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Yacht Class n°28 (march-april-may 2022)
In each issue, discover the latest news of all the yacht clubs around the world twinned with the Monegasque club.
KIELER YACHT CLUB (KYC)
Welcome to the KYC, a new twinned club !
The Yacht Club de Monaco’s large family of foreign clubs expanded at the end of 2021. In addition to a new reciprocal agreement with the Salinas Yacht Club (Ecuador), the Monegasque institution is now twinned with the German Kieler Yacht-Club, located in Kiel, a major port city in northern Germany with access to the Baltic Sea. Founded in 1887 with the aim of “spreading the joy of sailing”, the German club also has a long tradition of sailing and racing, which are at the heart of its activity. With 1 400 members, the Kieler Yacht Club is one of the most important clubs in Germany and has many world, European and Olympic medallists in its ranks. The club also organizes world-class competitions such as the MaiOR (Mai Offshore Regatta), the YES (Young European Sailing), and of course the Kieler Woche or Kiel Week, which is over a century old. It is actually worth noting that Prince Albert Ist of Monaco was a faithful visitor to this event, having attended on numerous occasions during his reign. Last September, Prince Albert II actually followed in the footsteps of his great-grandfather, whose death is commemorated this year in Monaco. Of course, we will not fail to present this new twinned club in more detail in a future issue.
MONACO OPTIMIST TEAM RACE
Races and fun for the young sailors of four twinned clubs at the Monaco Optimist Team Race
The adventure began more than a decade ago with only twinned clubs. If today the Monaco Optimist Team Race has taken on an international dimension and become a reference event for team racing, the young people of these friendly clubs still have a place of honour. And this 12th edition, which took place from January 12th to 16th, was no exception to the rule (see “Yachting in Monaco” for our full report). Out of the fifteen teams of this year, four came from clubs twinned with the Monegasque institution: the Yacht Club Punta del Este, the Yacht Club Italiano, the Société Nautique de Genève and the Royal Swedish Yacht Club, which ranked second in 2020, just behind the United States. And like most of the teams, they all came with new racers. “The former team was too “old” to compete. We have a new generation of sailors who are here to gain experience, to grow and to become stronger in the future”, confirmed Marcelo Saguier, the Swiss team coach, but also Tom Thorn who accompanied the Swedish KSSS team: “Our guys are not beginner on this boat, but in this format, but we will do our best. This competition is very different from others due to its atmosphere and environment. This marina is quite extraordinary and everything is very professional”. For YCPE Facundo Gonzalez, it was also a big first. “They don’t have any experience of this type of regatta but we trained a lot lately, as it is currently summer in the southern hemisphere”, explained the Uruguayan coach before adding, “The win is very important but at the moment, experience, relationships, meeting other countries and cultures are the most important things”. Meeting new people, progressing and sharing an unforgettable experience was also one of the driving forces of the YCI team. “Being here is really something special. I’ve been here for the Giraglia and other regattas, but never as a coach. The kids and I are very happy. It’s amazing to be here with sailors from South America, the US and all over the world. We are making the most of this opportunity”, said Alberto Nuzzi. In terms of results, after four days of competition and more than 105 matches, the Royal Swedish Yacht Club finished seventh, tied with Monaco, while the Swiss and Italian teams shared the eleventh place. The Uruguayan team finished 14th. “Even though the result wasn´t what we hoped for there were some good races lost at the last minute, as is sometimes happens. Nonetheless, we are sure this experience has marked a before and after in this young, promising generation”, explained the club, to whom we will leave the final word: “The possibility of competing in this Championship is something that motivates our youngest sailors, with each classifying event becoming more competitive, pursuing their dream to conquer the podium in the future. May fair winds lead us to another magnificent encounter next year!”
CLUBE NAVAL CASCAIS (CNC)
1st regional qualifying of the Optimist class
The new competitive calendar of the Clube Naval de Cascais (CNC) started with the 1st Regional Qualifying of the Optimist Class. About fifty boats competed, with a nice final day with the wind blowing again from the east quadrant with 8 to 6 knots of intensity. In Fleet 1, Juvenile category, Guilherme Morais, from Clube Náutico dos Oficiais e Cadetes da Armada is the winner, followed by Tiago Santos (Clube Naval de Cascais) and Miguel Plantier, from Associação Naval de Lisboa. The capital’s club also won two podiums in the fleet 2, Children’s category with Francisco Quartin (1st) and Duarte Lufinha (3). Jonas Abreu, from Clube de Vela do Barreiro, completes this ranking, while the first female position goes to Maria Nunes, from Clube Naval de Cascais.
A 3rd Cascais sb20 winter series to start the year
The Cascais Winter Series of the SB20 Class were back on the weekend of the 22nd and 23rd of January for the third race of the season. With fine condition – a sunny day with an east wind of 6 to 12 knots on the Saturday and an oscillating east wind of 8 to 10 knots of intensity on the Sunday, the twenty-five SB20 class boats competed in six races that saw the victory of the British Xcellent team of John Pollard of Jack Wetherell and Henry Wetherell. José Paulo Ramada’s AP Hotels & Resorts team from Clube Naval de Cascais with Diogo Costa, Rui Ramada Barros and Henrique Brites were runner-up. Closing the podium ended the French team Skin in the Game of Edward Russo, Gilles Favennec and Jonathan Lobert.
A great year to come
2022 is all about competition at Clube Naval de Cascais with on the agenda no less than three world championships (Rolex TP52 in June, Snipe in August and M32 in October) and on the 6M European Championship that will take place in September and should welcome more than 30 boats. This is a great recognition for the Portuguese club, located a few kilometers from Lisbon, which can boast a solid experience in organizing world-class events, but also magnificent sea and wind conditions, appreciated by sailors. Actually, this is the sixth time that the Rolex TP52 World Championship will be held in Portugal. “For the club, the World Championship is the most important event, the jewel in our season here which is stacked with great events”, explained Gonçalo Esteves, president of the Clube Naval de Cascais, before adding : “I think running the event in June will be a success because it is the month that always guarantees us wind but with lots of sunshine, great light and long days.”
REAL CLUB NAUTICO BARCELONA (RCNB)
49e Trofeo De Vela Conde De Godó : registrations are open
It is one of the traditional rendezvous of the Real Club Náutico de Barcelona. The Trofeo de vela Conde de Godó will be held from May 26 to 29th at the foot of the Catalan capital. And this 49th edition will host the usual ORC classes and the J70 fleet, but also, for the very first time, the ORC DH class (Double Handed), offering a foretaste of the ORC Double Handed World Championship to be organized in September 2023 by the Real Club Náutico de Barcelona. It is worth noting that this class, which has been experiencing strong growth in recent years, has a large and consolidated fleet of boats in Catalonia and Spain. To register, you have until May 20, 2022.
The ILCA are back in Barcelona
Barcelona is definitely one of ILCA’s (International Laser Class Association / ex-Laser Standards) favourite playgrounds. After welcoming the ILCA 7 (ex-Laser Standard) World Championships last November, the RCNB will once again host the Barcelona Ilca Master Championship for ILCA 7 (ex-Laser Standard) and 6 (ex-radial) next June. The event will take place at the Barcelona International Sailing Center located at the Port Forum. This state-of-the-art centre is an innovative concept in sports facilities, designed to meet the specific needs of water sports athletes taking part in high level competition. The perfect setting for performance.
ROYAL SWEDISH YACHT CLUB (KSSS)
280 boats registered to Gotland Runt
Open for registration since mid-November, the Gotland Runt, the world’s largest annual offshore sail race, that will start on July 30th, has seen the number of entrants steadily go up. Hence, 200 boats have entered in the full crew classes and 80 in the double-handed class. Note that the Gotland Runt will be the first official DH World Championship in ORCi. Only a few months from the event, the Royal Swedish Yacht Club is in the midst of preparations. Planning for the race harbor in the city center in Stockholm is in full swing and the event team is thrilled to be able to plan for a pre-race event filled with activities, exhibitors, lectures and of course sailors and spectators. Note that, last year, for the first time, the provisional harbor on Djurgården hosted the competition village and the plan is to once again host the Gotland Runt race harbor at the KSSS Djurgårdshamn. The harbor became a very popular tourist harbor last season, enabling the beautiful Stockholm center to all boat traveling people coming from near and far away. This promises an extraordinary reunion !
SOCIETE NAUTIQUE DE GENEVE (SNG)
Carron II, born to perform
She will be challenging for the Neptune Cup she has held since 2016 during the 8-meter IR World Championship to be held at home, at the Société Nautique de Genève, next July. A title that the Carron II is the only one to have won five times, including four times in a row, with her owner and her skipper Jean-Luc Lévêque. A fine record for this boat born under the sign of regatta, commissioned in the early 1930s by a British sailing enthusiast, Lauriston Lewis of Templecombe, to the prestigious Scottish shipyard Fife. She was then his fourth Fife design, and the second Carron, as the first one did not give him satisfaction. Carron II, the 813th boat built by the famous shipyard, was launched in May 1935 and right from the start, she showed her inclination for victory. But after only two months, she was sold and then seen sailing in England, the United States and even Norway. Since the 1990’s, she is experiencing a second youth. Then owned by the French-Swiss diplomat Prince Sadruddin Aga Khan, she passed into the expert hands of the English shipyard Fairlie Restorations, in Hamble, who restored her to her original splendor, with her Burmese teak and Honduran mahogany. After the death of the Prince, Carron II continued to sail on Lake Geneva. This is where Angelo Mazzarella fell in love with her. The Italian, a sailing enthusiasts and member of the Nautique, acquired her with the ambition to see her again on the highest step of the podium. This was a successful bet since, since 2014, she goes from the world championships to classic regattas, such as the Régates Royales de Cannes or Les Voiles de Saint-Tropez that she actually both won in 2021, she never stops shining.
America’s Cup : Alinghi Red Bull Racing under the flag of the SNG
The news came mi- December. More than ten years after its last participation, Alinghi, one of the most dynamic names in the history of the America’s Cup, is returning to battle, with the firm intention of adding a third sailing’s pinnacle honour to its track record. With this in mind, the twice consecutive–winning syndicate is partnered by a driving force in global sport, Red Bull. The launch of the new team, named Alinghi Red Bull Racing, was announced by Alinghi founder Ernesto Bertarelli and two-time Olympic champion Hans Peter Steinacher, with Red Bull Racing CEO Christian Horner also also participating live via satellite. Sailing under the flag of the Société Nautique de Genève, Alinghi Red Bull Racing has immediately begun preparations to race as an official challenger when the Selection Series for the 37th begins in early 2024. Among the teams that Alinghi Red Bull Racing will prepare to face are the defender, four-time America’s Cup winner Emirates Team New Zealand, as well as the challenger of record, INEOS Britannia. Alinghi Red Bull Racing will headquarter its operations near Lausanne, in Écublens, Switzerland, where the hull will be built according to the requirement of the Deed of Gift, the governing document of the America’s Cup. A core crew led by Alinghi’s GC32 co-skipper Arnaud Psarofaghis and mainsail trimmer Bryan Mettraux will begin training during the winter period to prepare a 100% Swiss made crew.
YACHT CLUB PUNTA DEL ESTE (YCPE)
A busy beginning of the year
The year is off to a great start in Punta del Este, as January saw two major events. From January 15 to 22th, the Uruguayan club hosted the Rolex South Atlantic Circuit 2022, co-organised with the Yacht Club Argentino. In spite of the restrictions due to the current Pandemic, almost 50 boats came to brave the elements. Indeed this year, the southern hemisphere summer brought tough and unusual weather conditions, with heavy rain, electrical storms and strong winds throughout the week of racing, with seven races programmed: a 300 nautical mile race from Buenos Aires (Argentina) to Punta del Este (Uruguay), four winward-leeward races and two inshore races. The Argentine Fernando Chain on Mac won the competition, followed by Julián Somodi on Katara. In the J/70 class, Pedro Garra won with his boat PLAN B (Uruguay). It is worth noting that, as usual, immediately after this race, the YCPE organized its traditional Classic Week Punta del Este. Fortunately for the fleet, which consisted of some 20 boats from the early 1930s to the late 1970s, there was a much nicer weather. They provided a beautiful spectacle all over the bay. The winners were the Argentineans José A. Frers on Horizonte and José de la Vega on Chancegger, in the Spirit of Tradition category.
YACHT CLUB COSTA SMERALDA (YCCS)
Un nouveau sponsor pour la Superyacht Regatta
C’est une nouvelle ère qui s’ouvre pour la Superyacht Regatta du Yacht Club Costa Smeralda, puisque sa quinzième édition sera placée sous le patronage de la marque italienne de prêt à porter de luxe Giorgio Armani. “Nous souhaitons la bienvenue à Giorgio Armani en tant que nouveau sponsor en titre de la Superyacht Regatta. Nous sommes très heureux de ce nouveau partenariat avec l’une des icônes mondiales de l’excellence italienne les plus appréciées”, a déclaré Michael Illbruck, commodore du Yacht Club Costa Smeralda. Ouverte aux superyachts d’une longueur minimale de 90 pieds et aux multicoques d’au moins 50 pieds, la Giorgio Armani Superyacht Regatta comprendra également, comme lors des éditions précédentes, le Southern Wind Rendezvous et Trophy. La 15e édition de cette régate née en 2008 se déroulera du 31 mai au 4 juin 2022 dans les eaux de la Côte d’Émeraude avec au programme : quatre jours de courses côtières dans le cadre unique de l’archipel de La Maddalena, accompagnés de diverses activités conviviales à terre.
YACHT CLUB ITALIANO (YCI)
A busy calendar
The Yacht Club Italiano is also making up for lost time! Until October, a busy calendar awaits the Genoese club. After the winter regattas (420, Optimist and ILCA H22) that animated the Italian waters in February, the year will continue with the same intensity in March with the second edition of the Genova Sailing Week, open to ORC/IRC classes and which has its origins in the first regattas organized by the club in 1887. Then spring will start with the Grand Prix of Italy – Coppa Alberti, an offshore race for Mini 6.50, and the Regate di Primavera, which will bring together maxi yachts in Portofino. After the Bombola d’Oro – Trofeo SIAD (Dinghy 12) in May, the Rolex Giraglia (June 10-18th) will return to its original format after a 2021 edition in Italian waters, with its inaugural regatta between Sanremo and Saint-Tropez, where the coastal races will take place and the offshore race to Genoa, via the famous Giraglia Rock, will sail off. Another prestigious offshore race, the RoundItaly, linking Genoa and Trieste, will start on the opening day of the Genoa Boat Show (September 22), which will also see the launch of the Millevele. Finally, for once, it is not the Coppa Poggi (420 and ILCA) that will mark the end of the season, but the European Melges 24 Championship that will be held from October 22 to 29. Let’s note that the year 2023 is also looking good as the club has been assigned the 8m SI World Championships.
Written by Aurore Teodoro
