Glorious Capri! Rolex Capri Sailing Week

by KPMS on 20 May 2009
Capri is a slice of heaven. For the crews preparing to start racing tomorrow conditions could not be better with the sky blue, the wind warm and building gently through the day and the sea state calm. Rolex Capri Sailing Week offers crews a great opportunity to enjoy the delights of this island paradise, set only a few miles from the heat and intensity of Naples. As with most things in life, if only it were so simple.

One-design racing in Farr 40s, Swan 45s and Swan 42s is typified by tight racing on the water, but class rules also impose tight weight restrictions on crew - and this means tight control of the culinary offerings onshore. Even the competitors in the Comet division, racing under handicap, may be thinking of their diet with light winds not expected to exceed 12- 13 knots forecast for the four days of scheduled competition. Today was a day for final checks and preparation. Racing starts tomorrow, Wednesday, and continues through to Saturday. Leaving any jobs undone overnight could jeopardise even the best-planned campaign. And, lest anyone doubt the seriousness of competition, a quick look at the Race Committee is enough to confirm this is no holiday camp. Peter Reggio, renowned for his firm grip on racing at recent America's Cups, is in the hot seat as Principal Race Officer. It will be his responsibility to set appropriate courses for the fleet comprising fifteen Farr 40s, six Swan 45s, four Swan 42s and fourteen Comet yachts.

Reggio knows he has work ahead, but is delighted to be here, 'It's my first time in Capri, I've been here for about twenty hours and I'm loving it. The weather is incredibly nice and the people are fantastic,' he remarks, becoming more serious as he acknowledges that, 'the wind may be a little challenging, with the sea-breeze not filling until around noon each day when we are scheduled to have the first signals.' If there is some waiting the crews are unlikely to worry too much. Capri is a stunning view from the sea, and in the words of one famous tactician 'Capri makes the best sandwiches in the world' - so it could be worse.

All classes will race a maximum of nine times. The Farr 40s will racing solely windward/leeward courses, whilst the Swans plan to include one coastal course in their programme and the Comet 41S and 45S will compete over a mix of short and coastal courses.

Each class has its top guns here. Vincenzo Onorato and tactician Adrian Stead on Mascalzone Latino (ITA), Jim Richardson and tactician Terry Hutchinson on Barking Mad (USA) are two of the headline acts in the Farr 40s. Onorato is a three-time world champion. Richardson a mere two-times. Each will be looking to plant a psychological blow on the other ahead of the Rolex Farr 40 Worlds scheduled for a month's time. There are others in this revered class - including Crown Prince Frederik of Denmark and Nanoq - that will be looking for an opportunity to cement their position in the pecking order.

For the Swans, the 'works-team' of Nautor's Swan President Leonardo Ferragamo - assisted in the decision-making process by Commercial Director, Enrico Chieffi - on the Swan 42 Cuordileone (ITA) is up against Rolex Swan Cup winner Enrico Scerni with Kora 4. Swan 45 world champion Hendrik Brandis and Earlybird (GER), have the Dane Sten Mohr - former world number one in the match racing rankings - in the role of special advisor. A second successful match-racing Dane, Jesper Radich, is with Nico Poons and Charisma (NED).

The Comets have their share of stellar performers, albeit at a more Corinthian level. Certainly, the skipper whose star is in the ascendancy at present is Marco Paolucci (winner of Giraglia Rolex Cup in 2008 with the Comet 45 Tartaruga) who for this event has paired himself with the 2008 ORC International World Championship winning Comet 45, Libertine. Whilst his feathers may not be unduly ruffled by the newly-formed all-woman team on I. Nova led by Cristiana Monina, 2009 Comet Cup champion Alessandro Nespega and Fral 2 will be tough competition.

Racing is scheduled to begin tomorrow, Wednesday 21 May at 1200 CEST.

With Capri's restaurants offering a spectacular array of food to tempt the palate, a twist to the normal sporting 'play of the day' seems in order: today's masterclass in whetting the appetite was prosciutto and melone, followed by fresh spaghetti and tuna tartare in lemon and basil, as served by La Cisterna.

The Rolex Capri Sailing Week, organized by the Yacht Club Capri, runs from 19 to 23 May.

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