Rolex Swan Cup kicks off: the spectacle of the Nautor’s Swan family

Porto Cervo – Costa Smeralda. Rolex Swan Cup races begin today in the unparalleled setting of the Costa Smeralda in September. This year’s edition is an important one, as it celebrates 30 years of the partnership between Nautor’s Swan, Rolex and Yacht Club Costa Smeralda and will feature 84 Swans between 11 and 35 meters (from the earliest examples designed by Sparkman and Stephens to the latest One Design hulls that represent the ultimate in innovation and technology) as well as eight Swan 45s that will compete for the title of World Class Champion. A curiosity: a dinner has been scheduled during the event where all the Swan Sparkman&Stephens owners attending the regatta will gather, and of which we will provide a small report.

THE BEAUTY OF LIVE… FROM ONE SWAN 38
We are fortunate enough to be able to follow the event directly from aboard a Swan 38, thanks to the testimony of Chica Natoli, who shows up on the race course with the same crew in the same boat with whom she participated 30 years ago. Direct opponents will include Vincenzo Onorato’s Swan 38 Mascalzone Latino.

THE NUMBERS.

Twenty-one nations are represented by this large fleet that tells more than forty years of Nautor’s Swan history through its most diverse specimens, from the classic models that came out of the pencil of Sparkman & Stephens to the high-performance Swan 60, from luxurious cruising yachts to the competitive one-design Swan 42 and Swan 45, the latter competing for the world class title. Because of this variety, the fleet will compete divided into six categories based on size and technical characteristics: Swan Maxi (specimens over 60 feet in length) – Swan Grand Prix (boats under 60 feet in length) – Swan 60 – Swan Classic (Sparkman & Stephens models) – Swan 45 – Swan 42. It promises to be an intense and fun experience: for some American owners of the Swan 42 class who will be racing for the first time in the waters of Porto Cervo; for the classic Trimegista 3, whose crew includes three generations including those who participated in the 1984 edition with the same boat; and for Tomek Ulatowski, owner of the 2008 Swan 100 Varsovie, who also participated in the edition 30 years ago.

Mascalzone Latino’s crew is enthusiastic, who for the occasion will race aboard a Swan 38 – a classic jewel from 1974 that has taken to the water again after a year of restyling wanted by Italian owner Vincenzo Onorato – and surely this 30th anniversary will be a special occasion for Leonardo Ferragamo, president of the Finnish shipyard, who will participate in the competition at the helm of the Swan 42 Cuordileone.

THE PROGRAM.
The week’s sports program includes five days of sea trials for all divisions and a rest day, set for Friday, Sept. 12. The Maxi, Grand Prix, Swan 60 and Classic divisions will be engaged in inshore courses, while the Swan 45 and Swan 42 one-designs will have both inshore and stick racing. A Long Race involving the entire fleet is planned for Thursday, September 11, and could take the fleet as far as the French islands near Corsica.

GREAT SAILORS.
Entertainment will also be provided by the presence of world-class sailors who add prestige and experience to the event. Among many, Tommaso Chieffi, a sailor of four America’s Cup campaigns, will be aboard the Swan 60 Bronenosec; Gabriele Benussi, who in 2014 alone has already won two world titles (Melges 24 and ORC), will be tactician on Mascalzone Latino; Earlybird, winner among the Swan 45s in the 2012 edition, and the Swan 90 Freya rely on America’s Cup tacticians respectively Jochen Schumann and Mike Toppa; while New Zealander Hamish Pepper is tactician on the Japanese Swan 56 Yasha.