2010 Swan racing round-up

Cuordileone claims the Club Swan 42s while @robas wins the Maxis

2010 was another action packed year for the Nautor’s Swan racing calendar incorporating international competitive Class Circuits and Challenge Series across the Swan racing fleets.

Club Swan 42 European Circuit

For 2010 there was once again a dedicated European circuit for the more recently developed model of the one design Club Swan 42s. The European Circuit was based solely around events in the Mediterranean Sea for 2010 with Northern Europe and US based Club Swan 42s joining the local Med fleets for Giraglia Rolex Cup, Copa Del Rey Audi Mapfre and Rolex Swan Cup.

The Giraglia Rolex Cup each year during June is established as one of the classic regattas of the Mediterranean. Situated just 1.5 miles to the North of Corsica, measuring 800 metres long by 50 metres wide and whose highest point is just 60 metres above sea level is the rocky islet known as ‘la Giraglia’. Exposed to all wind directions and isolated from humanity for most of the year this once strategically important group of rocks with its lighthouse, medieval towers and accompanying chapel has for the past 58 years lent its name and served as the turn mark to the largest offshore race in the Mediterranean.

Winds of 25 knots with heavy seas and rain tested both the Race Committee and the IRC fleet at the Giraglia Rolex Cup this year. After a delayed start the four participating Swans were well placed in the 127-boat IRC Group A Division. Leonardo Ferragamo of Italy’s Cuordileone took 7th overall, with Ludovic de Saint Jean of France’s PMSI Pilot (formerly KuujjuaQ) in 10th, Enrico Scerni of Italy’s Kora 4 in 20th and Jean Luc Boixel of France’s Genapi in 21st.

As is the annual tradition, the first week of August marked one of the most prestigious regattas in the Mediterranean sailing calendar, the Copa Del Rey Audi Mapfre. Hosted by the Real Club Nautico de Palma, in the fantastic racing conditions off of the coast of Palma de Majorca, a number of Club Swan 42s gathered amongst the international entries. Almost a hundred boats from 18 countries, among which some of the world’s top teams, fought for the coveted trophies.

The Club Swan 42s enjoyed a good performance in IRC B; Natalia, Cuordileone and Long Echo finished 9th, 10th and 11th respectively.

Swans quickly filled the Yacht Club Costa Smeralda to capacity for the 16th edition of the Rolex Swan Cup, with racing beginning on 14th September. The now biennial Rolex Swan Cup, first run in 1984, has always attracted a diverse crowd of Swan owners and crew. The event is unique in the breadth of Swan models. Ninety-two Swans arrived from near and far – including Finland and Australia – to compete in the week of racing.

In the Club Swan 42 Class, it was Enrico Scerni on Kora 4 (ITA) who repeated his win of 2008. Leonardo Ferragamo on Cuordileone (ITA) finished 2nd to Kora 4, despite scoring two firsts during the week, including the Long Islands Race. Third was Natalia (ROM), notable for its enthusiastic and capable female skipper Natalia Brailoiu and as the first Swan from Romania.

Results:

Swan Maxi Class Circuit

The Swan Maxi Class Circuit, developed for Swan yachts over 60 feet, is made up of a selection of the most prestigious regattas in the Mediterranean. The Class Circuit was established by Nautor’s Swan in 2008 to bring together a network of Swan Maxi yachts from across the globe to enjoy a structured, active racing circuit. All Swan Maxi Yachts that participated on the 2010 circuit were eligible for the Swan Maxi Class silver Asprey trophy.

The official Swan Maxi Class Circuit for 2010 incorporated:
- Hublot PalmaVela, Palma de Mallorca (Spain) 14 – 18 April
- Giraglia Rolex Cup (inshore races only), St Tropez (France) 12 – 19 June
- Rolex Swan Cup, Porto Cervo (Sardinia) 13 – 19 September

The Hublot PalmaVela marked the beginning of the Mediterranean season this year and the event provided the perfect start to the Swan Maxi Class 2010 circuit. The Swans had an exciting week of racing in the spectacular Bay of Palma and the Real Club de Nautico Palma provided an active social programme for all participants.

It was the 2009 circuit champion, Gerard Logel onboard @robas that ruled the Swan Maxi Class at Hublot PalmaVela. In second place was Swan 66S, Godot owned by Paul Fevang. Godot a newcomer to the Swan Maxi Class Circuit beat Swan 82, Nikata, owned by Nicolai Tangen who came in third and Swan 68, Risktaker owned by Peter Jebsen came in fourth.

The 58th edition of the Giraglia Rolex Cup saw Swan yachts racing in both inshore and offshore races. The Giraglia Rolex Cup is the second event on the Swan Maxi Class Circuit and is well known for its excellent racing and glamour. It was an international affair with 233 yachts competing from 16 nations.

The star of the regatta was Gerard Logel racing onboard Swan 601 @robas, who claimed first place in the Swan Maxi Class, making it his second win on the 2010 circuit. @robas was a top fixture in the 2010 Swan Maxi Class Circuit and this season was being raced by a winning team of friends and family.

The final event in the circuit was the Rolex Swan Cup held in Porto Cervo, Sardinia, the pinnacle feature in the Swan calendar. Once again Porto Cervo became the centre of the Nautor’s Swan community with just under 100 Swan yachts competing in the waters off the Sardinian coast. A draw for top sailors and amateurs alike, the Rolex Swan Cup provides a unique week of racing and gala social events for which Nautor’s Swan are renowned.

It was a bit of feast or famine in the wind department in Sardinia and racing on the last two days was unfortunately cancelled. The standings, therefore, were left unchanged from Friday’s long race finishes. In the Maxi Class A, Danilo Salsi’s Swan 90 DSK Pioneer Investment led over the new Swan 60 Emma and the elegant black-hulled Swan 112, Mystery.

Results:

Swan Mediterranean Challenge

Open to all Swan yachts, the Swan Challenge series annually features some of the toughest sailing events across the globe for which the best performing Swan yachts are awarded the respective Challenge trophies. The Swan Mediterranean Challenge is awarded to the best performing Swan yacht at Les Voiles de Saint-Tropez.

Les Voiles de Saint-Tropez gathers together the most extraordinary modern sailing boats alongside the most beautiful traditional yachts.

Renowned as the grand finale of the yachting season, as the summer-long prowl for competition and camaraderie in the Mediterranean comes to an end, Les Voiles de Saint-Tropez is a ‘don’t miss’ stop on the yachting circuit. Within the near 300 entries that participated in this grand event, a host of Swan racers commenced battle in the bay of Saint-Tropez for the Swan Mediterranean Challenge title. Among the modern fleet were 23 Swan yachts ranging from the 112 ft Highland Breeze, to four one-design Swan 45s and the five Club Swan 42s, along with a diverse selection of racers and racer / cruisers in between.

With Swan yachts competing across five classes, there were many possibilities for winners. In the end it came down to the Swans in IRC Class B who performed consistently well throughout the regatta, with 10 Swan yachts in the top 10 positions. Both Kora 4, Club Swan 42, and PMSI Pilot, Club Swan 42, had outstanding score lines coming in the top three in all but two races. Kora 4, PMSI Pilot and Cuordileone, Club Swan 42, came in 1st, 2nd and 4th respectively in IRC Class B and on points across all classes were the 1st, 2nd and 3rd placed Swans making Enrico Scerni’s Kora 4 the 2010 Swan Mediterranean Challenge Champion.