Powerful line up for Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup

Two new Mini Maxis and the first WallyCento are gracing Porto Cervo

The Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup sets sail today with five days of competition off the Costa Smeralda and Maddalena Archipelago, but with the ominous prospect of gale force winds forecast for mid-week.

34 of the world's largest racing sailboats are entered ranging from the 18.30m @robas (FRA) up to the collosus, the 66m ketch Hetairos. This year's event marks the debut of the first WallyCento in Charles Dunstone’s Wally Hamilton while two new maximum length (72ft) Judel Vrolijk designs will be competing for the Mini Maxi World Championship in American Hap Fauth’s Bella Mente and the Italian Stig, owned by Alessandro Rombelli.

Among the afterguard on Bella Mente is 2006 ISAF Rolex World Sailor of the Year and Volvo Ocean Race winner Mike Sanderson. “We’re really excited,” he remarks. “The Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup is one of the great events on the calendar, where the fascination is seeing all of the hardware together - a collection of amazing boats in terms of power and sail.In the Mini Maxi class, the level is very high. The other guys currently have a bit more refinement and finesse including Rán who are a very polished act with a very consistent crew.”

Favourite for the Mini Maxi Rolex World Championship is Niklas Zennström's Rán 2, winner of the first two Mini Maxi World Championships. But in addition to the new competition, she will also face Sir Peter Ogden's revamped Jethou now lengthened to 18.9m (read about her mods here) American George Sakellaris’ Shockwave, and the Mills 68 Caol Ila R, formerly Andres Soriano's Alegre – second in 2010 and 2011 – now sold to Alex Schärer who will be making the transition from his racer/cruiser of the same name.

In addition to the Mini Maxis a number of other successful boats are in attendance. Filip Balcaen’s 34.13m Nilaya won line honours in the Rolex Volcano Race and returns to Porto Cervo to defend her Supermaxi class title. Igor Simcic’s 100ft Esimit Europa 2 comes here after smashing the record for the Giraglia Rolex Cup and has just set a new fastest time between Monte Carlo and Porto Cervo.

Edoardo Recchi, Sporting Director of event organiser the Yacht Club Costa Smeralda, believes a vintage edition is in store, revealing: “We are very happy to have a fleet of 34 boats with a number sailing here for the first time. The Mini Maxi Rolex World Championship, in particular, will be very competitive because all the Mini Maxis are, from a certain point of view, as good as new, with many having changed keels or rigs.” As Recchi confirms, the week will be a test of each crew’s resolve and endurance: “For the Maxis and Supermaxis five coastal races are planned and for the Mini Maxis and Wallys there will be three coastal races and four windward/leeward races.”

Tomorrow, coastal races are scheduled for the event’s five classes (Maxi Racing, Maxi Racing/Cruising, Mini Maxi, Supermaxi and Wally).

Line up