The Mediterranean is currently home to a regatta field of impressive size. This year, 268 yachts have registered for the Giraglia Rolex Cup - more than ever before. The long-distance regatta around the island of Giraglia, which gives the event its name, is one of the most famous offshore races in the Mediterranean. In addition to the professional teams of the impressive mega yachts, amateurs also take part in the event on their private boats. Around 2500 sailors from all over Europe and beyond compete against each other. Five German crews have also travelled to the event this year.
The Giraglia Rolex Cup traditionally consists of three parts. Two night-time feeder races start at the beginning from Marseille in France and San Remo in Italy to Saint-Tropez, where several inshore races are held off the coast over the following days. Only then does the famous offshore race start from there around the island at the northern tip of Corsica to Genoa in Italy.
Only ten boats started from Marseille on Friday, compared to 100 from San Remo - including the German "Pappes" with skipper Michael Müller, which achieved an impressive seventh place in the IRC classification. In the three inshore regattas off Saint-Tropez, which took place from Sunday to Tuesday, the "Pappes" and the ORC-sailing German crews of Hanno Ziehm's "Moana" and Mikhail Mishchenko's "Steve Wonder 2" performed well in the midfield. Stefan Jentzsch's "Black Pearl" finished in the last third of the IRC A classification, while Jens Kuhn's "Sjambol" came last.
First impressions of this year's start of the Giraglia offshore race
After the good conditions of the previous days, the weather changed for yesterday's start of the long-distance race, which is the highlight of the Rolex Cup. In heavy rain and light winds, the huge field was slow to leave the bay of Saint Tropez. It was therefore clear from the start that the course record from 2012 would not be broken this year either. Back then, the 90-foot maxi yacht "Esimit Europa 2" under German helmsman Jochen Schümann arrived in Genoa after just under 15 hours.
There are around 241 nautical miles to cover. The rocky island of Giraglia, 600 metres long, 50 metres wide and rising 60 metres out of the water, which the yachts have to round to starboard, has now achieved a mythical status similar to that of Fasnet Rock off Ireland. It marks about half of the route. The first yachts have already crossed the finish line today.
The sailing event was launched in 1953 with the intention of improving relations between Italy and France after the Second World War. In a Parisian bistro, the Yacht Club Italiano and the Yacht Club de France agreed to work together. Since then, what is now the oldest Mediterranean sailing competition has been held every year in June. It is still organised jointly by French and Italian clubs.
The official preview video for the Giraglia Rolex Cup 2016
