Rolex Capri Sailing Week/Volcano Race: Y3K wins Race 1

The international fleet of Maxi yachts participating in the 2013 Rolex Capri Sailing Week  / Volcano Race have reached Capri for the finish of the first race (Gaeta-Ponza-Ventotene-Capri). Line honours went to Claus Peter Offen’s Maxi Y3K (GER), which crossed the finish line shortly after 2 AM, followed by Mini-Maxi Caol Ila R (USA) at 02:52 and Jethou (GBR) shortly after 4 AM. Viking IV concluded the series of arrivals at 13:04 today.

All yachts participating in the Rolex Capri Sailing Week / Volcano Race 2013 are berthed at the docks of Capri’s Marina Grande. The fleet left Gaeta yesterday at 15:00 on the 100-nm course, beginning the race in very light breeze all way to Ponza, where South/Southeasterly winds freshened up the conditions as the fleet made their way towards Capri.

The first of four races in the weeklong event, the course from Gaeta to Capri also counted for the “Trophy of the City of Gaeta”. The race was dominated by Y3K, a Wally 100 owned by IMA President Claus-Peter Offen that secured not only Line Honours with their 02:11 finish, but also the overall on handicap.

“The conditions were very close to what we were expecting,” said Thomas Jungblut, calling tactics on Y3K. “The wind increased and changed direction only about two hours later than had been predicted in the forecast. We knew we were the leading boat on corrected time after passing Ponza, but the risk in these waters is that if the wind changes direction by 50 degrees and you are on the wrong side, then you lose everything. Luckily, the other boats followed our route. Using the tracker we could follow their movements and felt like we had good control over the situation,” continued Jungblut, “and we felt absolutely confident from that point on.” The crew was welcomed upon arrival in the Marina Grande by members of Yacht Club Capri.

Alexander Schaerer’s Caol Ila R (USA) was second across the line and the first Mini-Maxi to arrive in Capri, finishing second overall, followed by Sir Peter Ogden’s Mini-Maxi Jethou (GBR).

Two days of inshore racing for the Maxi fleet will begin tomorrow off Capri, Monday 20 May (Races 2 and 3). The highlight race of the week (Race 4) is scheduled for Wednesday 22 May: The Rolex Volcano Race. This challenging 300-nautical mile offshore race will start in Capri and take the Maxi fleet around the UNESCO-protected Aeolian islands north of Sicily, before returning for the finish off Capri.

Organised by the International Maxi Association, in collaboration with the Yacht Club Gaeta EVS and the Yacht Club Capri, the Rolex Capri Sailing Week / Volcano Race is in its third edition, though Title Sponsor Rolex’s involvement in the Capri Sailing Week dates back almost a decade.

How to Follow the Event:

Further information and a link to live tracking from the Rolex Capri Sailing Week / Volcano Race may be found at www.internationalmaxiassociation.com.

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