Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup 2007 starts tomorrow

PORTO CERVO, Italy. 1st September. The Porto Cervo sunshine is blazing down on the 38 owners and crews assembled in the Marina Nuova for the 18^th edition of the Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup. As temperatures rise on the docks so does the tension for the four competing divisions which are today completing registration and measurement procedures ahead of tomorrow’s first day of racing. The event, hosted by the Yacht Club Costa Smeralda (YCCS) and organized in conjunction with the International Maxi Association (IMA), will run from today through to 8^th September on the waters off the north-eastern coast of Sardinia, Italy.

Participants will compete in four divisions: Racing, Cruising, Wally and Mini Maxi.

The Racing division hosts the “Formula One” of the Maxi fleet, highly competitive craft often equipped with cutting-edge technological innovations designed to shave those vital extra seconds off course times. Bob Oatley’s Wild Oats XI (AUS) and Neville Crichton’s Alfa Romeo (NZL), two almost identical 98 foot Reichel-Pugh designs, will be ones to watch in this division. Alfa Romeo has already won the Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup twice in her division (2003, 2006) while Wild Oats has triumphed in the last two edition of the Rolex Sydney-Hobart Race. George David’s Rambler (USA), fresh from victory in the Super Zero division of the Rolex Fastnet Race, will also be a force to be reckoned with.

The more comfortably equipped craft of the Cruising division will include several J-Class yachts ranging from the 2003 launched Ranger (CAY), three-time division winner of Antigua Classic week, to the classic 1933 Camper and Nicholson designed Velsheda (USA). Ed Dubois’ cruising sloop Salperton, at 145 feet in length the largest yacht in the fleet will also be competing in this division, as will Arne Glimcher’s 122-foot Ghost (USA) with eight-time America’s Cup veteran Tom Whidden calling tactics. For this year’s edition the Race Committee has decided to amalgamate the Spirit of Tradition and Cruising Divisions with the result that last year’s winner Hetairos (CAY), a classic ketch helmed by Otto Happel, will also be competing in this class.

The recently introduced Mini Maxi division will be one of the largest with thirteen boats enrolled. The yachts, which range from 18 to 23.9 metres in accordance with IMA regulations, include Carlo Puri Negri’s Atalanta II (ITA), winner of the 2006 edition in this division and Massimo Violati’s Ops 5, division winner at this year’s Rolex Capri Sailing Week.

The Wally division can expect a close-fought battle between last year’s winner Magic Carpet Squared (GBR), with owner Lindsay Owen-Jones at the helm, and the 2005 winner Y3K (GER), owned by IMA President Claus Peter Offen.

Racing will be composed of a mixture of windward-leeward and coastal courses over five days, with a lay day scheduled for Thursday 7^th September. Competition aside, organizers from the Yacht Club Costa Smeralda along with title sponsor Rolex will provide the now customary array of top-class social events, ranging from exclusive gala dinners to lively crew parties on the Piazza Azzurra.
 
On-site event meteorologist Major Filippo Petrucci predicts a fairly light westerly breeze of approximately 5 knots for tomorrow’s start which should build to 8-9 knots later in the afternoon. Tuesday’s racing, on the other hand, will most likely be accompanied by the infamous Sardinian Mistral, a north-westerly wind which could hit gusts of up to 25-30 knots.

The majority of the maxi fleet will remain in Porto Cervo until Monday 10^th September to help the YCCS celebrate in their 40^th Anniversary regatta: a festival of sailing which is open to all sailing vessels and will surely reflect the entire spectrum of yacht racing’s past and present. In addition to the Maxis and boats linked to the YCCS history, the International 12 Metre class will also participate as part of their centenary tour alongside boats from the Rolex Veteran Boat Rally, set to start on 12^th September.

Racing is scheduled to start tomorrow Monday 3^rd September at 12 midday. For more information please visit www.yccs.it , www.yccsmaxi.com or www.regattnews.com.