An audience of big names attended the Yacht Club Costa Smeralda’s press conference at the Four Seasons hotel in Milan where the new racing season for 2014 was presented. Commodore Riccardo Bonadeo, Princess Zhara Aga Khan president of the Yacht Club, Pier Luigi Loro Piana, Leonardo Ferragamo, and representing the main sponsors Rolex Italia CEO Gianpaolo Marini and Fabrizio Longo director of Audi Italia. Brand new is the entry of a third official partner. The renowned Swiss bank UBS will be the Club’s official partner in the financial sector.
A SEASON ALREADY STARTED IN THE CARIBBEAN
A season that has actually already begun at the Yacht Club’s new “winter headquarters” located in the Caribbean in the British Virgin Islands. YCCS Virgin Gorda (that’s the name of the club ) recently hosted the first-ever Caribbean event for the RC44 class, which kicked off its world circuit with theRC44 Virgin Gorda Cup (Feb. 11-16). In March, however, it was the turn of the large sailing yachts gathered at the YCCS Marina for the fourth edition of the Loro Piana Caribbean Superyacht Regatta and Rendezvous(March 19-22), an event that is experiencing a growing positive response. Riccardo Bonadeo points out that “despite the financial difficulties that are gripping much of the globe, the superyacht market is among the few sectors that has not been affected by the crisis; on the contrary, there has been growth, especially in the United States.” But now, the time is ripe to return to Mediterranean waters.
DREAMING THE VOR THE TEAM OF AZZURRA
In Skype connection from Palma de Mairoca, Vasco Vascotto introduced the Azzurra chapter. Alberto Roemmers’ TP52 started the season positively by taking second place in the US 52 Super Series and in the overall circuit standings thanks to placings in the first two circuit events. The challenge, shortly, will move to Mediterranean waters for Rolex Capri Sailing Week (May 20-24), a prelude to the world championship that will then be staged in Porto Cervo and the last two races of the season in Spanish waters. How can we not reiterate the dream of seeing an Azzurra team at the Volvo Ocean Race to hold high the name of Italian sailing?
SUMMER APPOINTMENTS
In June, superyachts will take the stage, converging on Porto Cervo for the prestigious Loro Piana Superyacht Regatta (June 3-7), an event that is always highly anticipated and renowned for the presence of many impressive and spectacular sailing vessels. Immediately following suit will be the turn of the fierce TP52s battling it out for theAudi TP52 World Championship (June 9-14) promising a week of tactical duels and thrilling competition. New for the summer will be the first Invitational Team Racing Challenge (July 2-6). A team racing event at the international level and in the pure Corinthian spirit. Some of Europe’s and the world’s most prestigious yacht clubs will participate in four days of tightly packed trials aboard the brand new Bavaria B/One one-designs designed by Farr Yacht Design. After the usual summer break, the world’s most spectacular sailing ships will return to the stage in two highlights of the YCCS Mediterranean season: first the Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup and Mini Maxi Rolex World Championship (Aug. 31-Sept. 6) and then the biennial Rolex Swan Cup & Swan 45 World Championship (Sept. 8-14). As the cold season approaches, the time will come to migrate to Caribbean waters, and in anticipation of this move, but also to entice it, the Yacht Club is trying to organize a transoceanic regatta from Tenerife to YCCS Virgin Gorda (Transatlantic Superyacht and Maxi Regatta starting on November 23) and thus end another eventful year on a high note.
