On the starting grid

One design classes lining up for tomorrow's start of the Rolex Capri Sailing Week

For the crews preparing to start racing tomorrow at Rolex Capri Sailing Week, conditions could not be better with the sky blue, the wind warm and building gently through the day.

With one-design racing in Farr 40s, Swan 45s and Swan 42s crews may be thinking of their diet with light winds not expected to exceed 12- 13 knots forecast for the four days of scheduled competition.

"The wind may be a little challenging, with the sea-breeze not filling until around noon each day when we are scheduled to have the first signals," states PRO, the legend Peter Reggio, adding: "It's my first time in Capri, I've been here for about twenty hours and I'm loving it. The weather is incredibly nice and the people are fantastic."

Today was one of final checks and preparation, prior to racing tomorrow, Wednesday, continuing through until Saturday. All classes will race a maximum of nine times. The Farr 40s will racing solely windward/leeward courses, while the Swans plan to include one coastal course in their programme and the Comet 41S and 45S will compete over a mix of short and coastal courses.

Each class has its top guns here. Vincenzo Onorato and tactician Adrian Stead on Mascalzone Latino (ITA), Jim Richardson and tactician Terry Hutchinson on Barking Mad (USA) are two of the headline acts in the Farr 40s. Onorato is a three-time world champion. Richardson a mere two-times. Each will be looking to plant a psychological blow on the other ahead of the Rolex Farr 40 Worlds taking place in a month's time. There are others in this revered class - including Crown Prince Frederik of Denmark and Nanoq - that will be looking for an opportunity to cement their position in the pecking order.

For the Swans, the 'works-team' of Nautor's Swan President Leonardo Ferragamo - assisted in the decision-making process by Commercial Director, Enrico Chieffi - on the Swan 42 Cuordileone (ITA) is up against Rolex Swan Cup winner Enrico Scerni with Kora 4. Swan 45 world champion Hendrik Brandis and Earlybird (GER), have the Dane Sten Mohr - former world number one in the match racing rankings - in the role of special advisor. A second successful match-racing Dane, Jesper Radich, is with Nico Poons on Charisma (NED).

The Comets have their share of stellar performers, albeit at a more Corinthian level. Certainly, the skipper whose star is in the ascendancy at present is Marco Paolucci (winner of Giraglia Rolex Cup in 2008 with the Comet 45 Tartaruga) who for this event has paired himself with the 2008 ORC International World Championship winning Comet 45, Libertine. Whilst his feathers may not be unduly ruffled by the newly-formed all-woman team on I. Nova led by Cristiana Monina, 2009 Comet Cup champion Alessandro Nespega and Fral 2 will be tough competition.