First time published: 2021Jun14

S.R.: 68° Giraglia - Day 1 - Notte calma prima della tempesta

Main Galleries Folder 2021: https://bit.ly/3gm0MpB

Stage 1: https://bit.ly/2TuHllv

Stage 3: https://bit.ly/2TBNegM

Stage 4 Big Start: https://bit.ly/3lEkI9L 

Finally we are back on field, after some races on the lake, many virtual races around to globe and inshore, a couple of articles out of sailing topic, we are back where I left, between the sea-wall of St Tropez and its cemetery, to try to catch some good shots of the start of the race. 

Which race? The extraordinary St. Tropez to Sanremo, usually is the contrary, but d/t the strong COVID-limitations still in force in France (at least on paper, as I was nearly the only one with some tourist, sailors, and policemen to wear the mask correctly outside) the RolexGiraglia Cup team has found a great way to start at least the off-shore one: so this year all boats go from St.Tropez and Genova go to Sanremo.

In IRC rating 25 boats (Magic Carpet was still docked and didn’t race) while ORC rating just 8, total 33, not very good, considering that in the morning from Antibes for the local regatta: 3 Bays, there were nearly 60 boats surfing down to Cannes. From Genova better, with IRC 21 ORC 30. So during June 14 Sanremo will fill up the port with just less hundred boats, the others will arrive for the departure Wednesday 16 at 10:00UTC, bringing the number (for now) at 150 boats. Around a half of the usual number, considering the situation not bad.

The departure at the hazy sunset (17:00UTC) in the bay has been very good, with the skipper Kito de Pavant (Class 40 FRA-142) and Miss K Checkmate (Swan45 GBR45026) have taken the lead after the line from the Committee Boat, while Freccia Rossa (TP-52 ITA-29141) Arobas 2 (IRC 52 FRA5200) and the green Daguet 3 (KER 36 FRA-3600) have started the race fighting on the pin.

For the Tropéziens the wind was patchy and upwind and quite hard to find the right way.

At moment from St. Tropez has arrived: HYDRA (HKG-1998 DK 46) just after midday (with 17:06:41) and Miss K Checkmate (with +01:23:47) for ORC; for IRC Daguet 3 (with 15:22:16), followed by FRECCIA ROSSA (with +00:41:26) and IMAGINE (Salona 44 FRA-53088 with +01:27:59); Kito with HBF REFOREST´ACTION has finished with +04:56:58. From Genova, the results are still not published (or in update) but from Vesselfinder it’s possible to see Pendragon VI (USA-7744 maxi) already in the Sanremo waters.

Last thing, as the Offshore race start from Sanremo the first mark will be in fabulous Rade d’Agay, only mother nature could paint this panorama with the red rocks of the Estérel fall in the blue water of the Mediterranean Sea (I hope the buoy will be right there in the middle!!!) 

Results tables: https://bit.ly/2RW7Q2O 

General Stage 1: 1 races

ORC Class

1. HYDRA (DK 46 HKG-1998 Oscar CHAVE) 17:06:41
2. Miss K Checkmate (Swan45 GBR45026 Piermarco BABANDO) 18:23:10
3. x (=)

IRC Class

1. Daguet 3 (KER 36 FRA-3600 Frederic PUZIN) 15:22:16
2. FRECCIA ROSSA (TP-52 ITA-29141 Vadim YAKIMENKO) 15:01:16
3. IMAGINE (Salona 44 FRA-53088 Gerard MARHETTI) 19:14:25

Links:

Main Website Event: https://www.rolexgiraglia.com/

Main Galleries Folder: http://bit.ly/2jOmKDy

Main Galleries Folder 2021: https://bit.ly/3gm0MpB

Stage 1: https://bit.ly/2TuHllv

Stage 3: https://bit.ly/2TBNegM

Stage 4 Big Start: https://bit.ly/3lEkI9L