This weekend J/70 teams experienced all the Mediterranean’s moods, from surfing downwind with the waves and steady wind on Friday to light conditions the rest of the weekend. A challenge for all sailors who had to concentrate hard on trimming and adapt to every eventuality during the four races completed. As both an ideal warmup and intense introduction to the venue for newcomers, Act 1 of the Monaco Sportsboat Winter Series promises an already memorable championship ahead.
At home, Yacht Club de Monaco teams left little room for the competition, confirming their mastery and cohesion. Four out of the top five flew the Club’s colours, led by Piccinina with Stefano Roberti at the helm taking first place with the young Antoine Arnoult from YCM’s Sports Section on board, closely followed by Raph Seven Yacht helmed by Bodhi Van Der Linden, a YCM competition sailor. Both demonstrated remarkable consistency. Dennis Infante’s Euro Voiles clinched 3rd with Graeme Peterson’s Moonlight and Matteo Scandolera’s Irruenza completing the Monaco quartet. All are clearly set on maintaining this level throughout the season.
In the Corinthian category, the French Euro Voiles won ahead of the Monegasque team on Irruenza in 2nd and the Swiss on Rhubarbe in 3rd.
Among the 22 teams competing several were making their debut and discovering what makes this venue so challenging. They included Quantum Sails II helmed by Miklos Rauschenberger and György Molnar’s Rosszcsont from Hungary, alongside the Swedish on El Otro led by Anton Karlsson. For the foreign teams it was a chance to see how they measured up to the locals and get a flavour of the level of this competition which attracts serious sailors from all over Europe.
