Please select your home edition
Edition
Lloyd Stevenson - Artnautica60 728x90px TOP

Stage set in St Tropez for the season's grand finale with the Swan One Design Worlds

by Nautor's Swan 7 Oct 2021 04:12 PDT 14-17 October 2021

Crews and owners are making their final preparations ahead of the biggest event in the ClubSwan Racing calendar, which gets under way on 13 October. They've had their eyes on the Swan One Design Worlds in St Tropez since the start of the season and have been building up to glory.

A record fleet of 42 boats is starting to assemble, intent on battling it out for the ultimate title in their class.

  • Grand finale of the ClubSwan Racing year attracts record fleet
  • Practice race scheduled for 13 October
  • Up to 11 scoring rounds from 14-17 October
  • Swan one design World Champions will be crowned

The lure of being crowned World Champion in St Tropez has drawn some new boats into the fleet. ClubSwan 50 Django is well known on the IRC/ORC circuit, but owner Giovanni Lombardi is keen to take a tilt at the big prize. There are also three new entrants in the Swan 45 class, Ex Officio, From Now On and Blue Sky. It means there'll be some new flags flying when racing gets under way on 13 October - notably the Greek and Argentinean colours. Owners from 18 different nations are taking part.

All four ClubSwan classes are well represented, with ten CS36s, seven CS42s, eight Swan 45s and an impressive 17 CS50s. With so many of the bigger boats on the racecourse, the start is going to be even more crucial than usual. Tacticians will have to weigh up the merits of clean air versus scrapping at the favoured end of the line. Starts so far this season have been pretty clean, but we've witnessed several times how hard it is to come back from a starting penalty against this hugely competitive fleet.

"The Swan One Design Worlds mark the end of the season for ClubSwan Racing and we are delighted to have 42 competitors from 18 nations celebrating the sport of sailing with us," says Giovanni Pomati, Nautor Group CEO. "Watching so many one designs, helmed by talented owner-drivers, competing together and testing their abilities in the iconic setting of St. Tropez makes us very proud at Nautor.

"18 different cultures racing at sea and enjoying their time ashore highlight how fun, inclusive and amazing this sport is, and we are delighted to be one of the few yards to organise such events. We will keep working very hard in this direction to boost the exhilaration the sport of sailing can give."

Looking to defend their 2020 titles are Marcus Brennecke's Hatari in the CS50 class, Lennard van Oeveren's Swan 45 Motions, and Andrea Lacorte's Vitamina in the CS36 class. After the restricted number of yachts participating last year due to the pandemic, the 2021 Worlds promise to be more competitive than ever.

Many yachts in each class are capable of carrying off the title, and the jockeying for position has been intense this season. After four events, the top boats in each class are G-Spot, the CS36 sailed by Giangiacomo Serena di Lapigio; Natalia Brailoiu's CS42 Natalia; Stefano Masi's Swan 45 Ulika; and Brennecke's CS50 Hatari.

Conditions in the sheltered Gulf of St Tropez are typically warm and settled in October. The elements here are perfectly suited to providing exactly what the ClubSwan boats enjoy the most: smooth seas and a good breeze, with an outside chance of stiffer Mistral winds from the north.

For the winners, it will be the vindication of a whole season of hard campaigning. But every crew has made huge improvements over the year, and everyone will return home satisfied and delighted by the hospitality of the Société Nautique de St Tropez, which is hosting the racing.

More than any other town on the glamorous French Riviera, St Tropez embodies the spirit of elegant sailing endeavour. Sporting fair play and timeless lines are as much part of life there as pétanques on the Place des Lices or sundowners in the cafés around the Vieux Port.

Thanks also to our partners including BMW, Rolex, Salvatore Ferragamo, Ferrari Trento, Sease, Banor, North Sails, Quantum Sails, Gottifredi Maffioli, Garmin, B&G and Marevivo.

It's going to be a big week of racing.

See full details and results here

Related Articles

Nautor Swan European Boat Show Season Grand Finale
Swan 108, representing Nautor's new Swan Maxi Era, will star at her Worldwide Première The grand finale of the European boat show season is happening at the Monaco Yacht Show, where the Swan 108, representing Nautor's new Swan Maxi Era, will star at her Worldwide Première to wow visitors with her beauty, elegance and quality. Posted on 22 Sep
Swan 80 - A pure maxi below 24 m length
New model an evolution of the successful Swan 78 The Swan 80 is a further evolution of Nautor's long experience in large yacht production, and directly follows on from the highly successful best- in-class Swan 78. Posted on 16 Sep
Swan Shadow division welcomes Swan OverShadow
The elegance and style of Nautor Swan's has been perfectly reinterpreted by Jarkko Jämsén Nautor Swan continues the expansion in its motor yacht division by presenting Swan OverShadow, the 13+ meter power yacht redefining the concept of enjoying life at sea. Posted on 15 Sep
Swan 51 - the journey continues
Introduction of new elements never seen on a Swan before The first Swan 51 represented a landmark in the inspirational evolution of the Nautor Swan brand. Launched in 1981 the model marked the first collaboration between Swan and the celebrated naval architect German Frers. Posted on 15 Sep
Swan Arrow - a lounge at sea
A sporty and elegant yacht, designed by Jarkko Jamsén Leonardo Ferragamo, Chairman of Nautor Group, had been thinking of entering the power segment for a long time, but he wanted a debut with a product able to make a difference, in an already crowded segment. Posted on 14 Sep
Nautor Swan turnover up 15%
In the 25th Anniversary of Leonardo Ferragamo's ownership Since the brand was born in 1966, Nautor Swan has always been the synonym of Performance, Innovation, Quality, Elegance and Reliability and this year celebrates the 25th Anniversary of Leonardo Ferragamo's ownership. Posted on 14 Sep
Swans excel at Copa del Rey MAPFRE
The regatta came to a competitive and enthralling conclusion The 41st edition of the classic Copa del Rey MAPFRE regatta came to a competitive and enthralling conclusion today, with the last of six days of racing producing worthy winners in the ClubSwan 50 and ClubSwan 42 one-design classes Posted on 6 Aug
Swan racing teams set for 41 Copa del Rey MAPFRE
The Nations League challenge finely balanced at mid-way point in season We know Hatari, along with the rest of the ClubSwan 50 class, are super-competitive, so we will have to work hard and sail smart to hold our own. Posted on 26 Jul
Swan European Regatta Overall
Turku celebrates the spirit of Swan The Swan European Regatta, ended yesterday with a beautiful parade celebrating Swan yachts of all ages. Posted on 24 Jul
Swan European Regatta kicks off tomorrow
Turku to welcome more than thirty Swan yachts at the start The Swan European Regatta in Turku, the bi-annual event organized by Nautor Swan, ClubSwan Racing, the City of Turku, Turku Yacht Club, Merikeskus Forum Marinum and Sunborn Events, is welcoming more than 30 Swans in the Baltic waters. Posted on 18 Jul
J Composites 2022 - J45 v4 FOOTERDoyle Sails 2020 - Built for Adventure 728x90 BOTTOMCyclops 2023 August FOOTER