Portofino Rolex Trophy - Emilia and Bona Day 1 winners

by KPMS on 9 May 2009
Racing today in Portofino for the premiere edition of the Portofino Rolex Trophy began under dark clouds and light winds. A morning South-easterly breeze, expected to stabilize tomorrow, was lightly rocking the boats in Portofino's tiny inlet harbour as crew members gathered in the Yacht Club Italiano's (YCI) summerhouse for the daily breakfast and weather briefing.

Antonia Cairo, General Manager of the YCI, welcomed everyone to this iconic Italian port village for the invitation-only edition of this classic yacht event. 'The Yacht Club Italiano is proud to welcome you here and is happy with the collaboration with Rolex for this regatta,' he said. 'Thank you for joining us, we hope that for the next edition we will have an even greater participation and more mooring space for you here. In the meantime, I wish you fair winds, good sailing and I hope that you enjoy your time here in the beautiful village of Portofino.'

Considered to be one of the most beautiful Mediterranean ports, Portofino is a small fishing village that made an international name for itself when Europe's aristocracy began frequenting the area in the 1920s. Known today for it's many charming colours and the cobblestone Piazzetta on the water's edge, Portofino is a place of elegance, fine Italian dining and fantastic ocean views. It is not for nothing that the Ligurian coastline is a popular yachting destination, and a boat trip along the coast is simply breathtaking in this area that is also a protected natural park (Parco Naturale Regionale di Portofino).

The Portofino Rolex Trophy began racing in the waters of the Marconi Gulf today, although only one race was held, Race 2 and Race 3 were cancelled due to lack of wind. Results for Race 1 in the 12-Metre Class saw Emilia take the win followed by Cintra in 2nd. In the 8-Metre Class Bona finished 1st, followed by Elsinore and Helen in 2nd and 3rd position respectively.

Racing continues through Sunday 10 May with a maximum of three races per day.

Spotlight on ORION, original grandeur after a century of life. Here as the non-racing Guest of Honour during the Portofino Rolex Trophy is Orion, a 129' gaff schooner launched in 1910 and built by Camper & Nicholson.

A 25-person crew was originally needed to manoeuvre this beautiful yacht, sturdily designed by Charles Nicholson to handle the open sea and strong winds.

While she was originally built on order for the Spanish Royal Family under the name Sulvana, the purchase was never completed, and Sulvana hoisted a British flag and moved to Portsmouth under ownership of Colonel C.E. Morgan.

Since her beginnings, this yacht has continued to change hands throughout her life, surviving a turbulent history of constantly varying homeports that include Spain, Brittany, Argentina and the French Riviera. Her name has also undergone many changes, from Pais de France to Le Matin, Diane and Vira, she was finally given the name Orion in 1930, when she was sold to a Spanish owner and brought back to the Mediterranean.

A critical moment in the yacht's history took place in 1966, when a strong Mistral wind broke both Orion's masts on the way to Cap de Creus. When the deck was later seriously damaged as well, the yacht's sail plan was redesigned to change her from a gaff to a staysail schooner. The original schooner rigging was reinstated in 1998-99 and, as of 2003, her current owner has had her completely restored, inside and out, to her original splendour based on original documentation.

In recent years, Orion has taken part in some of the most important regattas dedicated to grand classic yachts, such as the Rolex Veteran Boat Rally, and has competed against other grand dames of the day including the 110' Herreshoff schooner Mariette. Present here in Portofino for the Portofino Rolex Trophy, Orion is a true wonder to behold, a beautifully restored representation of sailing history and design brought to life through expert workmanship and loving care.

The Portofino Rolex Trophy is organized by the Yacht Club Italiano, in collaboration with Circolo Velico of Santa Margherita Ligure and under the patronage of the Cities of Portofino and Santa Margherita Ligure.

Over the weekend, participants will be feted with a grand social program organized around the racing. On Saturday night, the social highlight of the weekend will be the Rolex Dinner Party at La Cevara, formerly a historic abbey (Abbazia di San Girolamo) founded in 1396 in the hills between Portofino and Santa Margherita Ligure.

The Portofino Rolex Trophy is part of the Rolex Yachting Portfolio that includes over twenty world-class sailing events that take place around the world. Rolex is also the title sponsor of classic races such as the Rolex Sydney Hobart, the Rolex Middle Sea Race and the legendary Rolex Fastnet Race.