Full program of international regattas
This past weekend the Yacht Club of Monaco hosted a full program of international regattas including the Monaco Optimist Team Race for 60 Optimists, sailing from January 14-17, 2016, and Act-3 of the Monaco Sportsboat Winter Series for 34 J/70s, from January 15-17, 2016.
Brave sailors in the Optimist Team Race
The Société Nautique de Genève adds another victory to their sporting success by claiming victory in the 7th edition, having won the first one in 2010 of this event, with the support of FxPro, Eventica, Fon Bet, and clothing supplier SLAM which gave all competitors a garment at the trophy ceremony.
For this year’s regatta reserved for 16 teams of young sailors, all under 14, the YCM invited the most competitive clubs representing 11 countries from North Europe and North Africa. This original match race format for teams of four Optimists turned the spotlight on the youngsters’ technical aptitude, but also stratagem and above all the capacity to work as a team.
With 120 matches completed over the four days, team racing specialist PRO Alfredo Ricchi was delighted to have completed his program supported by Chris Atkins, Vice-President of World Sailing and his Umpires. “I am very satisfied with this 7th edition. The Yacht Club de Monaco’s facilities are ideally suited to organizing this type of event ashore and on the water, and the kids really enjoyed the circus show offered for the 40th Monte-Carlo International Circus Festival. We must continue to develop this event which is proving very popular as evidenced by the general level of participants, and growing number of requests we receive from all over the world from clubs wanting to send a team,” said Ricchi.
With the Round Robin completed after three days, the eight top teams were left to fight it out for the grand finale on Sunday. Four-time winner Gstaad Yacht Club was leading the competition, ahead of Société Nautique de Genève, Opti Denmark and the Yacht Club de Monaco’s young sailors, with the Welsh from Cardiff, a delegation of the best sailors from the PACA (Provence Alpes Cote d’Azur) league, the Bretons from Club Nautique de Rennes and Sanremo Yacht Club.
Having clinched a 4th place in the Round Robin, two points adrift of the leader with 10 wins out of 14 matches, satisfaction was high among the Monegasques and their coach Margaux Meslin. A reminder that this young team were led by team captain Simon Maltcev with Logan Vician, Lucas Frederiksen and Andrea Tortella.
In the final stages the Swiss teams confirmed their dominance with the French PACA delegation taking 3rd ahead of Cardiff Bay Yacht Club in 4th. However, it went all the way to the wire and last race before the Société Nautique de Genève emerged victorious of the two Swiss teams. Comprising four members of the national Swiss team, led by Max Wallenberg, 9th in the last European Championship, they had something to celebrate: “We really wanted to bring this trophy back to our Club as it has been held by our neighbors at the Gstaad Yacht Club for the last three years,” said the young captain at the prize-giving.
The next meeting is already set for January 12-15, 2017.
Results – Final Overall Ranking – Optimist after 120 matches
- Société Nautique de Genève
- Gstaad Yacht Club
- French delegation from PACA
- Cardiff Bay Yacht Club
La crème de la crème in the J/70’s
There were 34 boats elbowing for position on the start of the Monaco Sportsboat winter series Act-3, sailing from January 15-17, 2016, confirming Monaco’s reputation as the European winter regatta center to prepare for the upcoming season’s big meetings. Weather conditions were just perfect with eight races completed over the three days under a SW wind and sunny skies for sailors coming from North Europe, including eight German, three Swedish and two Russian crews.
Swedish Oscar Lundqvist aboard Fanny, won this weekend, eight points in front of the Englishman Charlie Esse on Baby J, who came back with a vengeance on Sunday, and the German Claas Lehmann aboard Tre Makreller, who did not win a race but was consistently at the front of the fleet throughout the weekend. Congratulations are in order for a fine performance by YCM member Stefano Roberti on Piccinina, who managed the most race wins during the weekend, proving that the 18-strong Monegasque fleet is improving all the time.
Results – Final Overall Ranking – J/70 after 8 races, 1 discarded
- Fanny (Oscar Lundqvist, SWE, 20 pts)
- Baby J (Charlie Esse, GBR, 28 pts)
- Tre Makreller (Claas Lehmann, GER, 29 pts)
Primo Cup next in line
The Primo Cup, a Mediterranean classic Credit Suisse Trophy to be held over two weekends:
- Friday, February 5-7: SB20, Star, Smeralda 888, Surprise, IRC
- Friday, February 12-14: J/70, Melges 20, Longtze Premier and Diam 24od, who will be participating for the first time in Monaco with the Primo Cup kicking off their season building up to the Tour de France à la Voile in Nice.
Today’s quote
“I can’t control the wind but I can adjust the sail.” Ricky Skaggs
Monaco Reporter 