2nd place for Ludovico Fassitelli
J/70 Italia Cup – Alassio | 20-22 May 2022
Sunday 22nd May 2022. The competition had time to watch his transom, as Ludovico Fassitelli (Junda) demonstrated total control of his J/70 in the five races. After winning the 2021/22 Monaco Sportsboat Winter Series, the Yacht Club de Monaco member is riding high a few months befor the J/70 World Championship being organised for the first time in Monaco (14-22 October 2022).
It seems the Monaco teams are used to occupying leading roles as evidenced by an excellent 5th place for Giangiacomo Serena di Lapigio (G-Spot). Meanwhile, Pierrik Devic (Leonteq) came 22nd ahead of Cesare Gabasio (TinnJ70) 25th, Graeme Peterson (Moonlight II) 28th, Loïc Pompée (Sailing Racing Team), 30th and Matteo Scandolera (Irruenza), 37th.
Serious opponents
J/70 Cup – Punta Ala | 22-24 April 2022
Sunday 24th April 2022. We already knew it but the facts confirm that the Monaco teams are up there with the best at major J/70 meetings. Present at the start of Act 1 of the Italian Championship held in Punta Ala, the red and whites were on fine form, like Loïc Pompée (Sailing Racing Team) who won the event, beating a tough international field.
The conditions could not have been more different over the two days, with a light unstable wind on the first day that had the whole fleet on their toes when it came to choosing the best tactics. It was all change on the second day with 18/20 knots gusting 30 to 35.
The Monaco Sportsboat Winter Series title holder Ludovico Fassitelli (Junda–Banca del Sempione) finished 5th with Giangiacomo Serena di Lapigio (G-Spot) 13th ahead of Graeme Peterson (Moonlight II) in 15th, and Pierrik Devic (Leonteq) and Cesare Gabasio (TinnJ0) 22nd and 24th.
The number out racing rises with every meeting as the J/70 World Championship being held in Monaco 14-22 October approaches.
A tight finish
Smeralda 888 – Trofeo Luigi Carpaneda | 8-10 April 2022
Sunday 10th April 2022. Nine Smeralda 888 teams turned out for the Trofeo Luigi Carpaneda that also counts toward the class’s Gold Cup. The winner of the YCM Awards in the Smeralda 888 category won this event, Francesco Vauban on Botta Dritta. Also competing on the race area in Alassio were the Swiss from Société Nautique de Genève in 2nd ahead of YCM’s Timofey Sukhotin (Beda) in 3rd.
Seven races were completed in variable often breezy 6-19 knot conditions, providing a tough regatta for the fleet that comprised professionals and amateurs, like the young sailors from YCM’s Sports Section who showed great fighting spirit throughout the event.
Next meeting on the agenda is the Coupe de l’Hippocampe at Saint-Tropez 6-8 May.
A superb finale
38th Primo Cup – Trophée Credit Suisse & Monaco Sportsboat Winter Series – Act IV
Sunday 6th March 2022. The temperature fell as the tension mounted on the last day of the Primo Cup-Trophée Credit Suisse, a flagship winter event organised by Yacht Club de Monaco, with technical clothing from Slam for all winners, launched 1985 at the instigation of YCM President, HSH Prince Albert II.
For the 38th edition 14 nations, 400 sailors and four classes (J/70, Smeralda 888, RS 21 & Longtze Premier) were competing. Some big names in sailing had made the trip including John Kostecki, winner of the Volvo Ocean Race and America’s Cup on USA 17, Michael Illbruck and 470 Olympic medallist Will Ryan.
One design racing in the spotlight
38th Primo Cup – Trophée Credit Suisse – Monaco Sportsboat Winter Series – Act IV
Friday 4th March 2022. A double event for Yacht Club de Monaco with three days of races ahead. Some 400 sailors have made the trip to line up on the start of the 38th Primo Cup-Trophée Credit Suisse that doubles as the fourth and final act of the 9th Monaco Sportsboat Winter Series.
Four classes are in competition this weekend: Smeralda 888, Longtze Premier and newcomers RS 21, alongside an impressive fleet of J/70s all with their sights set on the J/70 World Championship in Monaco from 14-22 October 2022.
Top sailors at the rendezvous
Each year many big names honour this classic with their presence, as the biggest winter meeting in the Mediterranean since it launched in 1985. In the 80-strong fleet of J/70s, competitors see it as one of the last test events before the Worlds. Some teams have jaw-dropping track records, like the Americans on Pinta whose crew includes Michael Illbruck, the new commodore at Yacht Club Costa Smeralda and American sailing legend, John Kostecki with ten World Champion titles to his name in different classes and victories in the Volvo Ocean Race and America’s Cup on USA 17.
After two races today, Découverte-Geo Mod has taken the lead in the provisional J/70 ranking ahead of the Americans on Good to Go followed by G-Spot led by Giangiacomo Serena di Lapigio. Winner of the last Act, the YCM member regularly tops the ranking.
In Smeralda 888, there were some fierce tussles between YCM member boats before Beda grabbed 1st place in the provisional ranking ahead of Black Star followed by Botta Dritta. In the Longtze Premier, the Germans on Wetfleet top the leaderboard ahead of the Swiss on Shensu and Outsider.
J/70 Training Clinic
J/70 Training Clinic – 26-27 February
Ten teams turned out for the 4th J/70 Training Clinic of the year. Organised by YCM and supervised by high-level technique gurus it was a great opportunity for the Monegasque fleet to fine tune skills for upcoming regattas, including the Primo Cup-Trophée Credit Suisse and of course the J/70 World Championship here in Monaco (14-22 October).
Countdown begins
Palermo-Montecarlo
The curtain has gone up on the 17th Palermo-Montecarlo which has just released the Notice of Race and officially launched registrations. Competitors will gather on Friday 19th August 2022 in the Gulf of Mondello for the start of this 500 nautical mile offshore race.
Organised by Circolo della Vela Sicilia, in partnership with Yacht Club de Monaco and Yacht Club Costa Smeralda and support from Tasca d’Almerita, the event is a highly anticipated date on the international summer sailing calendar.
Starting in Sicily, the course takes the fleet through a gate in front of Porto Cervo towards the tricky Strait of Bonifacio then up the west or east coast of Corsica (tacticians decision!) to the finish in Monaco.
The previous edition produced an outstanding performance by the impressive 100′ Maxi Arca SGR belonging to Guido and Alberto Miani. Skippered by Furio Benussi, the boat took line honours to win the Giuseppe Tasca d’Almerita Trophy. In corrected time, the J122 Joy belonging to Circolo della Vela Sicilia and skippered by Edoardo Bonanno had a great race to win the prestigious Angelo Randazzo Challenge Trophy in the IRC group.
Giangiacomo Serena di Lapigio (G-Spot) keeps up the pace
Monaco Sportsboat Winter Series – Act III | Tenzor International Cup | 3-6 February 2022 – J/70
Sunday 6th February 2022. The 9th Monaco Sportsboat Winter Series circuit continues. Fifty-two international teams were again on the start line for this third and penultimate meeting of the season which also marked the start of the international J/70 circuit, The Tenzor International Cup. All have their sights set on the upcoming J/70 World Championship that will be organised by Yacht Club de Monaco in partnership with FxPro from 14-22 October 2022.
Sailing stars tackle Monaco race area
The Brit Paul Goodison, gold medallist at the Beijing Olympics in ILCA 7, with seven world titles in five different classes and participation in the America’s Cup on Artemis Racing in 2017, was sailing with the Swedes on Intermezzo which came 4th. Xavier Rohart, Star Olympic medallist, was also present as coach for young sailors in the south of France league, while the Finnish match racing supremo Staffan Lindberg, and the brilliant Finn sailor Ed Wright chose to compete in this meeting.
Locals take control
Monaco Sportsboat Winter Series – Act III – 3-6 February 2022 – J/70
Friday 4th February 2022. The third and penultimate Act of the Monaco Sportsboat Winter Series kicked off today, with 53 teams from all over Europe and also USA. A line-up that confirms this meeting’s status as a benchmark for high-level winter regatta circuits. The Yacht Club de Monaco is also organising the J/70 World Championship, 14-22 October 2022, in partnership with FxPro.
Loïc Pompée takes the lead
On this first day the fleet took full advantage of the arrival of a 10-knot westerly to complete one race. A tense contest won by Monegasque Loïc Pompée (Sailing Racing Team), the red and whites being in fine form with Giangiacomo Serena di Lapigio (G-Spot) claiming 2nd in the provisional ranking. The YCM member had also clinched 2nd place in Act II. The Swiss on Rhubarbe still managed to make a mark and secure their place on the day’s podium in 3rd.
Note also the positions of two Russian teams – Tenzor Sport helmed by Milena Nikitina and Andrei Pushkin’s Tenzor Legal – in the top ten. Act III of the Monaco Sportsboat Winter Series also marks the start of the Tenzor International Cup Russian circuit of regattas for the J/70s.
In the Corinthian (amateur) category, Yacht Club de Monaco’s all-ladies team on Pink Wave are currently lying 3rd just behind the Irish on Wild Card.
Provisional programme (subject to change)
Saturday 5th February:
11.00am : First warning signal
Sunday 6th February:
11.00am : First warning signal
1.00pm : (after finish line closes) Prize-giving
Worlds in their sights
Monaco Sportsboat Winter Series – Act III – 3-6 February – J/70
Thursday 3rd February 2022. It’s shaping up to be a tight contest for the third and penultimate Act of the Monaco Sportsboat Winter Series. A high-quality meeting that attracts international J/70 teams, this season has special significance as Monaco is the stage for the J/70 World Championship 2022, organised 14-22 October by Yacht Club de Monaco in partnership with FxPro.
Monegasques maintain momentum
Among the nigh-on 60 boats for this weekend, the Monegasques are the ones to watch. Current leader of the Winter Series with two Acts in the bag, Ludovico Fassitelli (Junda) is favourite and keen to maintain his upward momentum. Same goes for the team led by Giangiacomo Serena di Lapigio (G-Spot): “For this season, we are focusing on the J/70 class and the World Championship,” said the helmsman who won the 2021 YCM Awards-Trophée Credit Suisse. Hence both have the bit between their teeth and ambition to prove their supremacy on home turf.
Twelve nations are represented including USA, Ireland, Germany and Sweden. Also here is the Star Olympic medallist, Xavier Rohart, the Frenchman having made the trip as coach to supervise young sailors in the south of France league who are competing this weekend. Australian Will Ryan, double Olympic medallist, and Finnish match race supremo Staffan Lindberg are also among well-known figures in sailing on the Principality’s pontoons.