Portofino, the “ladies of the sea” stranded by the becalmed sea

Sept. 20 – Weather conditions impose a stop to the first day of racing at the Portofino Rolex Trophy, the event organized by the Yacht Club Italiano with the partnership of Rolex dedicated to yachts in the 15 Metre International Tonnage Class and 12 Metre International Tonnage Class.

Participants left the docks at 11 a.m. but the wind, already very weak, remained erratic and never increased in intensity, making it impossible to start today’s race. In the afternoon, the committee canceled the trial and sent the boats back to shore. Hopefully, the Gulf of Tigullio will be more magnanimous today….

Sept. 19-The America’s Cup lands in Portofino. We are not talking about the ultra-technological (and one that has stewed a lot of fans) foiling cat: but about the most fascinating Cup, the one from the days of “gentlemen yachting,” who competed for the “jug” aboard the 12 Meters International Tonnage. In fact, it starts today (and will end on the 20th) the Portofino Rolex Trophy, organized by the Yacht Club Italiano with the partnership of Rolex. The regatta is reserved for vintage boats that have made the history of world yachting belonging to the 12 Meters International Tonnage and Meters International Tonnage Class.

FIVE 12-METER S.I. IN THE REGATTA!
The Portofino Rolex Trophy will also be an opportunity to see five 12 Meters International Tonnage competing: Emilia, Trivia,Vanity V, Vim and Wings. It will be an opportunity to relive an old challenge, the one between Trivia, Vanity V and Vim: all three were the stars of the 1939 regattas when Vim, had Harold Vanderbilt design by Olin Stephens, landed in England on the strength of a highly innovative design-including the first aluminum mast and the first coffee grinders-so much so that by the end of the season, it had swept all its opponents with 19 victories out of 28 races.

15 METERS S.I.: A FORGE OF INNOVATIONS
This was the most important class of the first two decades of the last century: the owners were well-known personalities of the time, who employed the best helmsmen. A total of twenty 15 Meters S.I. were launched (the first in 1907 and the last in 1917) of which only the four present in Portofino survive: Mariska, Hispania, Tuiga and The Lady Anne. The Class ceased to exist in 1920, when the new version of the Rules of International Tonnage was born. The 15 Meters S.I. initiated major innovations in design, construction, and experimentation with new materials. Case in point: it is with the Istria project (Charles E. Nicholson’s 1912 design) that the groundwork is laid for the abandonment of the auric sail in favor of the Marconi sail.