Celebrating 34 years

Three of the event’s five racing days were lost to extreme winds, as strong north westerlies funnelled through the strait between Sardinia and Corsica. So it was with huge relief that the final day dawned clear and blue with more favourable westerly breeze.

All competing teams richly deserve to be applauded for maintaining focus during such a challenging week, with those emerging victorious deserving the greatest plaudits. Joost Schuijff’s Leopard 3 from The Netherlands secured the first ever Rolex IMA Maxi 1 World Championship, while Proteus entered by George and Christina Sakellaris topped Maxi 2, winning on countback. Aldo Parisotto’s Oscar 3 held on in Maxi 3, with Riccardo di Michele’s H2O lifting from third to first in Maxi 4.

In terms of age, little separates the 35 metre (115 foot) Moat and the 43.6m (143ft) Svea launched in 2016 and 2017 respectively, but there is a world of difference in design and styling between the Swan Maxi and the J Class. In the end, it was Svea, redolent of a bygone era that secured Super Maxi by virtue of winning the last race of the series. Gaetana’s victory in Maxi Multihull was more emphatic.

For Joost Schuijff winning a world title at the Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup in Leopard 3, originally launched in 2007, is a remarkable achievement. After stepping ashore, he was quick to point to the amount of preparation it had taken ahead of the event to bring the crew together and iron out any problems with the yacht’s set up:

“It is like a dream come true to win the Rolex IMA Maxi 1 World Championship. Once here we worked hard to not make any mistakes. We had no issues with our sails or the other equipment on the boat, which is so important. In the end, we were capable of fighting for every second, keeping on the wind and at speed.”

Up against some much newer competition in the Maxi 1 division and racing for the world championship, the pressure was on. Two fourth places, in the windward/leeward racing earlier in the week, left the Leopard in touching distance, but needing a stellar result to overhaul a pair of smaller Maxis: Wendy Schmidt’s Deep Blue and Django HF, which had revelled in the lively short course conditions. With two former Rolex World Sailors of the Year, Ed Baird (2007) and Mike Sanderson (2006), in the afterguard of the Dutch Maxi, there was no shortage of tactical nous.

The 42.5 nautical mile course set by the YCCS Race Committee, was a balance of beating, reaching and pure downwind sailing, deftly examining each boat’s prowess on different points of sail, and each crew’s ability to extract optimal performance on all parts of the course.

Deep Blue’s attempt to defend their position at the top of the standings blew up on the first beat, as gear failure left the American yacht unable to turn downwind after the first mark. By the time the problem was resolved the rest of the Maxi 1 fleet was well on its way to the island of Soffi, the most southernmost point on the course.

Leopard 3 spent much of the race fighting off the attentions of Galateia and V, a pair of Wallycentos. On the long beat up through the spectacular archipelago, to round the island of Maddalena, Leopard hung on. So too did Scallywag. The 30.5m/100ft ocean racer from Hong Kong kept tabs on those ahead, eventually moving into second on the water as the leaders reached the rocky outpost of Monaci. The chasing pack must have done wonders for the Leopard’s speed as the crew strove to stay in front.

Scallywag did manage to get the lead at the very end, finishing 24 seconds ahead. The result on the water, though, was not the most significant. Corrected time would determine the new world champion.

Leopard’s concerted effort to stay in front paid off. Beating the 26m (80ft) My Song into second by just over a minute on time correction was enough to secure the race win and, more importantly, the world title by three points from Django HF.

Marking a partnership of 40 years has been a special moment for both the YCCS and Rolex. Driven by the pursuit of perfection, and a passion to support the evolution and development of the sport, the longstanding relationship benefits from considerable mutual respect. YCCS Commodore Andrea Recordati had this to say:

“This 34th edition of the Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup was undoubtedly complex, but all credit must go to the entire YCCS organisation for giving it their all. Congratulations to the winners in their respective classes and thank you on behalf of the YCCS to all the participants who helped make the event, as well as our partner Rolex, with whom we are celebrating 40 years of collaboration.”

Watching proceedings from the water, was Quanhai Li, President of World Sailing, the federation responsible for all parts of the yachting fraternity:

“The Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup and the Maxi class are part of the World Sailing family. It has been great to see highly skilled sailors racing these impressive boats in such an exceptional environment with excellent organisation provided by the YCCS and IMA.”

The Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup takes place in one of the world’s most impressive sailing environments. The emerald waters, rocky outcrops and islets of north-east Sardinia’s Maddalena Archipelago offer an exceptional arena for yacht racing, with varied conditions and testing courses.

The fleet of 44 yachts, measuring from 18.29m (60ft) to more than 43.6m (143ft) in length, crewed by the world’s leading professional sailors, were a sublime combination of power, speed and elegance.

Despite the difficult circumstances presented by the weather, the event showed why its reputation is so deserved and, that in the hands of an organisation determined to deliver the best for the participants, its future is assured.

Results here.

internationalmaxiassociation.com
yccs.it