{"id":205,"date":"2011-03-20T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2011-03-19T23:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.my-watchsite.com\/blog\/giraglia-rolex-cup-n985\/"},"modified":"2011-03-20T00:00:00","modified_gmt":"2011-03-19T23:00:00","slug":"giraglia-rolex-cup-n985","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.my-watchsite.com\/blog\/giraglia-rolex-cup-n985\/","title":{"rendered":"Giraglia Rolex Cup"},"content":{"rendered":"

Action officially commenced at midnight on Friday 12 June, with a 90-strong international fleet embarking on the 60-nautical mile race from Sanremo, Italy to Saint-Tropez. Unsurprisingly, it was Igor Sim?i?\u2019s Esimit Europa 2 which arrived first in Saint-Tropez, the 100-ft Maxi underlying its status as the fleet\u2019s fastest boat. Esimit Europa 2 completed the course in 4 hours, 51 minutes some two and a half hours ahead of Lionel P\u00e9an\u2019s Volvo Open 70 SFS the second arrival. For the second year in a row Richard Burton\u2019s J109 Jet Lag (FRA) claimed handicap victory on IRC.<\/p>\n

?For some 160 crews today marked the first of three days of racing on the C\u00f4te d\u2019Azur. As overnight rain subsided this morning, a building breeze heralded the start of the highly competitive inshore series, offering crews the opportunity to sharpen teamwork and tactics ahead of Wednesday\u2019s offshore race start. A south-easterly ranging from 15-20 knots kept today\u2019s races challenging. Following three separate starts shortly after 13:00 CEST, the fleet embarked on two different courses (31.5-nm for IRC 0, IRC A and ORC A, and 16.6-nm for IRC B and ORC B).<\/p>\n

Making a strong early impression were the class winners: Alex Schaerer\u2019s Maxi 72 Caol Ila R (USA) in IRC 0; Michele Galli\u2019s B2 (ITA) in IRC A; Christophe Bru\u2019s Dare Dare (FRA) in IRC B; Roberto Bruno and Paolo Bonomo\u2019s Aurora (ITA) in ORC A; Giorgio Gobbo\u2019s Lima Golf 3.1 (ITA) in ORC B.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was really nice out there today, the breeze kicked in, we had some spinnaker runs and it was optimum sailing,\u201d enthused Caol Ila R\u2019s John Hildebrand.??Esimit Europa 2 proved the fastest on the water (finishing in 2 hours, 25 minutes).<\/p>\n

Offshore race – Light air forecast<\/strong><\/p>\n

?The main event – the 243-nm offshore race from Saint-Tropez to Genoa – started this wednesday with a fleet close to 250 yachts set to take part, a figure which will comfortably surpass the record of 220 participants in 2010.<\/p>\n

??Looking ahead to offshore race Sim?i? revealed: \u201cEvery race is a new challenge, bringing new risks. We can\u2019t take anything granted. In 2012 we set a record which will be difficult to beat, therefore our objective for this year, looking at the forecast, is to win line honours.\u201d For the first time Esimit can count on the experience of Australian navigator Adrienne Cahalan, multiple line honours winner at the Rolex Sydney Hobart on Bob Oatley\u2019s 100-ft Maxi Wild Oats XI. \u201cIt\u2019s going to be sub-10 knots for a lot of the (offshore) race,\u201d said Cahalan. \u201cOften in these offshore races you get little gates, and if someone gets through it and it shuts behind then you can get quite a lead. It\u2019s going to be very strategic. I love the light air!\u201d<\/p>\n

??It will be Calahan\u2019s first Giraglia Rolex Cup and one she is relishing: \u201cHow can you not enjoy a race that starts in Saint-Tropez, finishes in Genoa and includes some of the most beautiful parts of the Mediterranean!\u201d<\/p>\n

First class event<\/strong><\/p>\n

The impressive list of entrants confirms the event\u2019s first-class reputation born through numerous factors; from the alluring appeal of racing in Saint-Tropez, the week\u2019s series of popular social events which bring the sailing community together and the opportunity to take part in the Mediterranean\u2019s oldest offshore race.<\/p>\n

Forr Rolex, partners of the race since 1998, it heralds the start of its European yachting season, comprising the Rolex Fastnet Race, the Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup and the Rolex Middle Sea Race.<\/p>\n