Bella Mente Racing at the 2017 Rolex Maxi 72 World Championship in Porto Cervo (Photo Credit: Rolex/Carlo Borlenghi)

After a week of fighting tooth and nail against Maxi 72 rivals, Bella Mente Racing wrapped up the Rolex Maxi 72 World Championships in Porto Cervo, Sardinia earlier this month, taking third place overall. The regatta is the team’s pinnacle event each year and concludes its 2017 campaign.

“Thanks to the Bella Mente Racing team for their dedication and commitment to our effort this year, and standby for new developments with the boat,” said Owner/Driver Hap Fauth who has helmed Bella Mente in The Maxi 72 Worlds for the last six years, three of those times taking the championship title. “The Maxi 72 fleet gets better and better each year. This past week allowed us to match up against four other top Maxi 72 teams, and it was incredible to see how fast and competitive they all are. A big congratulations to Dieter Schön and his Momo crew, which turned in an excellent performance on the water.”

The regatta started off on a high note for Bella Mente Racing, with the team playing the light winds and shifts to their favor and winning the first day of racing. But as the week progressed, the breeze built, and Momo moved to the front of the pack. Bella Mente closed the gap between the leading boats significantly on the final day when it finished first and second in the last two races, finishing in third place overall – less than two points behind Momo in first place and less than one point behind Proteus in second place.

“The 2017 Maxi 72 World Championship event was a game of two halves,” said Tactician Terry Hutchinson, adding that Bella Mente’s performance peaked on the days when the breeze was below 12 knots but fell behind when it built to 15 knots and above. “There was a clear distinction between our performance compared to that of the three newer boats (Momo, Cannonball and Proteus), and this gives the team an area of focus as we go into our off season. Collectively, we need to evaluate our performance using sailor impressions and the performance analysis systems in place to develop our work list. The trend that we saw in Porto Cervo has been on display all year, yet I would say that Bella Mente was closer to the others at this event.”

Standby for new developments from Bella Mente Racing.

For more information, visit https://bellamenteracing.com/. Follow Bella Mente Racing on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and Instagram.

Sponsors for Bella Mente Racing include TSI, ESC, Tekran, DICKEY-john, Churchill Yachts,Worthington Aviation, Worthington Ag Parts and MSP.

Congratulations to they entire Maxi72 Class. Bella Mente overall 3rd in this years Championship. Congratulations Momo. #rolex #yccs50#yccs_portocervo #hapatthehelm #bellamenteracing

Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup – Top conditions & close competition make the day

by YCCS on 9 Sep

Cannonball and Maxi72s Fleet, Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup & Rolex Maxi 72 World Championship 2017. © Rolex / Carlo Borlenghi http://www.carloborlenghi.net

Today was the second to last day of racing at the Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup & Rolex Maxi72 World Championship, the annual event organised by the Yacht Club Costa Smeralda in collaboration with Title Sponsor Rolex and the International Maxi Association.

The lull in the wind that the fleet was dreading didn’t appear and today was another exceptional day of racing in Mistral breezes at 12 to 15 knots along a 34.5 nm coastal course.

Currently in the lead of the provisional results at just a day from the end of the event are Momo (Maxi72), Ribelle (Supermaxi), Highland Fling XI (Maxi), Nahita (Wally), Jethou (Mini Maxi R), Supernikka (Mini Maxi RC1) and Shirlaf (Mini Maxi RC2).

Starting procedures got underway punctually at 11:30 AM in the waters off Porto Cervo. The yachts headed upwind to Passo delle Bisce and up to the Secca di Tre Monti in the Arzachena Gulf. Once they had rounded the Secca, the fleet sailed counter clockwise around the islands of Caprera, La Maddalena and Spargi and then back to Porto Cervo.

Nefertiti- Maxi, Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup & Rolex Maxi 72 World Championship 2017. © Rolex / Carlo Borlenghi http://www.carloborlenghi.net

There were head to head match races in all Classes and tactical attempts to get an edge on rivals set against the spectacular natural scenery of the Arcipelago della Maddalena’s landscape. The battle between the Maxi72s was especially hard fought: Caol Ila R got her groove right off the start and took the lead while Bella Mente and Momo both struggled after getting OCS penalties. Caol Ila R arrived at the finish in the lead in real time, 12 seconds ahead of Cannonball. But on corrected time the latter yacht won by four seconds. ‘It was real fun and a great satisfaction,’ said Cannonball’s tactician Vasco Vascotto with a smile. ‘Today’s win is dedicated as much to our owner, Dario Ferrari, as to the part of the team we left on the docks when we thought that air would be too light to sail with a full roster. In the Maxi72 Class you can really sail close and hard; it’s a Class where lots of top sailors compete in boats that come within inches of each other. Pure emotion!’

With today’s win in the Supermaxi Class, Ribelle, owned by YCCS members Salvatore and Paola Trifirò, has already technically won the Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup a day before it has ended. ‘It really has been a wonderful event,’ said helmsman Francesco De Angelis. ‘Ribelle is racing in a very competitive Class against boats that are very similar to her. Our boat is new, but has been getting better all the time. Today we took advantage of a chance we had to cinch the win and we got it.’

Another sure win is Jethou in the Mini Maxi Class: this yacht has placed first every day she has raced so far. Spectre and Lucky trail her at a fair distance. In the Maxi Class, today was the day for the Swan 90 Nefertiti owned by Juan Ball. She placed ahead of Highland Fling XI, leader who retains the lead overall in the Class.

The last day of racing will be decisive in the Wally Class: the 80′ Nahita placed first today and is currently in the lead by two points on Galateia and Lyra who are tied for second place.

Nahita-Wally, Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup & Rolex Maxi 72 World Championship 2017. © Rolex / Carlo Borlenghi http://www.carloborlenghi.net

It’s a close race in the Mini Maxi RC1 Class: Roberto Lauro’s Swan 601 Wohpe placed first today followed by Supernikka, still in the lead overall, and Wallyño. Giuseppe Puttini’s Swan 65 Shirlaf won the Mini Maxi RC2 Class and is tied for first place with Riccardo De Michele’s Vallicelli 80′ H2O.

Tonight is the highly anticipated Rolex Gala Dinner and tomorrow, September 9th will be the final day at the Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup 2017. The Maxi72 and Mini Maxi Racer Classes will do windward-leeward courses, while all other Classes will do a coastal race that is scheduled to start at 11:30.

Full Results:

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