Monaco Sportsboat Winter Series Act 3 - Tenzor International Cup
by Isabelle Andrieux 7 Feb 2022 04:42 PST
3-6 February 2022
Monaco Sportsboat Winter Series Act 3 - Tenzor International Cup © Martin Messmer
The ninth Monaco Sportsboat Winter Series circuit continues. Fifty-two international teams were again on the start line for this third and penultimate meeting of the season which also marked the start of the international J/70 circuit, The Tenzor International Cup.
All have their sights set on the upcoming J/70 World Championship that will be organised by Yacht Club de Monaco in partnership with FxPro from 14-22 October 2022.
Sailing stars tackle Monaco race area
The Brit Paul Goodison, gold medallist at the Beijing Olympics in ILCA 7, with seven world titles in five different classes and participation in the America's Cup on Artemis Racing in 2017, was sailing with the Swedes on Intermezzo which came 4th. Xavier Rohart, Star Olympic medallist, was also present as coach for young sailors in the south of France league, while the Finnish match racing supremo Staffan Lindberg, and the brilliant Finn sailor Ed Wright chose to compete in this meeting.
The Boss at home
"For this season we are going to focus on the J/70 class and World Championship," Giangiacomo Serena di Lapigio (G-Spot) had confided at the YCM Awards-Trophée Credit Suisse 2021 when he won the title YCM Sailor of the Year. A premonition as evidenced by his victory this weekend in Act III. The YCM sailor finished the meeting as he started - high up the table. With a 2nd place secured on the first day, the YCM member hit the heights of an event that he knows well. Note that Monegasque teams were pulling out all the stops in this Series as it is their qualifier event for the World Championship. Currently, Nikitina Milena (Tenzor Sport) tops the provisional ranking after three Acts and 15 races, followed by Ludovico Fassitelli (Junda) and Loïc Pompée (Sailing Racing Team) in 3rd, both YCM members.
Talent from the East
With Tenzor Sport led by Nikitina Milena and Tenzor Legal by Andrei Pushkin as ambassadors, the teams from the East were here to spoil the party. Having conceded first places on the first day, they returned to the fray in style on Sunday. Making the most of a 10-15knot south-south-westerly air flow, they regained the upper hand, with Tenzor Sport coming 2nd this weekend in the Monaco Sportsboat Winter Series, followed by the Brits on Brutus II. In the Tenzor International Cup ranking Nikitina Milena leads the field for the moment on a circuit that will end back in Monaco when the next Monaco Sportsboat Winter Series kicks off weekend 3-6 November 2022.
The international fleet of J/70s returns to the Principality for the 38th Primo Cup-Trophée Credit Suisse (3-6 March 2022), which also constitutes the fourth and final Act of the Monaco Sportsboat Winter Series. Launched in 1985 at the instigation of YCM President, HSH Prince Albert II, the Primo Cup which awards SLAM sailing garments, is considered the largest European winter one design meeting in the Mediterranean. A hundred teams (about 400 sailors) are expected divided across J/70, Smeralda 888, Longtze Premier and RS 21.