2015 Argentario Sailing Week - Battle of beauties on day 1 of racing

by Tessa Wiechmann on 20 Jun 2015 The Grandes Dames of the Sea took to the sea in Porto Santo Stefano for the first day of racing at the 16th Argentario Sailing Week, which this year constitutes the only Italian leg of the prestigious Panerai Classic Yacht Challenge.

The winners of Day one are: Jalina (Vintage > 150), Manitou (Vintage < 150), Naif (Classic > 145), Il Moro di Venezia I (Classic < 145), Pyxis (Spirit of Tradition).

The forty majestic beauties left the docks at “La Pilarella” shortly after 10 a.m. under sunny skies and calm seas. In the early morning, the Municipality of Monte Argentario had greeted the skippers, Marco Poma, Sports Director of the Yacht Club Santo Stefano, had delivered the race briefing and Meteomed had provided the weather forecast for the day.

After an initial postponement to allow the thermal breeze to settle, the yachts belonging to Spirit of Tradition class were first off the starting line, followed by the Vintage class and then the Classic yachts fleet. Xarifa, the breathtaking 50 meter schooner designed by J.M.Soper and built in 1927 by JS White &Co in Cowes for Franklin Morse Singer held back waiting for space.

The Grandes Dames sailed across the bay just in front of Santo Stefano, a beauty contest that sailing enthusiasts could admire from ashore. After rounding mark one, their Royal Majesties hoisted their spinnakers and gennakers and, with the Island of Giglio serving as a backdrop, headed towards the Etruscan harbor of Talamone. Argentario Sailing Week Debutante Rowdy was the first to round the leeward mark set just off the Torre dell’Osa, an ancient tower in the Parco dell’Uccellina. Built in 1916, the Herreshoff designed yacht is one of the four NY 40s still sailing out of the original fleet of fourteen constructed between 1916 and 1926. Her sister Chinook (1916, Herreshoff, 19,80 mt), with Italian Rugby star and sailing enthusiast Andrea Lo Cicero on board, was in close pursuit as the fleet sailed along Maremma’s coastline to the inshore mark. By then, the thermal breeze has started building and the Grandes Dames sailed upwind with the Islands of Giglio and of Montecristo off their bow in nine – eleven knots from the west south west.

The last downwind leg towards the finish line saw the four yachts of the Marina Militare Italiana (Italian Naval Academy) Stella Polare (Olin Stephens, 1964) , Sagittario (Carlo Sciarrelli, 1972) Corsaro II (Olin Stephens, 1961) and Caroly (Vincenzo Baglietto 1948), Marina Militare Italiana, battled it out till the very last.

In the evening owners and crews dined at the Tenuta Agricola dell'Uccellina, after having enjoyed hospitality at the Panerai Tent.

The Classic Yachting event is organized by the Yacht Club Santo Stefano in partnership with the Florentine haute horologerie brand Officine Panerai, which for the 11th consecutive year is sponsoring the largest international circuit of regattas reserved for classic yachts.

The fleet taking part in Argentario Sailing Week - Panerai Classic Yachts Challenge has been divided in five categories: Vintage, Classic, Big Boats, Spirit of Tradition, Metric classes and One Designs. Officine Panerai will award the top three in the Classic, Vintage, Big Boats and Spirit of Tradition categories and the yacht that ranks first overall in the Classic, Vintage, Big Boat and Spirit of Tradition categories.

The Program

Thursday 18 June is reserved for final registration and measurement. A Welcome Cocktail is will take place at 7 p.m. at the Yacht Club Santo Stefano. The Mayor of Monte Argentario Arturo Cerulli will officially greet all participants on Friday morning before racing gets underway. Racing is scheduled from Friday June 19 to Sunday June 22. The Prize giving Ceremony will be held on Sunday 22nd at the Spanish Fortress built in the 18th Century.

The Argentario Sailing Week 2015 is organized by the Yacht Club Santo Stefano with the patronage of the Region of Tuscany, the Province of Grosseto, the Municipality of Monte Argentario and of AIVE (Italian Association of Vintage Yachts). The local tourism board supports the event. Officine Panerai is the Title Sponsor.
Other sponsors: Argentario Approdi Spa. Technical Sponsors: SLAM and Argentarola srl. Official Suppliers Roman's and Garden Vivai Mediterranei. Weather forecast for the Race Area by MeteoMed.

The Argentario Sailing Week is part of the Mediterranean Circuit of the Panerai Classic Yachts Challenge. The opening leg was Les Voiles d’Antibes (3-7 June), followed by the Argentario Sailing Week in Porto Santo Stefano, XII Copa del Rey de Barcos de Epoca in Mahon (25-29 August), the Vele D’Epoca d’Imperia (10-14 September). The final event will take place in Cannes with the Régates Royales (22-26 September 2013).