Steiner X-Yachts Gold Cup in Tuscany Day 3

by Tessa Wiechmann on 5 Sep 2010 Steiner X-Yachts Gold Cup - Third day of racing today at Marina di Scarlino in Maremma Tuscany an event organized by the Yacht Club Italiano and the Club Nautico Scarlino, in collaboration with X-Yachts Italia and in partnership with Steiner.

10 races were completed with a north-westerly breeze of about 10-12 knots under sunny skies and calm seas: 3 in the X-35 class, 3 in the X-41, 3 in the X-Yachts Gold Cup and one offshore race for the Over 50’s with the fleet rounding the Island of Palmaiola, just off the Island of Elba.

The leaderboard is tight at the top, especially in the X-35 World Championship and all will be decided on Saturday in the final race. Many protests have been lodged and are still being discussed concerning both the X-41 European Championship and the X-35 World Championship.

In the evening crews and owners enjoyed a Tuscan delicacy buffet dinner hosted by the shipyard Marina di Scarlino Yacht Service and danced their way well into the night. Funds were raised for Nave Italia, a 61 meter tall ship that belongs to the Foundation Tender to Nave Italia: an association that promotes awareness and inclusion of mentally and physically challenged youngsters through sailing. The association was created by the Yacht Club Italiano and the Italian Navy.

X-35 World Championship
Three races were completed on Friday with the first one kicking off at 1 p.m. Tixelio owner Carlo Brenco with Gabriele Bruni calling tactics led the fleet around the marks cutting the finish line first, followed by Lelagain owned by Franco Solerio with tactician Branco Brcin and in third position Finnish X.O. owner Annsi Lyden. The second race was won once again by Tixelio with Swedish Matrisen owned by Bjorn Osterbergand British X On the Beach owned by Ingo Dietrich placing second and third. The excellent weather conditions allowed for a third race, the ninth in three days: first on the finishing line Spirit of Nerina owner Alberto Fusco, second Blue Sky owner Claudio Terrieri, and 3rd Margherita owner Roberto Mazzucato.

Provisional scoreboard after 9 races and 1 discard (protests pending): 1. Lelagain (ITA) – 2. Spirit of Nerina (ITA) – 3. Karma (ITA) – 4. Tixelio (ITA) – 5. Margherita (ITA).

X-41 European Championship
Even the X-41 fleet sailed three races on Friday bringing the total to 9 from the beginning of the Championship. Malafemmena owner Giovanni Di Lorenzo with Matteo Ivaldi on board won the first race, second Raffica owned by Pasquale Orofino with Paolo Semeraro as a tactician and third Le Coq Hardi owner Maurizio Pavesi, tactician Francesco De Angelis. In the second race at the end of the first beat Spanish Iberostar owner Javier Dominguez, tactician Luis Doreste incurr in a port –starboard penalty and lose ground offloading it. Estonian Techno Nicol owner Mati Sepp wins the race follone by Raffica, and Le Coq Hardi. The third race of the day saw the victory of WB Five owner Gianclaudio Bassetti, followed by Sideracordis owner Pier Vettor Grimani and by Malafemmena owner Giovanni Di Lorenzo.

Provisional scoreboard after 9 races and 1 discard (protests pending): 1. Sideracordis (ITA) – 2. Raffica (ITA) – 3. Le Coq Hardi (ITA) – 4. Malafemmena (ITA) – 5. WB Five (ITA).

Over 50’ Invitational
The Over 50’ fleet raced on an offshore course using the Island of Palmaiola, just off the Island of Elba, as a natural buoy.

Leaderboard: 1. Karuba 5 owner Goranko Fizulic - 2. Capricciricci owner Gian Luigi Dubbini - 3. Trota owner Martino Montanarini.

X-Yachts Gold Cup
The X-Yachts Gold Cup completed three races. Two for the Sport division on a windward-leeward course and one for the Family division on a triangle course.

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