Porto Cervo welcomes the maxi fleet

The Yacht Club Costa Smeralda together with IMA are welcoming a record presence for the 22nd
edition of the Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup, which takes place from 5-10 September. Forty-six yachts
from 12 countries have pre-entered. Whilst the event’s appeal has always been unquestioned, the
growth in popularity of the mini-maxi yacht and the subsequent birth of the competition within a
competition, the Mini Maxi Rolex World Championship (open to yachts from 18.29-24.08 metres),
have led to the mushrooming of the regatta. This year promises to be an eye-catching feast.

Close attention will be paid to the second running of the Mini Maxi Rolex Worlds. Whilst the final
list of entries is still to be confirmed, several impressive campaigners will be attacking the waters of
the Costa Smeralda. Niklas Zennström’s Rán 2 (GBR) and Andres Soriano’s Alegre (GBR) finished
first and second last year. Intriguingly, 2010’s third placed yacht is also returning albeit under new
ownership. The 72-ft Reichel Pugh Shockwave (USA) has changed hands from serial regatta winner
Neville Crichton to George Sakellaris, who previously campaigned the CM60 Captivity. Shockwave
has been preparing for the Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup in Palma.

The crew of Whisper (IRL) have long been captivated by the lure of Porto Cervo. Michael Cotter’s
78-footer has become a fixture at the event and won the Racer/Cruiser division in 2009. The
Irish crew, competing in the Mini Maxi Rolex Worlds, have always performed impressively
on the Emerald Coast. For the crew of Whisper, like many others, the appeal of the event is
obvious. “Within the Med there is certainly no other regatta like the Maxis,” closes Dicker, “from
the picturesque scenery to the high level of competition returning year after year.

Completing the global gathering of competing nations are the Danish crew onboard the 61-ft
Vertical Smile, the 78-ft All Smoke (GBR), owned by the German businessman Günter Herz, the 60-
ft Arobas (FRA) and Caol Ila (USA), fresh from an impressive performance at the Giraglia Rolex
Cup. Sir Peter Ogden’s 60-ft Jethou (GBR) will also be in attendance, having campaigned at both
the 2009 and 2010 Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup.

Italian presence is guaranteed with the involvement of six yachts. Alessandro Rombelli’s Baltic-
65 Stig finished second behind Aegir in the Racer/Cruiser division last year. She will face stiff
competition from Riccardo de Michele’s H20 and Adriano Calvini’s 61-ft Itacentodue, both race
day winners in 2010. Completing the elenco of Italian entrants are the 60-ft Aleph-Aniene 1° Classe,
the 61-ft Tyke and Enrico Gorziglia’s Good Job Guys.

Outside of the Mini Maxi Rolex Worlds, racing will be equally intense in the prestigious and
long-established Maxi (24.09-30.5m yachts), Supermaxi (those in excess of 30.5m) and Wally
competitions. The Wally division is already shaping up to maintain its recent trend of intense battle.
Claus-Peter Offen’s Y3K (GER) and Sir Lindsay Owen Jones’ Magic Carpet (GBR) have winning
experience in Porto Cervo although the divisional crown is sure to be contested to the very last
nautical mile of the final race. The impressive fleet comprises100-footers Dark Shadow (MON) and
Kenora (GBR) as well as slightly more slender but equally impressive campaigners such as Jean
Charles Decaux’s J One (GBR), winners in 2007, and Thomas Bscher’s Open Season (GER).