Rolex Capri Sailing Week – Capri – Cielo sereno e clima temperato, rinfrescato da una termica che va aumentando nel corso del pomeriggio: condizioni invidiabili, specie se associate alla bellezza di Capri dove, da oggi, a darsi battaglia saranno Farr 40, Swan 45, Swan 42 e Comet.
Avrà infatti inizio tra poche ore la Rolex Capri Sailing Week. Tanti volti noti, tanti abitué, tanti debuttanti. Tra questi ultimi, un’insospettabile: Peter “Luigi” Reggio, Pesidente del Comitato di Regata per eccellenza che a Capri non c’era mai stato e che se ne dichiara già innamorato anche se: “Dalle prime ricongnizioni ho notato che la termica fatica a stendersi in modo omogeneo. Bisogna avere pazienza, ma qui la gente è talmente squisita che sarà davvero un piacera svolgere il proprio lavoro”.
Per tutti sono previste al massimo 9 regate. I Farr 40 saranno impegnati solo su percorsi a bastone, mentre le altre classi alterneranno prove sulle boe a prove costiere.
Ogni classe ha i suoi favoriti: Vincenzo Onorato lo è tra i Farr 40, dove l’avversario da battere è Barking Mad della coppia Richardson-Hutchinson. Tra gli Swan 42 occhi puntati su Cuordileone di Leonardo Ferragamo e del tattico Enrico Chieffi: coppia che dovrà vedersela con Enrico Scerni e il suo equipaggio, impegnato a bordo di Kora 4. Tra Sgli Swan 45, invece, Earlybird, campione del mondo in carica, è lo scafo cui tutti guardano con interesse.
Per quanto riguarda i Comet, invece, sarà battaglia tra il campione iridato Libertine, affidato alla mano di Marco Paolucci, I.Nova, portato da Cristiana Monina, e il fresco vincitore della Comet Cup Fral 2 di Alessandro Nespega.
ROLEX CAPRI SAILING WEEK, NOW IS THE HOUR
[Rolex Capri Sailing Week Press] Capri is a slice of heaven. For the crews preparing to start racing today conditions could not be better with the sky blue, the wind warm and building gently through the day and the sea state calm. Rolex Capri Sailing Week offers crews a great opportunity to enjoy the delights of this island paradise, set only a few miles from the heat and intensity of Naples. As with most things in life, if only it were so simple.
One-design racing in Farr 40s, Swan 45s and Swan 42s is typified by tight racing on the water, but class rules also impose tight weight restrictions on crew – and this means tight control of the culinary offerings onshore. Even the competitors in the Comet division, racing under handicap, may be thinking of their diet with light winds not expected to exceed 12- 13 knots forecast for the four days of scheduled competition. Today was a day for final checks and preparation. Racing starts tomorrow, Wednesday, and continues through to Saturday. Leaving any jobs undone overnight could jeopardise even the best-planned campaign. And, lest anyone doubt the seriousness of competition, a quick look at the Race Committee is enough to confirm this is no holiday camp. Peter Reggio, renowned for his firm grip on racing at recent America’s Cups, is in the hot seat as Principal Race Officer. It will be his responsibility to set appropriate courses for the fleet comprising fifteen Farr 40s, six Swan 45s, four Swan 42s and fourteen Comet yachts
Reggio knows he has work ahead, but is delighted to be here, “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,” he remarks, becoming more serious as he acknowledges that, “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.” If there is some waiting the crews are unlikely to worry too much. Capri is a stunning view from the sea, and in the words of one famous tactician “Capri makes the best sandwiches in the world” – so it could be worse.
All classes will race a maximum of nine times. The Farr 40s will racing solely windward/leeward courses, whilst 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 scheduled for 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 and 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.
Racing is scheduled to begin tomorrow, Wednesday 21 May at 1200 CEST.
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