CUP ENDS ON SUNNY NOTE AFTER WEEK OF CHALLENGING CONDITIONS
• PORTO CERVO, Italy (September 10, 2005) – Sailors competing on the final day of the 2005 Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup, sponsored by the Yacht Club Costa Smeralda, today experienced sunny skies and the traditional Sardinian Mistral of around 14 knots, gusting up to about 20 knots, after extreme weather, high winds and very competitive race conditions throughout the regatta. During the week, the record international fleet saw toppled rigs and torn spinnakers which tested the stamina of the most experienced crews.
• “Today brings to a close one of the most challenging Maxi Yacht Rolex Cups we have had the pleasure of hosting,” commented YCCS Commodore Gianfranco Alberini. “In light of varying sailing conditions that required quick thinking, every competitor is to be congratulated for their competitive spirit. Porto Cervo truly lived up to its reputation as one of the world’s best sailing environments. We thank all of our guests who travelled from over 13 countries to make this a great regatta.”
• In Cruising A division, Harry Macklowe’s Unfurled won first place with four points, while American Arne Glimcher’s Ghost finished in second with eight points. Italy’s Vittorio Moretti took third with 10 points. In Cruising B division, Filippo Faruffini’s Roma continued her winning streak to lock up first place overall. Great Britain’s Allsmoke, owned by Gunter Hertz and driven by American world-class sailor Ken Read, took second. Italy’s Charis, involved in a collision yesterday, took third with 13 points. An overall award was giving for the combined Cruising division. Allsmoke and Roma where tied with 10 points, but Allsmoke won on the basis of two second place finishes.
• In the Racing division where competition was close, The UK’s Black Dragon, owned by Performance Yachting, won overall with six points, one point ahead of Roland Pieper’s Favonius of the Netherlands, who finished second. Australian Grant Wharington’s Skandia took third place with 15 points.
• According to Black Dragon’s tactician, Hank Van der Vaart, “Our boat was designed for the downwind sailing of the Transpac and Pacific Cups, and is best suited for light winds. The upwind legs were tough for us, but once we started sailing downwind the boat seemed to fly.”
• In the 12-boat Wally division, though there was a tie for first place, Y3K, owned by German Claus Peter Offen, had more first places finishes throughout the regatta, and thus claimed first. Alexia, owned by Alberto Roemmers, finished in second place with Italian Tiketitan, helmed by Wally President Luca Bassani, finishing third. Alexia, which won the regatta last year, proved to be tough competition for Y3K, covering her moves throughout today’s 30-mile race.
• In the Spirit of Tradition division, American George Lindemann won first place with Adela, with Italian Alfredo Canessa’s Whitefin taking second. Annagine, owned by C.E. Van Asbeck from the Netherlands, took third.
• The entire fleet sailed through the islands of the La Maddalena archipelago. From the start just off Porto Cervo, the competitors headed up past the island of Santo Stefano and the Secca Corsara rock before rounding Spargi, leaving the island to port and doubling back down past Capo Ferro to the finish just off Porto Cervo.
• Full results, photos and event information 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.

2005 Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup Final Results

Racing Division (6 Boats)

• Pos, Boat, Owner, Country, Points (Total)
  1. Black Dragon, Performance Yachting, GBR 1, 2, 1, 2 (6)
  2. Favonius, Roland Pieper BVI 3, 1, 2, 1 (7)
  3. Skandia, Grant Wharington, AUS 2, OCS 7, 3, 3 (15)

Wally Class (12 boats)

• Pos, Boat, Owner, Country, Points (Total)
  1. Y3K,Claus Peter Offen, GER, 3, 1, (5), 1, 1 (6)
  2. Alexia, Alberto Roemmers, ARG, 1, 2, 1, 2, (3) (6)
  3. Tiketitan, Galeazzo Pecori Giraldi, ITA, 2, (DNF 13), 2, 3, 2 (9)

Cruising Class A (6 boats)

• 1. Unfurled, Harry Macklowe, USA, 1, 1, 1, (DSQ 7), 1 (4)
  2. Ghost, Arne Glimcher, USA, 2, 2, (3), 1, 3 (8)
  3. Viriella, Vittorio Moretti, ITA, 3, 3, (DNF 7), 2, 2 (10)

Cruising Class B (9 boats)

• 1. Roma, Filippo Farufini, ITA, 1, 1, 2, (4), 2 (6)
  2. Allsmoke, Gunter Hertz, GBR, 2, 3, (DNF 10), 2, 1 (8)
  3. Charis, Fabio Mangifesta, ITA, 3, 4, 1, (10), 5 (13)

Spirit of Tradition (4 boats)

• 1. Adela, George Lindemann, USA (3), 1, 1, 2, 1 (5)
  2. Whitefin, Alfredo Canessa, ITA 1, (2), 2, 1, 2 (6)
  3. Annagine, C.E. Van Asbeck, NED 2, 3, 3, 3, (5) (11)