Sunday 16 September in Sardinia‘s Porto Cervo saw the successful conclusion of this year’s Rolex Swan Cup. Attended by four classes of Nautor’s Swan yachts, this popular event provided an amazing week of competing. Almost sixty Swan yachts from thirteen different countries enjoyed the 17th edition of this biennial regatta, first held in 1980, and sponsored by Rolex since 1984.
The Swan fleet attack a challenging coastal course around the islands of the Maddalena Archipelago - Photo by Rolex/Carlo Borlenghi
The four classes of Swan included Maxi (18.29-metres/60-feet and above), Grand Prix (18.28m/60-ft and below), Classic (models including those designed by Sparkman and Stephens) and the Swan 45 One-Design competing in the Rolex Swan 45 World Championship. The week on the water witnessed a myriad of conditions that tested the crews’ resolve and ability to adapt to the many challenges posed. Light airs characterized the start and close of competition, while a menacing Mistral during the middle of the week provided more robust racing. There was something for everyone across five days of engagement on the Maddalena Archipelago.
“The Rolex Swan Cup is one of the iconic regattas in the world. It is rewarding to see how it builds up and is consolidated event after event,” explained Leonardo Ferragamo, Chairman of Nautor’s Swan since 1998. “It represents the utmost co-operation between three great entities: Rolex, the Yacht Club Costa Smeralda and, of course, Nautor’s Swan.”
Maxi class fleet racing upwind - Photo by Rolex/Carlo Borlenghi
Rise of the Maxis
The event showcased both the current trends and the unique traditions of the Swan world. The future was reflected in the appearance of four Swan 60s. This is a rapidly emerging class of Swans and was represented by eventual Maxi class winners sailing yacht Bronenosec (RUS) in addition to Emma (GER), Vertical Smile (DEN) and Rafael Vinoly’s Swing (USA), whose crew comprised London Olympic Gold medallist Fredrik Lööf and Ferragamo himself. “The 60 is a real Swan, therefore has the ability to combine performance and a great reliability, quality and beauty,” revealed Ferragamo.
The presence of a potent fleet of Swan Maxis at the Rolex Swan Cup is becoming commonplace. “The sizes of Swans are growing, it used to be a medium size boat, now Nautor has been very good in building larger sizes and we are concentrating on that,” commented Germán Frers Sr, exclusive yacht designer to Nautor’s Swan for over 30 years and in attendance at the event.
Bronenosec led the Maxi fleet from the beginning of the week and despite a late charge from James Madden’s Swan 601 Stark Raving Mad (USA) hung on for victory. “We started this project just four months ago and we’ve managed to build a great team in that short space of time,” explained enthusiastic skipper Valeri Liubomirov. “I have a dream team and it is really important to win this famous regatta.” The crew are already turning their attentions to the future, including the legendary 606-nautical mile Rolex Fastnet Race, to be held in August 2013.
Expert tactician Tommaso Chieffi confirmed the advancements made by the crew have been crucial. “The team has made some gigantic steps since we started out and with each regatta the communication onboard has improved,” said Chieffi. “It was fantastic to win here as it is something we have worked for all season. We didn’t want to lose out on the last day.” Competition in the Maxi class though was stern. Five different boats won the week’s six races and Stark Raving Mad can be proud of its work, culminating in finishing just one point behind the winner.
Maxi class during the coastal race - Photo by Rolex/Carlo Borlenghi
Duel of the 42s
The Grand Prix class comprised craft upwards of the popular Swan 42 One Design, through to the Swan 56. Notable sailors including Spaniards Jordi Calafat (Clem) and Nacho Postigo (Magical Mystery Tour) bought expert tactical intellect to the competition. The Swan 42s dominated the Grand Prix plot line, the scene-stealer was the head-to-head between Natalia (ROU) and Edward Leask’s Magical Mystery Tour (GBR). With victories in the final two days, Natalia prevailed to the delight of co-skipper Diogo Cayolla. “All week whenever we have been in bad positions we’ve been able to recover, and whenever we’ve started well we’ve hung on to our lead. The 42 is a very competitive boat and we had quite a few days with light wind which has generally favoured us.”
Earlybird claims hat-trick
The Rolex Swan 45 World Championship showcases the first foray of Nautor’s Swan into one-design boats. Defending champion Earlybird (GER) was looking to continue its recent domination of the class. From the outset, co-owner Christian Nagel and his crew found themselves in a real fight with Vittorio Ruggiero’s TalJ (ITA) making a bold early statement, and leading until the penultimate day. Eventually, Earlybird’s winning experience – the crew also won in 2008 – made the difference. “It is our third straight victory here but it was not easy as the other boats such as TalJ and Swanted have really improved. We realised this when TalJ claimed a first and a second on the first day,” said Nagel, before promising: “We’ll definitely be back to defend our title!”
Maxi class fleet - Photo by Rolex/Carlo Borlenghi
Timeless traditions
The Classic division is reserved for the week’s oldest competing boats, including seven models drawn by Sparkman & Stephens (the first Nautor’s Swan designer and creator of 15 of the early designs). It is a testimony to the Swan’s longevity and durability that such a significant number of vintage and seemingly genteel boats can still race competitively in such testing waters, peppered with rocky outcrops. The week’s oldest yacht was the Swan 38 Only You, built in 1976, while the Classic competition was dominated by Marco Gerbaudo’s Ondine (ITA), a Swan 53, which claimed three victories from five races. Second place Shirlaf (ITA) – a Sparkman & Stephens 65 – received the prize awarded to the week’s best maintained classic yacht.
The entire competition was conducted in a true sporting manner, reflected by the sportsmanship that prevailed on the docks following the end of competition: handshakes from winners to runners-up mutually exchanged. It is typical of the Swan world. “The event embodies several values, first of all the pleasure of owning a Swan,” continued Ferragamo, a long-time and passionate Swan owner and sailor. “A Swan owner is a person who really loves their boat, and is full of pride, dedicating time and energy to their yacht. Swan owners have passion and a noble approach which is characterized by the racing and the competitive spirit which shines through at the Rolex Swan Cup.”
The Swan fleet enjoyed good sailing conditions during the third day of racing in Costa Smeralda - Photo by Rolex/Carlo Borlenghi
Swans to reconvene
The 18th edition of the Rolex Swan Cup in Porto Cervo will take place in 2014. However, following an historic announcement made by Nautor’s Swan, Rolex and the Yacht Club Costa Smeralda, the Swan community will have an earlier opportunity to reconvene at the inaugural Rolex Swan Cup – Caribbean. This new event will take place from 11-15 March 2013 at the YCCS’s recently opened base in Virgin Gorda, British Virgin Islands. An exciting development for the Swan world and the prestigious bodies that support this captivating competition.
