18 maxis set sail on Rolex Giraglia
by James Boyd / International Maxi Association 16 Jun 20:42 BST
16 June 2021
The longest yachts in IRC 0 were the first to get away from the Sanremo start today in the Yacht Club Italiano's Rolex Giraglia.
This fourth event of the International Maxi Association's Mediterranean Maxi Offshore Challenge set sail on time at midday, but on a new course. Due to the pandemic this year's race starts and finishes in Italy, rather than running between France and Italy, following the event's historic raison d'etre - to improve détente between the two nations post-World War Two.
From the start the maxis were sent off on a short beat east in 12 knots of breeze before turning west onto the course proper. At the weather mark it remained ultra-close between the lead trio of 100 footers. Joost Schuijff's Farr 100 Leopard was a nose ahead of Sir Lindsay Owen-Jones' Magic Carpet Cubed, but the crew of the dark blue Wallycento was slicker hoisting their kite and was able to pass. Meanwhile the Trieste-based grand prix maxi Arca SGR, campaigned by Furio Benussi and his Fast and Furio Sailing Team, had initially lost out digging too far into the coast. However as they powered off downwind towards the first of two turning marks off the Italian and French rivieras, their lighter, more powerful 100ft maxi pulled ahead.