CIALOMA
Club: SOCIETA' CANOTTIERI PALERMO
RAMBLER IS LEADING THE PALERMO-MONTECARLO REGATTA. NIGHTLY ARRIVAL
As expected, George David’s Rambler 88, helmed by Brad Butterworth, is leading the fleet.
In the twelfth edition of the Palermo-Montecarlo Regatta, 57 boats from 11 different countries were at the starting line, representing Italy, USA, France, Monaco, Germany, Spain, UK, Malta, Turkey, Russia and Hungary. There are also 6 Maxi yachts in the race as a consequence of the inclusion of the Palermo-Montecarlo Regatta in the IMA (International Maxi Association). Indeed, It is part of the off shore track for the Maxi yachts, (which includes also the Rolex Middle Sea Race, the Volcano Race and the Giraglia Rolex Cup).
The Palermo-Montecarlo Regatta departed Sunday morning at 12 o’clock from the Gulf of Mondello, and it was organized by both Circolo della Vela Sicilia and the Yacht Club de Monaco, in collaboration with the Yacht Club Costa Smeralda.
As sometimes happens during long distances, there was a double course: while the fastest boats run into a light wind (between 8 and 10 knots), the main part of the boats bumped into a strong north-east wind during the night of the navigation. The wind in this case, reached a peak of 25 knots opposite Porto Cervo, where there has been the gate. The wind was so strong that some crews had some parts of the equipment broken. This has caused some retirements: among them, Ville de Genève/FRA was sailing in the third position, when it had to face up some difficulties with the mast, Extra 1 with Massimo Barranco and Matteo Ivaldi withdrew from the competition because of a damage of the mainsail (the boat was the winner of the Palermo-Montecarlo Regatta 2015).
In real time, Rambler is ahead Wild Joe/HUN (Reichel-Pugh 60), Black Pearl/GER (Carkeek 47), Maverick/GBR (Infiniti 46) and Buena Vista/ITA (Ice 62), the boat of the Circolo della Vela Sicilia. The boat defending the Yacht Club Monaco, Majic (J111), will probably have good chances in the adjusted time classification.
In the “Palermo-Montecarlo x 2” Stefano Chiarotti and Giancarlo Pedote’s Lunatika is leading the group.
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