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Monaco Sportsboat Winter Series

2015 season launched for sportboats in Monaco

Monday 27 October 2014Redaction SSS [Source RP]

All the versions of this article: [English] [français]

The sun beat down on the YCM Marina which was teeming with nigh on a hundred sailing boats. Half were there to take part in Act 1 of the Monaco Sportsboat Winter Series (Melges 20 & J/70) and the others in the Sanremo-Monaco-Sanremo Grimaldi Trophy who arrived on Saturday afternoon. The weekend also saw the giant 15-metre-high YCM CruiserSlide inaugurated, much to the delight and enjoyment of both Club members and racers.

25°C outside, 23° in the water and 15 knots of wind created sea conditions worthy of an Indian summer for the 30 one-design teams who had come from Italy and Eastern Europe to launch the first Act of the Monaco Sportsboat Winter Series 2014-2015.

Initiated last year for the Melges 20 class, at the instigation of Valentin Zavadnikov, this five-act winter meeting is held once a month and for the second edition has been expanded to include a J/70 fleet. This promising series has won over the Yacht Club de Monaco which today has the largest fleet in Europe, numbering 15 boats.

In parallel and before the regattas, competitors keen to prepare for the upcoming season at the highest level are being offered training “clinics” combining theory and practice. It was in this spirit that Ekaterina Skudina, gold medalist in the 2010 Elliot 6m European Championship shared her experience with J/70 sailors who enjoyed the facilities at the YCM’s new building.

“From a logistical point of view with the classrooms and the sporting aspect with the fitness centre, the YCM now offers an ideal platform for race preparation. Personally, if I were to attempt another Olympic campaign, Monaco would have everything you need to train,” observes Ekaterina, who represented Russia at the last Olympics Olympics #olympicsailing .

Melges 20: the Italian Maolca presides

A 17-strong fleet remained compact throughout the six races held (5 retained), proof of just how fierce the battle was on the water, with the lead boat changing numerous times to produce an exciting spectacle. The International Class President Manfredi Vianini Tolomei (Maolca, 11 points) won Act 1 with two race wins and a 3rd place, ahead of Guido Miani (Monaco Racing Fleet, 13 points) who is the series’ World Vice-champion. Achille Onorato (Mascalzone Latino Jr., 19 points), winner of the 2014 Europe Cup came 3rd, just three points ahead of Pierre Casiraghi (Shimmer, 22 points), sailing with Federico Michetti and for the first time with Vasco Vascotto.

All three will join the crew on Robertissima from 7th to 9th November for the Melges 32 Gold Cup in Miami, the final preparation before the World Championship which takes place at the same venue from 3rd to 7th December 2014. As Roberto Tomasini Grinover (owner and helmsman of Robertissima) has injured his right hand, his friend and member of the Monaco Racing Fleet, Pierre Casiraghi, will take the helm. He has already sailed on the Mini-Maxi 72 Robertissima III during the Giraglia Rolex Cup’s inshore races.

J/70: Ilsley takes command

Having swapped his J/24, the series of which he is European Vice-Champion and North American Vice-Champion, Ian Ilsley took command in style of his J/70. The YCM member and his St Andrews crew, with François Brenac on tactics, very quickly had the measure of the asymmetric spinnaker and lighter displacement. Having won two of the three races held, they topped the overall ranking ahead of Stefano Roberti (Aria, 7 points). The Monaco J/70 Class President, Jacopo Carrain (Carpe Diem), completed the podium. It is thanks to him that the YCM will be hosting the European Championship in the Principality from 12th to 17th October 2015, with at least 60 boats expected to attend.

Grimaldi Trophy: Adalberto Miani first over the line in real time

It was a record Record #sailingrecord participation for this inshore return race between Sanremo in Italy and the Principality, which left the Italian town at 11am on Saturday and attracted nearly 50 boats. After 3 hours, 37 minutes and 32 seconds, the Yacht Club de Monaco’s Sailing Commissioner Adalberto Miani (Botta Dritta) crossed the line first in Monaco.

Dates for the next Monaco Sportsboat Winter Series’ meetings: Act 2 (12th - 14th December 2014) and Act 3 (16th - 18th January 2015), with the SB20 class entering the contest, before the 31st Primo Cup – Trophée Credit Suisse which runs over two weekends from 30th January to 1st February and 6th to 8th February 2015.


View online : Info presse www.yacht-club-monaco.mc



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