No wind foils play

A report from the final day of Rolex Capri Sailing Week

The 35-strong fleet competing in the Rolex Capri Sailing Week 2006, organised by the Yacht Club Capri and the Yacht Club Costa Smeralda, waited in vain for the wind gods to favour them in the fourth and final day of racing. The Race Committee was unable to start race eight within the time limit of 14.00 hours due to an almost total lack of wind and so yesterday’s overall results for the Farr 40s and Swan 45sare valid as the final results for the event.

For the Farr 40s Vincenzo Onorato’s Mascalzone Latino, with America’s Cup champion Russell Coutts calling tactics and Britain’s Adrian Stead as mainsail trimmer took first place with four firsts in seven races and 21 points overall. Second place went to Germany’s Struntje Light on 28 points followed by Marco Rodolfi’s TWT.

Nautor Group Chairman, Leonardo Ferragamo, who had a great first day with two first places and steady performances during the week, took victory among the Swan 45s on 24 points, just one point ahead of second-place Mintaka, owned by Stefano Polti. Third-place went to Carlo Perrone’s Atlantica Racing on 29 points

The winners in the Mini-Maxi and Comet divisions had already been decided yesterday as both divisions had completed the maximum number of races scheduled for the event: Giorgio Ruffo took the Rolex Trophy among Mini-Maxi’s with his Aleph, while Guido Morisco’s Nur won for the Comet craft.

Talking about his win, Neapolitan Onorato said “I’m really happy to have finally won in the waters off Naples for the first time since 1980! I really want to thank all of the crew who worked really well together."

“This has been a great event with top-class sailors and a fantastic atmosphere. It has proved a wonderful start to our season and we look forward to the many exciting and challenging regattas ahead in 2006”, commented Gianfranco Alberini, Commodore of the Yacht Club Costa Smerlada, at the close of the prizegiving at Marina Grande.