With anticipation building at the Yacht Club Costa Smeralda (YCCS) for the start of the sailing season in the Mediterranean, the Club introduced its 2013 Regatta Calendar to journalists as well as yachtsmen in Milan this morning. While the Club’s busy schedule started in the Caribbean earlier this year, the Mediterranean season is scheduled to kick off in less than a month’s time.
YCCS Press Conference in Milan, April 2013
Regattas 2013
Just one year on from its inauguration, the Yacht Club Costa Smeralda’s winter base in the British Virgin Islands has already played host to top sailors, owners and boats over the course of several prestigious events held in February and March. The BVI Sportboat Regatta (21-24 February) gathered the Melges 32 class on the waters of Virgin Gorda, while March saw impressive fleets arrive at YCCS Marina for a spectacular first edition of the Rolex Swan Cup Caribbean (11-15 March) and the second Loro Piana Caribbean Superyacht Regatta and Rendezvous (20-23 March).
The season is set to commence in Porto Cervo, as is traditional, with the agile Smeralda 888 craft. The one-design sloops created by naval architect German Frers for the YCCS, will take to the waters off the Costa Smeralda for Audi Vela & Golf (10-12 May), Coppa Europa Smeralda 888 (14-16 June) and the Invitational Smeralda 888 (5-7 July). The fleet will also do battle during the YCCS Members’ Championship scheduled for 4th August.
The Mediterranean superyacht season officially opens with the Dubois Cup (1-3 June) and the Loro Piana Superyacht Regatta (4-8 June) and continues after the summer break with the Perini Navi Cup (28-31 August). The giants of the sea will salute Porto Cervo for 2013 with the Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup and Mini Maxi Rolex World Championship (1-7 September) organized in collaboration with the Club’s historic partner Rolex and the International Maxi Association.
Fans of pure competition will eagerly await the two regattas open to one-design and box-rule fleets organized in collaboration with the Club’s Official Automotive Partner Audi: the Audi Settimana delle Bocche – 52 Super Series and Soto 40 Series (10-14 September) and the Audi Melges 32 World Championship which will be held in Porto Rotondo (18-22 September) and see the YCCS contributing their technical organization.
The focus returns to Virgin Gorda for winter 2013/2104 with a fleet of maxi yachts and superyachts setting sail from Tenerife, destined for the Caribbean, in the Transatlantic Superyacht and Maxi Regatta (departure 25 November).
The YCCS Sporting Calendar 2013, thanks to the Club’s new home in the Caribbean, now runs year-round, giving members and yachtsmen the opportunity to enjoy the renowned YCCS hospitality on both sides of the Atlantic.
Princess Zahra Aga Khan, President of the Board at YCCS Press Conference
Azzurra Sailing Team
Exactly thirty years on from the debut of the first Italian challenger for the America’s Cup (Newport, USA – 1983), Azzurra continues to garner fans and is as much a source of pride for Italy as ever. The team opened the 2013 season in style claiming victory in the Quantum Key West Race Week in January and following up with an excellent performance in Miami which earned them second place in the 52 World Championship (5-9 March) in addition to first place in the US 52 Sailing Series.
The TP52 will be flying the YCCS burgee on several international regatta courses this summer and finishes the season at her home in Porto Cervo for the Audi Settimana delle Bocche. Owner and YCCS Member Alberto Roemmers together with his team, which includes skipper Guillermo Parada and strategist Vasco Vascotto, will participate in the Trofeo Conde de Godò (Barcelona 20-26 May), the Royal Cup (Ibiza 2-6 July) and the Copa del Rey (Palma de Mallorca 29 July – 3 August).
“Thirty years on, given my personal experience with Azzurra in 1983 and 1987, I feel honoured to still be a part of the emotions and the adventure generated by the new boat and her crew,” commented Riccardo Bonadeo, YCCS Commodore. “I am also very proud that, despite the difficult worldwide economic situation, thanks to the dedication of the entire YCCS team, our partners and our President H.H. the Aga Khan, we continue to see significant growth in our sporting and social activities both in Sardinia and the Caribbean.”
Riccardo Bonadeo, Commodore at YCCS Press Conference
2013 Yccs Regattas:
21 – 24 February | BVI Sportboat regatta (Melges 32) – Virgin Gorda, BVI
11 – 15 March | Rolex Swan Cup Caribbean – Virgin Gorda, BVI
20 – 23 March | Loro Piana Caribbean Superyacht Regatta & Rendezvous – Virgin Gorda, BVI
10 – 12 May | Audi Vela & Golf – Porto Cervo
1 – 3 June | Dubois Cup – Porto Cervo
4 – 8 June | Loro Piana Superyacht Regatta – Porto Cervo
14 – 16 June | Coppa Europa Smeralda 888 – Porto Cervo
05 – 07 July | Invitational Smeralda 888 – Porto Cervo
4 August | Campionato Sociale – Porto Cervo
28 – 31 August | Perini Navi Cup – Porto Cervo
1-7 September | Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup & Rolex Mini Maxi World Championship – Porto Cervo
10 -14 September | Audi Settimana delle Bocche – Tp52 Super Series & Soto 40 Series – Porto Cervo
18 – 22 September | Audi Melges 32 World Championship – Porto Rotondo
25 November | Transatlantic Superyacht & Maxi Regatta – Tenerife to Virgin Gorda
Azzurra Calendar 2013:
20 – 25 January | Quantum Key West Race Week – Key West, USA
5 – 9 March | Gaastra 52 World Championship – Miami, USA
23- 26 May | 40th Trofeo Conde de Godo – Barcellona, Spagna
3 – 6 July | Royal Cup – Ibiza, Spagna
29 July – 3 August | Copa del Rey – Palma de Maiorca, Spagna
10-14 September | Audi Settimana delle Bocche – Porto Cervo, Italia
