Invitational Team Racing Challenge - All set for Porto Cervo action

by Jill Campbell/Donata Cuppone on 3 Jul 2014 Only a few hours until racing gets underway in the first edition of the Invitational Team Racing Challenge organized by the Yacht Club Costa Smeralda from second through 6th July. The sixteen participating crews, representing eight teams, have been arriving in Sardinia over the past few days and spent today on the water getting to grips with the Bavaria B/One boats and the brisk conditions off Porto Cervo.

The entry list includes some of the world's most distinguished yacht clubs, including the Royal Perth Yacht Club which boasts a long history of collaboration with the Yacht Club Costa Smeralda dating back to 1984 when the YCCS was chosen by Royal Perth to act as Challenger of Record for the America's Cup held in Australia in 1987. Skippers Chris Pye and John Carlson have travelled a long way to defend their Club's honour in this event and no doubt have their eye on the trophy.

Defending the home colours for the Yacht Club Costa Smeralda will be crews skippered by Jacopo Pasini e Antonio Sodo Migliori who will be up against fellow Italians Cristiana Monina and Luca Tubaro representing Circolo Canottieri Aniene. The two German teams are skippered by Roman Luyken and Emanuel Kochert for the Bayerischer Yacht Club of Monaco, and by Sven Erik Horsch and Carsten Kemmling for the Norddeutscher Regatta Verein. The Royal Thames Yacht Club, captained by Russell Peters and Marshall King, will be representing Great Britain alongside Henry Arnold and Sam Jenkins for the Serpentine Yacht Club, while Team Atlanti/Yacht Club of Greece, will be skippered by Stratis Andreadis and Iason Spanomanolis.

Over three days the teams will do battle in highly technical regattas where teamwork and close control of adversaries is key and conditions look set to make racing lively and challenging. Edoardo Recchi, YCCS Sports Director commented on the forecast for the coming week: 'The forecast is for conditions much like today with southerly winds blowing tomorrow at approximately 12-14 knots which should increase to around 20 knots on Friday. A light Mistral is then set to blow in from Saturday. As long as the breeze doesn't build too much these are good conditions for the B/One boats.'

As with all events organized by the YCCS, the Invitational Team Racing Challenge offers a busy social programme to complement the action on the water, starting this evening with a Welcome Party at the Clubhouse. The first warning signal is scheduled for tomorrow, Thursday 3rd July at 11.30.
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