Strong Mistral conditions have tightened the battle for honours across the Rolex Swan Cup in Porto Cervo, with most classes still undecided going into Saturday’s final day.
The third and penultimate day of the 23rd edition brought 16-knot winds for the opening starts, building to 22 knots and gusting to 25 knots later in the day.
It was a sharp contrast to the light Sardinian breeze that greeted competitors when racing began earlier in the week, as Afloat reported.
The stronger conditions produced some rapid coastal racing, with the Swan 128 Rajin reaching 18 knots on a broad reach as the fleet raced around the islands off Sardinia.
Freya Recovers to Lead Swan Maxis
The ClubSwan One Design divisions completed two windward-leeward races, while four coastal courses ranging from 16 to 26 miles were set for the other fleets. Among the Swan Maxis, Freya continued an impressive recovery from sixth place in the opening race.
Coastal Challenge: Swan Cruiser Racer, Legacy and cruising fleets negotiate the rocky Sardinian coastline during Friday’s coastal racing, with class battles tightening ahead of the final day. Photo: YCCS
The Swan 90 has since recorded two consecutive victories and leads the division on eight points, just one ahead of Spiip.
Arobas has also won for two consecutive days in the Swan Mini-Maxi division and now leads Cloudy 7 by two points into the finale.
The Swan Cruiser Racer standings are similarly close. Thetis leads, but From Now On has recovered from seventh on the opening day with two successive wins and is now just one point behind.
Legacy Classes Remain Wide Open
Elan moved into a one-point lead over Shirlaf in the Swan Legacy Sparkman & Stephens ≥47ft division following victory in Friday’s coastal race.
The Legacy ≤44ft contest has also tightened dramatically.
Mascalzone Latino XXXIII, fourth in the first race and second in the next, took Friday’s victory to reduce Pride’s advantage from four points to just one.
Lunz am Meer has more breathing room in the Classics by Frers division. The Swan 651 followed two victories with a second place behind Cygnet and leads on four points, five clear of her nearest rival.
The Pure Cruising divisions also remain unresolved. Alegher leads the Swan Pure Cruising fleet on eight points, followed by Black Zero on nine and Friday winner Luca F on 10.
Downwind Charge: The Rolex Swan Cup fleet powers downwind under spinnaker as the Mistral delivers stronger conditions on the penultimate day off Porto Cervo. Photo: YCCS
Azzurro has staged one of the week's strongest recoveries in Maxi Pure Cruising. After finishing seventh on the opening day, the Swan 78 has won the following two races and is level with Coco de Mer on nine points, with Miss 5K a point behind.
Earlybird Takes Control of ClubSwan 50s
Hendrik Brandis's Earlybird was the standout performer among the ClubSwan 50s, winning both Friday races. With the discard now applied, the reigning world champion leads on four points, ahead of Leonardo Ferragamo's Cuordileone on nine and Marcus Brennecke's Hatari on 13.
Pedro Vaquer Comas's Nadir also scored two victories in the ClubSwan 42 fleet. Nadir and Pez de Abril are tied on six points, with Nadir leading on countback.
Edoardo Ferragamo's Cuordileone heads the ClubSwan 36 standings on four points after winning Friday's first race, while Nikolai Burkart's Goddess took the second victory.
In the ClubSwan 28s, Giulio Gatti's Anya Race moved into the overall lead after scoring a first and second. She has seven points, one fewer than Lorenzo Bortolotti's Black Swan.
The Rolex Swan Cup concludes on Saturday, with the first signal scheduled for noon CEST. In another change of conditions, crews are forecast to face light north-easterly winds of seven to eight knots.
