Giraglia Rolex Cup - Overall report

by Yacht Club Italiano on 20 May 2017 Celebrating the Giraglia Rolex Cup: Jalina and Il Duca degli Abruzzi, two boats that were there right from the start.

The Giraglia Rolex Cup celebrates its 65th edition in 2017. The event, organised by the Yacht Club Italiano, the Yacht Club San Remo and the Société Nautique de Saint-Tropez with support from the Yacht Club de France, will be held from June 9th to 17th.

2017 is important for the Giraglia Rolex Cup: it’s the 65th edition of this 241 nm Mediterranean classic, partnered by Rolex since 1998. Jalina, the 44’ sloop that was the winner of both the first and the second editions of La Giraglia, and Il Duca degli Abruzzi, the Yacht Club Italiano’s vintage launch that has been Committee Boat at the Giraglia for many years, will help celebrate this anniversary edition.

The Giraglia Rolex Cup race from Saint-Tropez to Genoa was envisioned originally as a challenge between yachts that could also be seen as a friendly challenge between Italy and France. For the first edition of the regatta in 1953 there were twenty-two boats at the start.

One of them was Jalina, the 44’ Bermudan sloop designed by Eugene Cornu and built by Jouet in 1946. And the Yacht Club Italiano’s Race Committee was aboard the Duca degli Abruzzi.

Jalina would win the 1953 race and go on to repeat her success in 1954. This year, Jalina will be on display in Sanremo before participating in the overnight race from Sanremo to Saint-Tropez and will then be on display in Saint-Tropez harbour from June 9th to 13th. The YCI’s Race Committee will be aboard the Duca degli Abruzzi at the start and finish lines of every race, keeping a careful eye on the proceedings.

The final prize ceremony will be held at the Yacht Club Italiano’s clubhouse in Porticciolo Duca degli Abruzzi in Genoa on June 17th. YCI wishes to thank its institutional sponsor BMW for the support it will give during the event.

As by the Notice of Race, the final day for registering is May 23rd.