Loro Piana Superyacht Regatta - Anticipation building in Porto Cervo

by Yacht Club Costa Smeralda on 4 Jun 2014 Anticipation is building on the quays of Porto Cervo Marina as participants await the start of one of the Yacht Club Costa Smeralda's most prestigious yachting events, the Loro Piana Superyacht Regatta. Now in its seventh edition and organized by YCCS in collaboration with Boat International Media and with the support of title sponsor Loro Piana, the event will host 21 sailing superyachts from 3rd-7th June. Racing will take place on courses winding through the islands of Sardinia's La Maddalena archipelago from Wednesday fourth through Saturday seventh June.

The fleet represents a fascinating mix of superyachts - ranging in style from racing oriented craft to luxurious cruisers and from ultra-modern hulls to classic sloops - and is divided into three categories based on each yacht's technical characteristics. In Division A the Luca Brenta-designed Ghost will do battle with, amongst others, several Wally yachts including Sir Lindsay Owen-Jones' new Magic Carpet 3, the latest Wally Cento launched in late 2013. In Division B Ganesha, at 46 metres the largest yacht of the fleet and a division winner in 2012, will be up against Moonbird, a 37 metre fast cruising sloop designed by Dubois and division winner at the Caribbean edition of the Loro Piana event in March of this year. In Division C the 26 metre My Song owned by Pier Luigi Loro Piana, division winner in Porto Cervo in 2013, will compete against the Swan 80 Selene, and the 27-metre Karibu, designed by Rob Humphreys, as well as several yachts from the Southern Wind Shipyard. The South-African builder will in fact award the SWS Trophy, at the conclusion of the event, to one of the six competing Southern Wind yachts. The fleet includes Cape Arrow and Farewell, both boasting YCCS members at the helm.

As always the Loro Piana Superyacht Regatta attracts internationally renowned yachtsmen such as Danish match race champion Jesper Bank on Karibu and Amerca's Cup winner Peter Holmberg on Cape Arrow. Jochen Schumann, two-time America's Cup winner with Alinghi, will call tactics aboard Magic Caret 3 while Moonbird will once again be in the hands of British Olympic medallist Shirley Robertson at the helm and New-Zealand's Cameron Appleton on tactics. Italy's Francesco de Angelis, a long-time member of the America's Cup Luna Rossa team, will be calling tactics on My Song.

In addition to a thrilling sporting programme, owners, crews and guests will also enjoy an exhilarating social schedule, kicking off with tonight's Welcome Cocktail at the YCCS Clubhouse. The Loro Piana dinner for owners will follow as will a cocktail offered by Gold Sponsor Embraer, a Pizza Party in Piazza Azzurra and the Sunset Party at Phi Beach in Baia Sardinia. Proceedings will conclude with the final prize giving ceremony in Piazza Azzurra on Saturday 7th June.

Live Tracking will be available from the start of racing tomorrow, Wednesday June 4th, via the YCCS website.

Full entry lists, programmes etc. are available on www.yccs.com and www.loropianasuperyachtregatta.com