Anticipation builds at the Yacht Club Costa Smeralda

by Jill Campbell on 12 Apr 2013 With anticipation building up at the Yacht Club Costa Smeralda (YCCS) for the beginning of the sailing season in the Mediterranean, the Club presented its 2013 Regatta Calendar to journalists and yachtsmen in Milan this morning. While the Club’s busy schedule kicked off in the Caribbean at the beginning of the year, the Mediterranean season is due to start in less than a month’s time.

Just one year on from its inauguration, the Yacht Club Costa Smeralda’s winter base in the British Virgin Islands has already played host to top sailors, owners and boats over the course of several prestigious events held in February and March. The BVI Sportboat Regatta (21-24 February) gathered the Melges 32 class on the waters of Virgin Gorda, while March saw impressive fleets arrive at YCCS Marina for a spectacular first edition of the Rolex Swan Cup Caribbean (11-15 March) and the second Loro Piana Caribbean Superyacht Regatta and Rendezvous (20-23 March).

The season is set to commence in Porto Cervo, as is traditional, with the agile Smeralda 888 craft. The one-design sloops created by naval architect German Frers for the YCCS, will take to the waters off the Costa Smeralda for Audi Vela and Golf (10-12 May), Coppa Europa Smeralda 888 (14-16 June) and the Invitational Smeralda 888 (5-7 July). The fleet will also do battle during the YCCS Members’ Championship scheduled for 4th August.

The Mediterranean superyacht season officially opens with the Dubois Cup (1-3 June) and the Loro Piana Superyacht Regatta (4-8 June) and continues after the summer break with the Perini Navi Cup (28-31 August). The giants of the sea will salute Porto Cervo for 2013 with the Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup and Mini Maxi Rolex World Championship (1-7 September) organized in collaboration with the Club’s historic partner Rolex and the International Maxi Association.

Fans of pure competition will eagerly await the two regattas open to one-design and box-rule fleets organized in collaboration with the Club’s Official Automotive Partner Audi: the Audi Settimana delle Bocche – 52 Super Series and Soto 40 Series (10-14 September) and the Audi Melges 32 World Championship which will be held in Porto Rotondo (18-22 September) and see the YCCS contributing their technical organization.

The focus returns to Virgin Gorda for winter 2013/2104 with a fleet of maxi yachts and superyachts setting sail from Tenerife, destined for the Caribbean, in the Transatlantic Superyacht and Maxi Regatta (departure 25 November).

The YCCS Sporting Calendar 2013, thanks to the Club’s new home in the Caribbean, now runs year-round, giving members and yachtsmen the opportunity to enjoy the renowned YCCS hospitality on both sides of the Atlantic.

Exactly thirty years on from the debut of the first Italian challenger for the America’s Cup (Newport, USA - 1983), Azzurra continues to garner fans and is as much a source of pride for Italy as ever. The team opened the 2013 season in style claiming victory in the Quantum Key West Race Week in January and following up with an excellent performance in Miami which earned them second place in the 52 World Championship (5-9 March) in addition to first place in the US 52 Sailing Series. The TP52 will be flying the YCCS burgee on several international regatta courses this summer and finishes the season at her home in Porto Cervo for the Audi Settimana delle Bocche. Owner and YCCS Member Alberto Roemmers together with his team, which includes skipper Guillermo Parada and strategist Vasco Vascotto, will participate in the Trofeo Conde de Godò (Barcelona 20-26 May), the Royal Cup (Ibiza 2-6 July) and the Copa del Rey (Palma de Majorca 29 July – 3 August).

'Thirty years on, given my personal experience with Azzurra in 1983 and 1987, I feel honoured to still be a part of the emotions and the adventure generated by the new boat and her crew,' commented Riccardo Bonadeo, YCCS Commodore. 'I am also very proud that, despite the difficult worldwide economic situation, thanks to the dedication of the entire YCCS team, our partners and our President H.H. the Aga Khan, we continue to see significant growth in our sporting and social activities both in Sardinia and the Caribbean.'

For further information please visit the websites YCCS and Azzurra.