PORTO CERVO Record breaker - sws-yachts.com · August 016 August 016 More yachts than ever before...

w w w. b o a t i n t e r n a t i o n a l . c o m | A u g u s t 2 0 1 6 w w w. b o a t i n t e r n a t i o n a l . c o m | A u g u s t 2 0 1 6

More yachts than ever before

competed at the Loro Piana Superyacht Regatta.

Tricky winds and tight courses led to some thrilling racing, as Andi Robertson reports

P O R T O C E R V O

R e c o r d b r e a k e r P h o t o g r a p h y – C a r l o B o r l e n g h i

Created by EliRatusfrom the Noun Project

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w w w. b o a t i n t e r n a t i o n a l . c o m | A u g u s t 2 0 1 6

Superyacht start Ohana is the first to start in the superyacht classes, in a 31nm race up to and around Spargi island. Even with a staggered start, the first few minutes of the initial beat upwind are crucial as they set the order of the fleet heading into Bomb Alley, where clean air is key.

Wind shift The sting really is at the end of the race. The superyacht leaders are first to slam into a nasty header as the southwesterly thermal breeze attacks from the south and wins out. This line of new breeze upends the top of the course for the second wave of superyachts. Kites are hastily dropped. Saudade’s kite gets wrapped into its rigging, Inouï makes a hasty drop out the back of the boat and only just resuscitates her battle

Congestion zoneOff Palau, the string of superyachts starts to bunch into more of a fleet, instead of a pursuit race.

Easy breeze In the superyacht classes there is further compression as the breeze drops away in the channel to the west of La Maddalena, right down to just eight or nine knots. Changing gears and anticipation are the watchwords. For the Wallys, Open Season sets a reaching kite at their top mark, trying to separate away from Magic Carpet³ but then has to peel to a more downwind sail. It’s a costly move.

Clockwise from left: all the Wally fleet starts were incredibly close, and often

decisive; Unfurled's bowman sets the head of the kite;

Saudade power reaching on day one; My Song and Grande

Orazio had a great rivarly throughout; Grande Orazio

and Whisper tacking upwind off Palau; a tight kite reach

heading for finish

01D A Y

Fleet footed Breeze is northwesterly as the 12-strong Wally fleet crosses the line in a fleet start for a coastal course. Getting into more pressure and a lifting breeze is the key to Magic Carpet³’s initial jump ahead of rival Open Season for the lead.

“Any day we can finish

ahead of our rival that

has a speed advantage

over us is a wonderful

day. So beating the

fleet as well... well,

we are thrilled”

Sir Lindsay Owen-Jones,

owner of Magic Carpet³

LORA PIANAREGATTA

PORTO CERVO 8 June 2016

11:35 11:55 13:00 14:44

day one

PositionYacht

Saudade

Unfurled

Ganesha

Inouï

Spiip

WinWin

Seawave

P2

Gaia

Ohana

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

Saudade

Unfurled

Ganesha

P2

Ohana

Magic Carpet³

Magic Blue

Ryokan 2

Open Season

Lyra

Y3K

Galma

Tango G

J One

Nahita

Kenora

Tilakkhana

Grande Orazio

Whisper

My Song

Tempus Fugit

Maegan

Ammonite

Firebird

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

1

2

3

4

5

SY Class B

SY Class A

Grande SY Sub Class C

Wally Class

with WinWin, losing a few metres. Despite her damaged spinnaker, Saudade survive to win by 19 seconds. The Wally race goes to Magic Carpet³ by more than three minutes. The leading Wallys are already through the finish before the transition hits the fleet.

w w w. b o a t i n t e r n a t i o n a l . c o m | A u g u s t 2 0 1 6

02D A Y

Beat goes onOn the first beat to Monaci lighthouse the breeze shifts progressively right and it becomes a one-sided, one-tack leg to the first turn for the superyachts. Some end up above the layline and hoist Code sails or reachers. Down the run from Monaci, it's a matter of holding the best line for the breeze blowing off the island shore on the right. Err too close to the land and there are sudden lulls that cost time.

First casualtiesTwo early withdrawals are P2, which breaks headsail top and bottom swivels and is forced to retire, and Ganesha, which tears her jib leech before even making the first turning mark.

Bombing runBomb Alley lives partially up to its reputation with some nasty gusts. Sail selection wins the day, according to Ohana, the biggest competitor in Class A. She chooses a smaller headsail for the day and does not struggle. "We were all sailing with too much ‘rag’. We had a light jib,” reports Unfurled’s tactician Gary Weisman.

Wallys left wanting All this fierce action is almost too much to witness for the Wally fleet, which has a fruitless afternoon waiting in a no-man’s land between two breezes. Even a matter of a mile upwind it is 15 knots, 12 knots on the line at times, but it is never settled long enough to set a windward-leeward course. No racing for the Wallys, a great race for the superyachts! Starting light

The superyacht classes enjoy a fulsome breeze, which is lightest at the start and finish of their 36nm course around La Maddalena, sailing west up Bomb Alley between the island and Spargi before running back down the north of the islands.

LORA PIANAREGATTA


12:17 13:15 15:13

day two

PositionYacht

Ohana

Unfurled

Inouï

Seawave

Saudade

WinWin

Gaia

Ganesha

P2

Spiip

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

DNF

DNF

RET

Ohana

Unfurled

Saudade

Ganesha

P2

Magic Carpet³

Open Season

Tango G

Y3K

Lyra

Nahita

Magic Blue

Galma

Ryokan 2

J One

Tilakkhana

Kenora

Grande Orazio

My Song

Whisper

Ammonite

Firebird

Tempus Fugit

Maegan

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

DNR

DNR

DNR

DNR

DNR

DNR

DNR

DNR

DNR

DNR

DNR

DNR

1

2

3

DNF

DNF

SY Class B

SY Class A

Grande SY Sub Class B

Wally Class

“We had two

different sails to

make the choice

between; we chose

the smaller one

and that was the

right call. I

think the others

went bigger and

some had their

problems”

Mauro Pelaschier,

tactician, Ohana

Clockwise from right: Ammonite

takes part in her shakedown regatta; Grande

Orazio prepares to peel; P2 powering upwind; Ohana at full stretch under

spinnaker; WinWin is chased by

Saudade and Inouï; Gaia beating in

Bomb Alley


03D A Y

Gently does it Light northeasterly winds and warm sunshine make for a gentler day. The Wallys contest a 23nm coastal course complemented by a good windward-leeward race. The superyachts complete a 30nm course to a mark to the north-east of La Maddalena, leaving the island to port on the way out and starboard on the way back.

Back and forth In the Wally windward-leeward, Open Season starts perfectly near the left end of the line and is able to extend to win. But Lyra nails the start and first beat, jumping out at the boat end of the line with a slick start.

One tack mind On the superyacht course the light breeze lifts right on the first leg, with a maximum of 8 knots as the leaders bear away for the long leg to the turn. This is completed in a single tack for the boats that start on the right and stay right. WinWin reads this perfectly with a nice layline.

Lucky strikeRunning back to the Golf mark off Tre Monte under light spinnakers, there is a beneficial strand of pressure for WinWin during the final minutes to the mark, allowing her to close time on Saudade.

Win for Whisper The tight kite reach from Golf to the turn requires smooth crew work and good trimming before the turn south to the finishing loop. In Class B, Whisper sets a gennaker after Monaci for the reaching leg and sails lower and faster than rivals My Song and class leader Grande Orazio, which proves successful. “That was our winning decision,” says Whisper’s tactician Andrea Casale.

LORA PIANAREGATTA


11:55 12:41 14:47

day three

PositionYacht

WinWin

Saudade

Inouï

Seawave

Unfurled

P2

Ohana

Ganesha

Gaia

Spiip

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

Saudade

Unfurled

P2

Ohana

Ganesha

Magic Carpet³

Open Season

Tango G

Y3K

Lyra

Nahita

Magic Blue

Galma

Ryokan 2

J One

Tilakkhana

Kenora

Whisper

Grande Orazio

My Song

Ammonite

Tempus Fugit

Maegan

Firebird

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

1 & 3

2 & 1

3 & 6

4 & 7

5 & 2

6 & 10

7 & 4

8 & 5

9 & 8

10 & 9

11 & 11

12 & 12

1

2

3

4

5

SY Class B

SY Class A


Wally Class

“I think we

did well to have

clear air for a

lot of the time

and to go well on

the long extended

legs without too

many manoeuvres.

The boat really

goes well in the

light stuff”

Mark Sadler,

tactician, WinWin

Clockwise from left: Kenora's bow team

prepares for the drop; Unfurled on a fast reach;

Ryokan 2 on a coastal course, the first of two

races of the day for the Wallys; Firebird and

My Song on a close reach; full concentraion on

board WinWin


04D A Y

Southern winWhile the Wallys engage in more windward-leeward races, for the superyachts it is the Southern Wind Seawave making the early running, spotting the best breeze and extending her lead away from the chasing pack, which is tussling behind her.

Battle royale Open Season and Magic Carpet³ continue their duel, which goes to the wire over two windward-leeward races. In the first race there is an incredible tie between the two.

Cutting corners The transition zones around Mortorio and Soffi are never easy but Seawave is smooth through the gears. She gains a few extra metres on the corners because navigator Mike Broughton and tactician Titch Blachford have completed a detailed study before the regatta by RIB.

Timing is right After a well-timed start with maximum speed on the line, Maegan works to utilise the rise and fall of the gentle wind, staying in phase with the pulses – sailing high in the lighter airs, and down and fast when it builds more. She eases and fetches fast to the islands, finishing the regatta on a high note – more than one minute ahead of class winner Grande Orazio.

All classSaudade's fourth is enough to seal Class A overall. Tactician Bouwe Bekking says: "I think we have a great team and that made it easy for me to step on board for the first time this week."

Shorter courseThe final coastal race for the superyacht classes is just 13.7nm long, but that's far enough for the lightest breezes – 6 to 9 knots – so far encountered during the regatta.

LORA PIANAREGATTA


12:09 13:00 15:02

day four

PositionYacht

Seawave

WinWin

Ohana

Saudade

Ganesha

P2

Unfurled

Gaia

Spiip

Inouï

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

Ohana

Saudade

Ganesha

P2

Unfurled

Lyra

Nahita

Magic Blue

Tango G

Magic Carpet³

Open Season

J One

Galma

Ryokan 2

Tilakkhana

Y3K

Kenora

Maegan

Grande Orazio

Ammonite

Tempus Fugit

Firebird

Whisper

My Song

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

1 & 9

2 & 2

3 & 6

4 & 10

5 & 4

6 & 1

7 & 5

8 & 8

9 & 3

10 & 11

11 & 7

12 & 12

1

2

3

4

5

SY Class B

SY Class A


Wally Class

R E S U L T S+ A W A R D S

THE LORO PIANA PRIZE, THE SILVER JUBILEE CUP BY

BOAT INTERNATIONAL MEDIASaudade

CLASS ASaudade

CLASS BGrande Orazio

SUB-CLASS CSaudade

WALLY CLASSOpen Season

SPECIAL PRIZES:

GINO BOSSI TROPHYMagic Carpet³

IMA TROPHYSaudade

YCCS TROPHY Open Season

“The regatta was fantastic.

The wind helped us all

week. To win for the third

time is really special. I

dreamed about it, but I did

not think it was possible”

Massimiliano Flori,

owner of G r a n d e O r az i o

Clockwise from left: WinWin's bowman keeps an eye on the

competition; the Wallys fly their kites; My Song fast kite reaching; Ammonite drops

her spinnaker; Magic Carpet³ crosses close to Open Season

in the final windward-leeward race


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Social After each day's racing, owners,

crews and guests enjoyed a round of spectacular parties at the Loro

Piana Superyacht Regatta

circuit

Above: Anna Baum, from sponsor Pantaenius. Right: Sciaké Bonadeo. Below left: Sir Lindsay Owen-Jones and Lady Cristina Owen-Jones. Below: Albert Büll with his family

Right: Wieland Timm and guest with a Lufthansa

Technik model

Paola and Salvatore Trifirò. Above right:

pianist Dimitiri Naïditch. Right: James

Micklem, captain of superyacht Maegan.

Below: Stephanie Powell, chief stew on WinWin and

winner of the cocktail competition

Right: Sara McEwan. Below: Franziska Rickenbach and Marco Vögele

Above: Luca Bassani, founder of Wally. Right: Francesca and Massimiliano Florio

Toni Cacace

Right: Caroline

Blackmore.Far right: Franziska

Rickenbach and Aline Matsika.

Below: Pantaenius after-race drinks.Below left: Mario

Pedol and Philippe Briand

It’s the most enjoyable time of the year. There is nothing better than to sail at this regatta

Thomas Bscher, owner of Open Season

Left: Dario Ferrari, Pier Luigi Loro Piana and Ferit Sahenk

Left: Matthieu Brisset, Laura and Pier Luigi Loro Piana and Kim Schindelhauer

The Welcome Cocktail was held at the Yacht Club

Costa Smeralda. Above: Marcus Blackmore

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PORTO CERVO Record breaker - sws-yachts.com · August 016 August 016 More yachts than ever before...

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Transcript of PORTO CERVO Record breaker - sws-yachts.com · August 016 August 016 More yachts than ever before...