Rolex Giraglia 2022: "Magic Carpet" wins "Line Honours": Owen-Jones: "It's so hard to win this race"

Lindsay Owen-Jones' Wallycento "Magic Carpet" won the Line Honours at the Rolex Giraglia for the third time after 2013 and 2016. The team with tactician and co-steersman Jochen Schümann had to fight hard in this rather windless edition to catch the "Arca SGR", which was in the lead for the majority of the race, in the thrilling final. A few nautical miles before the line of the offshore classic in the Mediterranean, it still looked as if Furio Benussi's Italian maxi would win the race. However, the highly experienced "Magic Carpet" crew managed to overtake the frontrunners in the doldrums with clever inshore positioning. In addition to Schümann, two-time Olympic silver medallist and Ocean Race winner Ian Walker (2015 with Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing), weather maestro Marcel van Triest and Ocean Race veteran Neal McDonald were also on board.

On the 206 nautical mile race course, which was shortened in the balmy summer breeze, the race record was never in danger in this edition. It dates back to 2012 and is just under 15 hours. "Magic Carpet" left 139 yachts behind her from Saint-Tropez via the Giraglia rocks on the northern tip of Corsica to Genoa. Even the usually fast racer took a patient 34 hours, 7 minutes and 17 seconds to win. The race, organised by the Yacht Club Italiano with the support of the Société Nautique de Saint-Tropez, took place for the 69th time.

"I've been beaten several times myself at the last moment. That's heartbreaking. I know how the others feel now. It's so hard to win this race," said the happy "Magic Carpet" owner Sir Lindsay Owen-Jones after crossing the finish line. At the award ceremony, the team also saw Jochen Schümann clenching his fist with a smile. Schümann told YACHT online: "Even an 'exciting' doldrums race becomes interesting in the end when you are fighting for victory." Click here for the clip celebrating the "Line Honours" winners of the Rolex Giraglia 2022 (please click!).