Conditions came good off Porto Cervo for the final day of the Loro Piana Superyacht Regatta.
The Performance Class was first away with the Italian 30.5m Wally Indio leading the charge up into bomb alley with the smaller but more thoroughbred racer, Highland Fling, pulling up through the fleet. The Cruising Class then set sail at one minute intervals with the highest rated boat, the Wally 148 Saudade first away.
Loro Piana Superyacht Regatta Sardinia Porto Cervo Day 4 Sardinia - 12 June 2010
During the race competitors saw the whole range of conditions from the start in light to moderate winds, while at the northwesterly turning mark of the course, deep into ‘bomb alley’, the wind was gusting into the 20s – challenging conditions for the crews as they hoisted their spinnakers. Unfortunately back to the south of Porto Cervo the sea breeze was attempting to fill in with the net result that the wind disappeared. First to arrive was the Performance Class who were left wallowing within sight of the line for 30 minutes as the Cruising Class caught up and joined them in the park up. It was only the latter end of the Cruising Class that were able to bring down the new wind, with Unfurled and Gliss allowing their momentum to take them to the line with Saudade squeezing through just ahead of them.
Among the boats charging towards the line in the wind was the 39m Fitzroy Yachts-built Ed Dubois-designed Ganesha, which scored their second win in the Cruising Class and the overall prize as Indio came out on top overall in the Performance Class.
Loro Piana Superyacht Regatta 2010
Through optimising their headsail inventory for this regatta, Ganesha had managed to secure a particularly favourable rating and were able to claim Wednesday’s race win by 18 minutes and today’s by 21.
‘It was quite ironic, because they set out a reaching race to try and level the playing field a bit and on the last leg of the race, the fleet were parked up close to the finish line and we were being pushed along by a little cloud and we caught up the rest of the fleet. So it was another good win and the boss is very happy,’ commented Ganesha’s Captain, Alex Pamment. As overall winner, the owner of Ganesha was presented with the Loro Piana Prize Overall – The Silver Jubilee Cup by Boat International and a stunning Chihuly artpiece.
Sardinia Porto Cervo Day 4 Sardinia - 12 June 2010 2
Second place was also claimed by a Fitzroy-built Dubois design – the 37m Moonbird on which America’s Cup sailor Chris Main is racing skipper. Third went to long term American campaigner, Harry Macklowe and his 34m Frers design, Unfurled.
On board the 32m Briand design Gliss, owner Marco Vögele was delighted with their result today that left them fourth overall. On board was her regular tactician in North Sails Denmark’s Jens Christensen, but for this regatta she had several new crew and Vögele said they had fitted in quickly.
Loro Piana Superyacht Regatta
‘The area always makes it interesting,’ commented Marco Vögele. ‘We want to come back next year. It is really one of the great regattas for the bigger boats.’
After a crewman was injured on board his boat on Wednesday, Barry Houghton, owner of the 45m Dubois-designed Salperton IV was relieved they had had a drama-free day. ‘It was a good day. Just the end was a little bit frustrating as it suited the guys who were a bit later because the wind held and they came through.’
Sardinia Porto Cervo
Houghton added that the level of competition is certainly increasing every year in superyacht races such as this week’s Boat International Media/YCCS event, but felt that this might also be a problem. ‘Maybe it has been a wake-up call this week. Everyone has been getting more professional and aggressive. A good example – the first day we were coming down with all the chutes up. If you came to one of these regattas eight years ago only 30% of the boats would have had a chute!’
One of the reasons for the swelling numbers at this year’s Loro Piana Superyacht Regatta has been the inclusion within it of the Southern Wind Shipyard Championship. This week two Southern Wind 78s have been racing and an impressive turn out of seven of their Farr-designed 100 ft sisterships.
Loro Piana Superyacht Regatta Sardinia 2010
Guglielmo Persico and Marco Percorella’s 78 Southern Star finished second today, leaving them fifth overall and winner of the SWS Championship. YCCS member Persico, also the CEO of Southern Wind, says this regatta is the only occasion his South African-built boats ever race en masse. ‘It is important to gather our clients and to have the opportunity to get them involved and to show their yachts to other people. They all enjoy racing.’
The Loro Piana Superyacht Regatta is scheduled to take place again in early June 2011, but in the meantime Boat International Media has announced an inaugural Caribbean Regatta and Rendezvous for superyachts, in association with the YCCS, to take place in the British Virgin Islands on 16-20 March 2011.
