In just under a week, the Mediterranean sailing season is expected to kick off as the Yacht Club Costa Smeralda‘s programme of top international regattas gets underway in the fabulous Italy yacht charter destination – Porto Cervo, Sardinia. From sailing superyachts to one-design racers and from stars of the America’s Cup and round-the-world races to Olympic medal winners and amateur sailing enthusiasts, upcoming events on the Club’s calendar will undoubtedly offer something to everyone.
Loro Piana Superyacht Regatta 2013 - Photo credit to Carlo Borlenghi/Superyacht Media
Opening the season in grand style is the Loro Piana Superyacht Regatta (3-7 June) which will welcome 21 sailing giants to the quays of Porto Cervo Marina. Established in 2008 and organized in collaboration with Boat International Media, the event has quickly become a key fixture on the superyacht summer sailing schedule. The regatta has become a hub for the nautical industry as designers, builders and sail makers gather to admire the latest cutting edge technology employed under the hoods of these behemoths, whose luxurious exteriors belie a capacity for speed on the regatta course that makes them all the more impressive. No less than six models representing the South African Southern Wind Shipyard will be present, with yachts competing for the SWS Trophy.
While each day’s racing is a serious business, with owners employing rock-star tacticians, navigators and afterguard crew members in the battle to claim overall victory, everyone involved also finds time to relax and unwind thanks to a full programme of glittering social events organized throughout the week. From gala dinners and beach parties to cocktail receptions and pizza party, owners, guests and crews enjoy the best hospitality that the organizers, the title sponsor and the elegant Costa Smeralda region has to offer.
Dubois Cup 2013 - Prizegiving at YCCS Clubhouse © Carlo Borlenghi
As the superyachts conclude their Sardinian adventure and leave the quays of the New Marina, a fleet of “formula 1 racers” will take their place in the form of the TP52 fleet ready to do battle in the Audi TP52 World Championship 2014 (9-14 June). Nine international teams are expected to participate with teams arriving from the US, Sweden, Great Britain, France, Brazil and Turkey.
Teams will include the Yacht Club Costa Smeralda’s own Azzurra, owned by Alberto Roemmers and fresh from victory in the Rolex Capri Sailing Week last weekend. With a tight-knit crew and a good deal of local knowledge, not least from tactician Vasco Vascotto who has been racing on the waters off Porto Cervo for several decades, the “home team” will be expected to perform well.
Competition will be stiff however and last year’s 52 Super Series circuit winners Quantum Racing, with America’s Cup supremoes Ed Baird and Terry Hutchinson at the helm and on tactics respectively, will be looking to gain crucial points after placing third in Capri. Sweden’s Ran Racing, led by husband and wife team Niklas and Catherine Zennström, will also be one to watch as current world title holder. Joining regular tactician Adrian Stead will be British former 470 world champion Nic Asher in the role of strategist.
Once the world title has been bestowed, the YCCS calendar continues with the Coppa Europa Smeralda 888 (27-29 June), the fourth leg of the annual European circuit for the Smeralda 888 Class, based in Monte Carlo. One-design racing will continue into July with the inaugural edition of the Invitational Team Racing Challenge (2-6 July), a 2-keelboat team racing event that will see amateur racers from some of the world’s top Yacht Clubs competing aboard newly launched Bavaria B-One craft. Racing is expected to be fast and furious as teams are knocked-out in a round robin formula until only the two finalists remain standing for the final duel.
Organizers and crews will then take a well-earned rest before the sailing spectacle begins again in September with the Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup, organized in collaboration with the International Maxi Association, and the Rolex Swan Cup.
