First blood to Coutts in 601's - Rolex Swan Cup

by KPMS on 13 Sep 2006 Despite yesterday’s grim weather forecasts, the 114-strong fleet participating in the 14th Rolex Swan Cup enjoyed a great opening day, with plenty of sun, temperatures in the high twenties and an easterly breeze ranging between 8 and 10 knots.

The Yacht Club Costa Smeralda Race Committee, headed by Italian Sandro Ricetto, selected a 29-mile inshore course for the Grand Prix, Classic and Swan 601 divisions, which led the crews on a clockwise circumnavigation of the Archipelago de La Maddalena, while the Swan 45 fleet completed two windward-leeward races. At the other end of the spectrum, fifteen boats are enjoying a more sedate pace, electing not to compete in the event while cruising around the islands and enjoying the unique atmosphere of this event.

After an initial postponement, the Race Committee fired the first gun of the day for the Grand Prix and Swan 601 divisions, with most crews opting for the pin end of the line. Sir Peter Ogden’s Spirit of Jethou was over the line early and lost its chance to compete with its fellow Swan 601s.

The fleet headed to an initial upwind mark, with Massimo Dentice’s Bugia Bianca (Swan 70) from Italy leading, ahead of Leonardo Ferragamo’s Swan 601 Cuordileone and Italy’s Fantasticaaa (Swan 100 S co-owned by Lanfranco Cirillo and Leonid Mikchalson). The fleet then headed downwind towards the entry of the archipelago and at that point the crews faced their first big tactical decision – sailing through the narrow passage between the coastline and the Isle of the Bisce, or take the outer route. Most of the fleet opted for the first choice, following the leader Bugia Bianca, while Fantasticaaa decided to risk it all and go for the second alternative.

While the three Swan 601 Artemis, Cuordileone and Moneypenny engaged in an America’s Cup style gybe-duel in the narrow passage, Fantasticaaa rounded the corner and stretched away. The fleet headed upwind towards the Barettinelli di Fuori islets and then sailed all the way down the Archipelago towards a mark in the Gulf of Pevero and the finish in front of Porto Cervo.

Fantasticaaa led throughout the remainder of the race, eventually claiming line honours. Lanfranco Cirillo, owner and helmsman of Fantasticaaa, was jubilant with his victory: 'It’s a great feeling to be the first back in the port! I think we sailed really well today, both technically and in terms of our speed. Considering we were ahead of the 601s which are racing boats I’m happy with our performance. The wind was good, nothing too strong but not too light either. The start was pretty hectic, we are a lot bigger and heavier than many of the other boats so the start is quite complex for us. I would hope to be in with a good chance of winning the owner-driver prize this week and perhaps even the overall for the class, I just hope we don’t come off too badly on handicap. After this regatta we plan to go around the world competing in the regattas we’re eligible for, it’d be nice to know from the beginning whether we’re the fastest Swan in the world.'

Torbjorn Tornquist’s Artemis, with America’s Cup legend Russell Coutts calling the tactics, won among the Swan 601 fleet ahead of James R. Swartz’s US entry Moneypenny and Cuordileone. Both boats boast multi-talented crews which include the likes of Whitbread winner Paul Cayard (tactician on Cuordileone) and Dee Smith (tactician on Moneypenny). 'It was a great course, with a lot of variation', commented Tornquist. 'The conditions were just right for us and we were able to use all of our sails. We enjoyed some relatively close racing and we couldn’t have hoped for anything better.'

Russell Coutts, who just flew in from Newport, RI, USA after winning the Rolex Farr 40 Worlds with Vincenzo Onorato’s Mascalzone Latino, thoroughly enjoyed this first day of sailing in Sardinia: 'I really like these coastal races among the islands. Porto Cervo is definitely one of the best places in the world to sail. We had a really close race with Moneypenny and we were able to sneak ahead of them at the Monaci rocks, where there was a little bit of a shift that favoured us.'

The 29 boat Swan 45 fleet provided the expected close racing with Danilo Salsi’s DSK Comifin proving to be the team of the day. With a win in the first race and a fourth in the second, where they almost squeezed out Goombay Smash right in the line, DSK leads the class with 5 points. Swan 45 World Champion, Massimo Ferragamo (Bellicosa) lies in second on 11, with Alexander Roepers Plenty in third on 13. Goombay Smash and WISC are fourth and fifth respectively, both on 14 points. Glynn Williams’ WISC were the model of consistency with two sevenths, whilst the others secured their positions with at least one top three result.

Former Olympian, Whitbread racer and America’s Cup competitor Pietro D’Alí, tactician on DSK, summed up the racing: 'We are feeling very positive after a great day of racing and delighted with our finishing position. It was a good course, perfect for such a large fleet.'

In the first race DSK was able to climb to the top of the fleet from an initial third, after a hard fought and extremely rewarding battle: 'The first race went really well, we sailed up the middle of the course and rounded third at the first windward mark. In the first run we kept to the left and rounded the gate on the port side, then we opted for the right side of the second beat and fortunately the wind shifted our way. Towards the end of the beat we were able to reach the leader and stretch away in the final downwind run.' The crew were clearly up for the fight today and relished the contest in the second race, where they fought William Douglass’ Goombay Smash around the course: 'We found it very competitive, with Goombay Smash providing us with a real challenge this afternoon. As we approached the finish mark, there was just one metre between us and we both dived for the line with Goombay edging over first.'

Along with the Grand Prix and Swan 601s, the Classic division – with 45 entries including the Swan 36 Tarantella, the first ever Swan built in 1966, and the Swan 39 R Black Swan, winner of the first Swan Cup in 1980 – cruised along the archipelago in true 'Spirit of Swan' style. First back to Porto Cervo was the Swan 65 and scratch boat in the division, Monsoon Jaguar, owned by Peter Simon. Based on their performance to the first windward mark the Swan 43, Freelance owned by Javier Ortiz de Zuntiga, will be last home by some distance, but nonetheless looked to be thoroughly enjoying themselves.

Tonight, Swan owners and guests will gather together to celebrate the 40th Anniversary of Nautor's Swan at the 'Swan is Passion' Party at the famous Finger's Club in Porto Cervo. One guest of honour will be Heinz Ramm-Schmidt the first ever Nautor customer, purchaser of the Swan 36 Tarantella 40 years ago.

The 14th edition of the biennial Rolex Swan Cup, organised by the Yacht Club Costa Smeralda with the collaboration of Nautor's Swan and Rolex as title sponsor, runs from from September 11th to September 17th.

CURRENT PROVISIONAL STANDINGS – Top 3 boats

Place Boat Name Model Owner Nation, R1/R2/Points

Swan 45

1. DSK COMIFIN Danilo Salsi ITA, 1/4/5.0
2. BELLICOSA Massimo Ferragamo USA,9/2/11.0
3. PLENTY Alexander Roepers USA, 3/10/13.0

Swan 601

1. ARTEMIS Torbjorn Tornquist SWE, 1/1.0
2. MONEYPENNY James R. Swartz USA, 2/2.0
3. CUORDILEONE Leonardo Ferragamo ITA, 3/3.0

Grand Prix

1. BUGIA BIANCA Swan 70 Massimo Dentice ITA, 1/1.0
2. AQUA EQUINOX Swan 56 Filip Balcaen BEL, 2/2.0
3. FANTASTICAAA Swan 100 Lanfranco Cirillo/Leonid Mikchalson ITA, 3/3.0

Classic

(No results at time of writing)

For more information about the Rolex Swan Cup 2006 including entry lists and results please visit www.rolexswancup.com.