Steiner X-Yachts Gold Cup in Tuscany - Day 1 highlights

by Steiner X-Yachts Gold Cup on 2 Sep 2010 The Steiner X-Yachts Gold Cup kicked off today at Marina di Scarlino in Maremma Tuscany with the first day of racing of the X-35 World Championship and the X-41 European Championship, the X-Yachts Gold Cup organized by the Yacht Club Italiano and the Club Nautico Scarlino, in collaboration with X-Yachts Italia and in partnership with Steiner.

After the skippers’ briefing the X-35 and x-41 fleets headed out to sea under blue skies with a 10-12 knot breeze blowing from the south-west. A total of six races, three for each championship, were completed thanks to perfect weather conditions and excellent management of the courses by the Race Committee, chaired by Giuliano Tosi. The gun for the first race was fired at 12.20 p.m. and the last race ended shortly after 5 p.m.

In the evening participants hailing from Croatia, Finland, France, Great Britain, Holland, Ireland, Japan, Russia, Spain, Sweden, Turkey, and Italy gathered in La Piazzetta at the Marina for the Steiner X-Yachts Gold Cup Inauguration Ceremony, an 'aperitivo' and live entertainment.

The 34 crews completed three races: each one saw a change of lead in the scoreboard as the yachts sailed with the Island of Elba on the right hand side of the course and the Island of Montecristo aligned with mark 1. Lelagain with tactician Branco Bricin won the first race, Tixelio with Ganga Bruni won the second and Karma with Benussi in the afterguard the third.

At the end of Day 1 Spirit of Nerina owned by Viganò leads the provisional scoreboard, followed by Karma owner Pegoraro with Benussi calling tactics in second place and Margherita, owner Mazzucato with tactician Vascotto on board in third position. Swedish Matrisen is fifth , Finnish X.O. is sixth, Dutch Who’s Next is 13th, Spanish Xacobeo is 17th, British X on the Beach is 18th. The full results are attached in PDF format. Protests are pending.

Once again three races were completed in the crystal blue waters of the Tyrrhenian Sea. The X-41 fleet course was set closer to the shore and to the pristine hills of Maremma’s natural park. Sideracordis owned by Tedesco with Cassinari calling tactics is first in the provisional scoreboard with 1-1-4. Raffica , tactician Semeraro, follows in second place and Le Coq Hardi with De Angelis on board is third. The Estonian crew Techno Nicol is seventh. Protest are pending that may change the scoreboard substantially.

The X-Yachts Gold Cup begins tomorrow. Participants are divided into three groups; Sport, Family and Over 50’. The larger yachts will be racing offshore with the Islands on the Gulf of Follonica serving as natural buoys.

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Steiner-Optik, the German world market leader for professional marine binoculars, makes its official debut in the world of International Racing. Steiner, well known for the Commander XP, the first binocular with a fitted integrated compass relied upon by the US Navy, is the Main Sponsor of the Steiner X-Yachts Gold Cup, taking place at La Marina di Scarlino, Maremma, Tuscany in Italy from the 29th of August until the fifth of September.

Event website click here