Swan 80 Favonius takes first again, and British yacht Zen leads the Classics

Day two of the Rolex Swan Cup saw the different divisions take very different routes. The Swan Maxis went on a hefty 30 nautical mile sail up and down Bomb Alley using the Island of Spargi as a leeward turning mark, whereas the Classics undertook a shorter, 24 nm stroll venturing into the channel as far as Secca di Tre Monti. Meanwhile, the Swan 45s and Club Swan 42s tackled two four-leg windward/leewards of 8 & 7.2nm.

In the Swan Maxis the Swan 80, Favonius (BVI) won once again on the water and on handicap. The Swan 48 Zen (GBR) conceded her waterline length to finish third on the water, but still came first on handicap in the Classics.

Roel Pieper’s Favonius hardly put a foot wrong as she slipped around the course in 3 hours 41 minutes, and seemed to extend her lead throughout the twisting course. Pieper and tactician Roy Heiner have plenty of experience in these waters and, whilst ultimate success has eluded them in the past, if they keep up this standard no one else is going to touch them.

In the Swan 45 division, however, a battle is emerging. Christian Nagel and Hendrik Brandis’ Earlybird (GER) may be top tonight, but by a significantly reduced margin as first Marco Salvi’s Vertigo (ITA) took the finish gun, followed by Carlo Perone’s Atlantica Racing (ITA) in the second race. Elsewhere, Andrea Masi’s Ulika (ITA) scored 2, 4 to close to within one point of the Germans.

The Club Swan 42s raced the same courses as the Swan 45s. The American challengers took top slots in both of the day’s races. John Hele’s Daring’s took the first race of the day, following it with a third. Austin Fragomen’s Interlodge mirrored this with a third and first respectively. These results move Interlodge into second overall, four points off the lead and two ahead of Leonardo Ferragamo’s Cour di Leone (ITA), in third.

Current Provisional Standings:

Swan Maxi (2 races)
1. Favonius, Roel Pieper, BVI, 2 points

2. Spirit Of Jethou, Peter Ogden, GBR, 4

3. Ginger, Leslie Green, ITA, 7

Swan 45 (5 races)

1. Early bird, Hedrik Brandis, GER, 16

2. Ulika, Andrea Masi, ITA, 17

3. Vertigo, Marco Salvi, ITA, 25

Swan 42 (4 races)

1. Kora, Enrico Scemi, ITA, 6

2. Interlodge, Austin Fragomen, USA, 10

3. Cuor Di Leone, Leonardo Ferragamo, ITA, 12

Classic (2 races)

1. Zen, John Bainbridge, GBR, 2

2. Dream, Francesco Persio, ITA, 6

3. Clem, Jaime Olazabal Fourquet, ESP, 9

For a full list of results, visit www.yccsswancup.com .