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Third Rolex Maxi 72 World Title for Bella Mente

September 11, 2016 By Bella Mente Leave a Comment

Photo Credit: ROLEX / Carlo Borlenghi

On Saturday, September 10, Bella Mente Racing was crowned Rolex Maxi 72 World Champion. This is the team’s third Rolex Maxi 72 World Championship title win, and its second consecutive. The victory comes after a week of intense competition with five other world-class Maxi 72 teams on the waters off Porto Cervo, Sardinia.

Photo Credit: ROLEX / Carlo Borlenghi

The team, led by owner/driver Hap Fauth (Naples, Fla./Minneapolis, Minn.), marks the Maxi 72 Worlds as its pinnacle event each year and has been preparing for it since kicking off its 2016 campaign in January with Quantum Key West Race Week, where the team won its class. The team went on to win the inaugural Maxi72 North American Championship in Newport, R.I. in June and Copa del Rey MAPFRE in Mallorca, Spain in August.

Hap Fauth:

It’s been a very competitive week with Bella Mente the defending World Champion and everyone’s boat to beat. We were definitely on everyone’s radar screen, which made for very little passing lanes all week, so we had to win the starts to control the fleet. We are not the fastest boat, so winning the World Championship was very gratifying. Premier Sponsor Rolex, the International Maxi Association and Yacht Club Costa Smeralda did a fantastic job hosting the World Championship. We’re look forward to another season with the Bella team next year.

Terry Hutchinson:

It was a solid team day and week onboard Bella Mente. As we battled through the event and the year, there were many moments of growth for our squad. It was great to see that on display today. A tricky northeasterly breeze met the fleet and while we held a four-point lead, it never feels comfortable. Hap, Doogie, and Ian executed a safe mid-line start, and from there it was on Ado (Adrian Stead) and me to pick our way through the wind holes. Two well-timed tacks found us around the first top mark in second but more importantly the competition was deep. From there, it was a matter of staying between the competition and the marks. Inevitably as the race played out Bella Mente was able to get a sniff of the lead and we never looked back. The race ended with a win and the 2016 Maxi 72 World Championship. Needless to say it has been a rewarding week and as a team Bella Mente sailed very consistently, with our last 12 months of work on display.

Mike Sanderson:

It’s an absolute privilege to be part of the Bella Mente team and sail with Hap. The reason I love it so much is because I believe so highly in Haps leadership style. He hires guys he believes in and then trusts them to the edge of the world to do their job. My kids often give me a hard time for giving them ‘the look’ but we get that look also from Hap; it’s a ‘you’ve got this right, haven’t you?’ look, which I love and totally get. If you haven’t done the work you said you would, spoken when you don’t know what your talking about, or just had a full ‘brain fart’ as he would say (crew wise) then you will hear about it. But that’s okay, in fact that’s perfect! The fact of the matter is that all he expects is for us to do the very best we can do. He firmly believes that the time and effort that we all give out there on the water as a team will show in the results. It’s an absolute honor and a privilege to be a part of the Bella Mente team. I know I speak for everyone when I say thank you so very much and bring on 2017!

Adrian Stead:

This week showed a terrific team performance from Bella Mente. We said at the beginning of The Worlds that we needed to start well, go fast and sail smart in each race, and for three coastal and four windward leeward races, we did exactly that. We come away from two World Championship wins on a high and finish the season unbeaten – a credit to everyone on the team who has pushed to be better in every area. We have been through some tough times this year, but the strength of a good team is to sort the problem and go forward. Already though, we are thinking of 2017 and how to keep ahead of our opposition, as we know they are looking at us! A great end to the racing season and hats off to Hap for making it happen!

Click here to read the full event press release

For more on the International Maxi Association visit: www.internationalmaxiassociation.com
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Maxi 72 World Champions!

September 10, 2016 By Bella Mente 1 Comment

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Bella Mente won the Rolex Maxi 72 World Championship for a second year in a row! Stay tuned for a full report later today.

Maxi 72 Worlds: Day 5

September 9, 2016 By Bella Mente Leave a Comment

(Photo Credit: ROLEX / Carlo Borlenghi)

The Maxi 72 Class got two races off today in the Rolex Maxi World Championship. Bella Mente Racing, led by owner/driver Hap Fauth, finished with a fourth and first place, respectively, and holds a four-point lead going into the final day of racing tomorrow.

Terry Hutchinson

One bad and one good race onboard Bella Mente today. The constant though is working for the averages, trying to get away clean from the start and let our speed work for us. I am not sure we are always the fastest as everybody seems to have there moments and yet Hap, Skip, Sean, Morgan, Doogie, and Pete do a great job getting us upwind. It will be all to play for tomorrow and that is all we can ask. We maintain a slim margin over Momo and Robertissima with Proteus in striking distance; should be a good fight!

Mike Sanderson

When all the world’s best meteorologist services are disagreeing on the forecast for the day, you know you are in for a tricky old day, and sure enough, that was very much the case. We tried to make the smart calls sail wise for the two coastal races. We erred on the conservative side and that was the right call. I think we used all but one of the sails we carried so thats not a bad guess! The racing didn’t all go our way, but the nice thing with the Bella team is that the process on how we attack the racing is very consistent. We try as best we can to take the emotion out of it, no matter if we are first or last, and a few times today we where both!

Tomorrow it’s just business as usual. We have a couple of races that we need to go out and fight until the very end for.

Maxi 72 Worlds: Carlo Borlenghi Images

September 9, 2016 By Bella Mente Leave a Comment

2016 Rolex Maxi 72 World Championship 2016 (Photo Credit: Studio Borlenghi -Carlo Borlenghi)

More photos from the Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup 2016:

: The Maxi 72 Fleet (Photo Credit: ROLEX / Carlo Borlenghi)

: Maxi 72 start. (Photo Credit: ROLEX / Carlo Borlenghi)

: Photo Credit: ROLEX / Carlo Borlenghi

: The Maxi 72 Fleet during day two of racing (Photo Credit: ROLEX / Carlo Borlenghi)

: Bella Mente during day two of racing (Photo Credit: ROLEX / Carlo Borlenghi)

Maxi 72 Worlds: Day 4

September 8, 2016 By Bella Mente Leave a Comment

Maxi 72 start (Photo Credit: ROLEX / Carlo Borlenghi)

After two days of the Rolex Maxi 72 World Championships were cancelled due to rough conditions earlier this week, Race Committee decided to push up racing by an hour today to ensure that competitors would be able to get out on the water. The Maxi 72s raced a shortened coastal race with the anticipation of doing a second race, but unfortunately the dwindling breeze only allowed for the first race. Bella Mente Racing, led by owner/driver Hap Fauth, finished in second place with Robertissima taking the win and creeping up to second place in the overall standings, only .75 points behind Bella Mente, which still holds the lead.

The Maxi 72 Fleet (Photo Credit: ROLEX / Carlo Borlenghi)

Terry Hutchinson:

It was a good day onboard Bella Mente today. As it is with the coastal races, we understand the importance of the bonus points. Hap, Soapy (Ian Moore), and Doogie (Sean Couvreux) had a great start mid-line. It was a tricky first beat, but we managed our way around in second place behind Robertissima.

From there, it was a matter of defending our position and making gains where we could. It still does not feel we are firing on all cylinders and yet we are battling. Tomorrow will be another two coastal races, so still plenty of points on the table.

For more on the International Maxi Association visit:www.internationalmaxiassociation.com
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Maxi 72 Worlds: Day 3 Cancelled

September 7, 2016 By Bella Mente Leave a Comment

Photo Credit: ROLEX / Carlo Borlenghi

Conditions proved to be too rough for racing for day three of the Rolex Maxi72 World Championship, with strong winds and a mountainous sea state being the main reasons for canceling the competition today. Stay tuned for more on-the-water action tomorrow!

Full report from the organizers:

Sadly for a second day, conditions proved too brisk for racing off Porto Cervo at the Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup, organised by the Yacht Club Costa Smeralda in conjunction with the International Maxi Association.

As Principal Race Officer Peter Craig explained: “It came in real heavy at 2300 last night with 30-40 knots. This morning the wind was getting down to 20-25 here, but just to the north it was still 30-35 knots.” However it was not the wind, but an even more mountainous sea state than yesterday that was the main reason for Craig cancelling competition today.

With the change in schedule, the International Maxi Association took the opportunity to hold its Annual General Meeting, within the YCCS’s magnificent club house, with International Maxi Association President Thomas Bscher and Secretary General Andrew McIrvine overseeing proceedings.

At the meeting Andrew McIrvine was re-elected as Secretary General while George Andreadis stood down as Treasurer to be replaced by Sir Peter Ogden, owner of the Maxi 72, Jethou. Taking over as Vice Presidents in the Mini Maxi Racer and Racer Cruiser divisions respectively were Roberto Lacorte (owner of the Vismara-built Mills 62) and Benoit de Froidmont (owner of the Wally 60, Wallyῆo).

A preliminary 2017 race schedule was announced for the Maxi 72s including the RORC Caribbean 600 and Les Voiles St Barth in the Caribbean before the boats return to the Mediterranean. There their schedule includes regular fixtures such as a Palma Vela, Copa del Rey MAPFRE and the Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup but with two new events, the first to take place at the end of May at a venue (probably in Italy) still to be finalised, the second, the Corfu Challenge Trophy, taking place over 3-8 July.

For next season the Maxi 72 fleet is set to be joined by a new boat, currently nearing completion at Premier Composite Technologies in Dubai to a design by Botin Partners, the Spanish design house’s first Maxi 72 offering. This boat and the present Robertissima are in the process of being sold to new owners. Existing World Champion, Hap Fauth’s Bella Mente, Dieter Schön’s MOMO and George Sakellaris’ Proteus are set to participate in the Caribbean events, before being joined by Sir Peter Ogden’s Jethou and Alex Schaerer’s Caol Ila R once back in the Med.

The Maxi 72 Class is currently an affiliate of the International Maxi Association. A similar arrangement is now planned for the J-Class Association.

“The International Maxi Association did well in the last 12 months,” reported International Maxi Association President, Thomas Bscher. “While participation in yachting is shrinking, our events have been well supported and the fleet is growing. The Maxi part the sport at least is in good shape.” This was highlighted by the record number of entries at this year’s Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup, with numbers growing particularly in the Mini Maxi (18.29-24.08m) and Super Maxi (30.50+m) fleets. As ever the Wally fleet remains strong with the largest participation this week in Porto Cervo.

The Mini Maxis for example have enjoyed the welcome return of one of its founding members, Carlo Puri Negri and his Atalanta II. This Farr 70 won at the Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup a decade ago, but due to the economic downturn, was subsequently mothballed until last season.

“Then we decided to do some work on the boat to improve it,” says Puri Negri, explaining that this was overdue, the boat originally having been launched in 2004 and designed to the IMS rule. Last year the stern was modified and made more powerful and a new bulb was fitted, along with a bowsprit. While the mast is original, it has been strengthened and twin backstays added to accommodate masthead spinnakers and a new flat-top mainsail.

Following this work, the boat was relaunched earlier this year and so far this season has enjoyed success offshore. However a profoundly disappointing Tuesday at the Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup Puri Negri desperately hopes was a one-off.

With the relaunch of Atalanta II, Puri Negri is also getting stuck in again with the International Maxi Association having been, he admits, a ‘sleeper member’ for the last few years. “We had the biggest fleet when I left. Now I want to repeat that, but we have to change the rules and try to limit spending,” he says.

Racing is set to continue tomorrow at the Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup and PRO Peter Craig is confident of the final three days of the event being sailable, albeit in lighter conditions.

To try and recover the schedule, the first warning signal will be earlier tomorrow, at 1030, with the intention for the Maxi 72s to sail two coastal races. “They will be short to moderate length to make sure it is quality racing and then get them back to windward-leewards for the next two days,” concludes Craig.

For more on the International Maxi Association visit:www.internationalmaxiassociation.com
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Maxi 72 Worlds: Day 2

September 6, 2016 By Bella Mente 2 Comments

The Maxi 72 Fleet during day two of racing (Photo Credit: ROLEX / Carlo Borlenghi)

After day one of racing was cancelled due to high winds, Bella Mente and the rest of the Maxi 72 fleet took to the water today in Porto Cervo, Sardinia to kick off the Rolex Maxi 72 World Championship. Despite the tricky conditions, which included large swells and dwindling breeze, the team, led by owner/driver Hap Fauth, prevailed taking first place in the first windward/leeward race of the day and tying with Robertissima for second place in the second race. Bella Mente goes into tomorrow holding the class lead, 1.5 points ahead of Momo.

Bella Mente during day two of racing (Photo Credit: ROLEX / Carlo Borlenghi)

Hap Fauth

It was very challenging. With the huge sea state, there was lots of mountain climbing and with the shifty breeze it was a challenge all day. But we came out okay.

Mike Sanderson

Many people commented when we where trying to get the boat off the dock that this would be the trickiest part of the day, as massive swells rolling into Porto Cervo Harbor were creating havoc for the fleet. That wasn’t to be the case though, the waves during racing that were out of whack with the wind speed, which was steadily dropping, made for a couple of very tricky races. Onboard, it all felt a bit rough around the edges, but to come away with a first in the first race and a tie for second in the second race, meant in fact that it was a very solid day points wise.

Adrian Stead

After a blowout for day one, it was great to get out and race today. Conditions were pretty lumpy with a 1-1.5 meter seaway from the north, and a breeze that started at 19 knots and dropped to 12 buy the end of race two.

For race one, Bella Mente got a great mid-line start and was going well upwind to lead around the top mark from the left. Downwind, there were big surfs on the waves and we dropped back to third at the gate, with Momo taking the lead. Some good shifts up the second beat got us back in the lead at the top, which we held until the finish – a nice opener!

For race two, we had another well-executed mid-line start with Terry (Hutchinson), Hap, Soapy (Ian Moore) and Doogie (Sean Couvreux) launching us well out of the blocks. We had a solid first beat and led at the top. Momo gybed away from the shift but saw more pressure and came in ahead at the gate. No place changes up the still lumpy second beat, but on the final run Robertissima managed to make a gain, leaving us sharing second place on handicap.

Overall, it was an ok opening day, and we are at the front of the fleet, but also feeling that we left some points out there. Tomorrow looks very rough with strong winds overnight.

Click here to read the organizer’s press release
For more on the International Maxi Association visit: www.internationalmaxiassociation.com
Follow Bella Mente Racing on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram
Follow the Maxi 72 Class on the Class Website and Facebook

Maxi 72 Worlds: Day One Cancelled

September 5, 2016 By Bella Mente Leave a Comment

(Photo Credit: ROLEX / Carlo Borlenghi)

The mistral was in full force today in Porto Cervo, Sardinia for day one of the Rolex Maxi 72 World Championship, with a northwesterly breeze clocking in between 30 and 35 knots. The Race Committee kept the Maxi 72 Fleet at the dock waiting for the wind to come down, but it did not. Windward/leeward racing is on tap for tomorrow!

Full report from the organizers:

Big conditions today off Sardinia’s magnificent Costa Smeralda sadly proved too big. Initially the Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup race committee held competitors ashore to see if the forecast lull would occur. Ultimately at 1430 local time conditions on the course were in fact building rather than dropping, so, reluctantly, Peter Craig and his team from the Yacht Club Costa Smeralda, organiser of the Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup alongside the International Maxi Association, chose to abandon racing on what was supposed to have been the opening day of competition.

From the International Maxi Association base on the Southern Wind 78 Whisper, tied up among the other Maxi Cruiser Racers at the Yacht Club Costa Smeralda dock, Secretary General Andrew McIrvine acknowledged: “Sadly conditions made sailing today extremely difficult. Not only did it make it difficult to set courses, but also the logistics of moving these very large boats in and out of the narrow harbour entrance safely. Plus there is the feeling that we don’t want to cause any damage on day one.”

As a result of this, it is highly likely that there will now be no layday, originally scheduled for Thursday.

Today a coastal race was scheduled for the Maxi 72s competing at their annual Rolex World Championship. George Sakellaris’ the Greek-American owner of Proteus was disappointed as he and his crew prefer longer races, but agreed with the Race Committee’s decision. “It is too tough for these boats to race in over 30-35 knots. We break a lot of stuff normally, even when we have 25 knots…”

Sakellaris is otherwise hopeful of his team’s chances this week in taking on Hap Fauth’s Bella Mente – the present dominant force in the Maxi 72. “We are getting to know our boat better because we’ve had her for more than a year and we’ve made quite a lot of changes to make her more competitive, so I think we have a good chance. But Bella Mente has been at it for quite a long time and these boats are very sensitive, finely tuned machines. If you don’t fine tune them they don’t perform very well – but that makes the racing extremely competitive. It doesn’t get any better! Whoever wins this week – it will be by seconds.”

Luca Bassani, Founder and President of Wally Yachts, which again has the biggest class at the Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup with 13 boats entered this week, ranging from Wally 77s such as Jean Charles Decaux’s J One to the 107 footers Kenora and IMA President Thomas Bscher’s Open Season, also thought that cancelling racing today was a wise choice.

“If you sail in up to 25 knots, that is reasonable. If you had the right sails to sail in 35-40 knots you could do it, but if you don’t have those sails, then there is no point…” he said.

Sir Peter Harrison, Vice President of the International Maxi Association’s Supermaxi Division was also keen to get racing. This is the first time the former British America’s Cup team principal has been back at the Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup with his 35m long Farr Yacht Design ketch Sojana since 2012, following a lengthy refit.

“We had 134,000 miles on the clock, so all the mechanical and electrical stuff was beginning to age, so we have replaced all of that. It is all new teak decking and new sails and all new rigging,” says Sir Peter, for whom this is only his second event since getting Sojana back on the water earlier this year.

Since Sojana and her owner have been away, there has been much movement in the Supermaxi class. This year three boats making their debuts at this event: Irvine Laidlaw’s new Swan 115 Highland Fling 15, plus two Baltic Yachts-built high performance carbon fibre one-offs: the Nauta 115 Nikata and the Javier Jaudenes-designed Win Win.

Conditions are forecast to be brisk, but sailable, tomorrow with racing scheduled to get underway at 11.30 local time.

Maxi 72 Worlds Start Tomorrow!

September 4, 2016 By Bella Mente 1 Comment

Bella Mente practices off Porto Cervo (Photo Credit: James Lyne)

After four days of practice off Porto Cervo, Sardinia, Bella Mente Racing, led by owner/driver Hap Fauth, readies for the main event, the Rolex Maxi 72 World Championship, which kicks off tomorrow, September 5 and runs through Saturday, September 10. The team goes into the world-class regatta holding the 2015 championship title and straight from victories at Copa del Rey MAPFRE and the inaugural Maxi 72 North American Championship earlier this summer. The competition this year is looking to be the toughest yet, with five other Maxi 72s vying for the win.

Bella Mente practices off Porto Cervo (Photo Credit: James Lyne)

Hap Fauth

The Bella crew has been full on practicing for the Worlds, with time and distance drills, practice starts , and one lap practice races with our competitors. We are all very excited to be back in Porto Cervo with our tremendously competitive fleet. Go Bella!

Terry Hutchinson

Looking forward to the week ahead. The competition here in Porto Cervo will be the strongest of the season with all six maxi 72s competing. Onboard Bella Mente, things are chipping along and yet we know that we need to continue to focus on the detail components to have a chance. We have the utmost respect for our competitors and personally when I look across the fleet it is a high standard so success won’t come easy.

Bella Mente practices off Porto Cervo (Photo Credit: James Lyne)

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More Photos (Credit: James Lyne)

Maxi 72 Worlds: A Gathering of Giants

September 3, 2016 By Bella Mente Leave a Comment

As ever a major feature of the Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup is the Rolex Maxi 72 World Championship. This year six examples of the ultra competitive, owner-driven, grand prix racers will be lining up, their challenge being to dislodge Hap Fauth’s dominant Judel Vrolijk design, Bella Mente. The reigning Rolex Maxi 72 World Champion goes into this year’s Worlds straight from victories at Copa del Rey MAPFRE and the inaugural Maxi 72 North American Championship held in Newport, RI in June.

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“This is our favourite regatta,” commented Fauth, who is President of the Maxi 72 Class, which is affiliated to the IMA. “There will be six 72 footers and competition will be fierce. It is always challenging conditions both for the around the buoys and the coastal race. It is normally all you want.”

As to Bella Mente being favourite for a third World title, Fauth added: “We have the oldest boat and I am the oldest helmsman, but we have got a very good team. Our execution over the course of a regatta has been good and if there is one reason why we might have a small advantage it is because of that. But it is a very small advantage: The margin of victory in this fleet is two or three seconds – the boats are very close.”

Read the full release by the International Maxi Association below:

A record-sized fleet of the world’s largest performance yachts is readying itself in Porto Cervo, Sardinia for next week’s Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup. Organised by the Yacht Club Costa Smeralda and the International Maxi Association (IMA) with Rolex as title sponsor, this year’s event takes place September 4-10 and has 52 entries.

In terms of length, the fleet spans the giant 49.7m Ohana to entries at the shorter end of the IMA’s permitted size range – 60 footers such as Gérard Logel’s Swan 601 @robas and the Wally 60 Wallyño.

The biggest class at the Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup will once again be the Wallys (an associated class within the IMA), which features 13 examples of the modernist high performance luxury yachts. Leading the charge off the Costa Smeralda will be the two Wallycentos, Sir Lindsay Owen Jones’ Magic Carpet Cubed and the latest example launched last October, David Leuschen’s Galateia, plus the elongated version, (now 32.7m) Open Season of International Maxi Association President, Thomas Bscher.

The Supermaxi class has a formidable line-up including Irvine Laidlaw’s new Swan 115 Highland Fling 15, plus two Baltic Yachts-built high performance carbon fibre one-offs: the Nauta 115 Nikata and the Javier Jaudenes-designed Win Win – both making their Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup debuts. This year sees the return of Sir Peter Harrison’s Farr 115 ketch, Sojana, following a lengthy refit.

The Js are back this year. Lionheart and Velsheda will match race their way around the race track.

The Maxi class (79-100ft) will see two high profile yachts making their Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup debuts. Best known for her offshore program, Mike Slade’s Farr 100 Leopard 3 has travelled to the four corners of the earth to compete in races such as the Rolex Sydney Hobart, the RORC Caribbean 600 and the Fastnet Race, in which she has twice scored line honours victories.

Despite only being two years old, George David’s Juan Kouyoumdjian-designed Rambler 88, also has notched up thousands of sea miles. This year alone she has won the IMA’s annual Volcano Race (from Gaeta, Italy, south around the volcanic Aeolian Islands off northeast Sicily) and last week claimed line honours in the Palermo-Montecarlo race, the fourth and final event of the IMA’s inaugural Mediterranean Maxi Offshore Challenge.

The Maxi class also includes four entries from Southern Wind Shipyard, including the Farr-designed 100ft Blues and Michael Cotter’s Windfall. There are two SWS 82s: Massimilano Florio’s Grande Orazio was winner of the IMA’s Volcano Race in 2015, while Ammonite is brand new, campaigned by leading Australian skipper Marcus Blackmore.

As ever a major feature of the Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup is the Rolex Maxi 72 World Championship. This year six examples of the ultra competitive, owner-driven, grand prix racers will be lining up, their challenge being to dislodge Hap Fauth’s dominant Judel Vrolijk design, Bella Mente. The reigning Rolex Maxi 72 World Champion goes into this year’s Worlds straight from victories at Copa del Rey MAPFRE and the inaugural Maxi 72 North American Championship held in Newport, RI in June.

“This is our favourite regatta,” commented Fauth, who is President of the Maxi 72 Class, which is affiliated to the IMA. “There will be six 72 footers and competition will be fierce. It is always challenging conditions both for the around the buoys and the coastal race. It is normally all you want.”

As to Bella Mente being favourite for a third World title, Fauth added: “We have the oldest boat and I am the oldest helmsman, but we have got a very good team. Our execution over the course of a regatta has been good and if there is one reason why we might have a small advantage it is because of that. But it is a very small advantage: The margin of victory in this fleet is two or three seconds – the boats are very close.”

The Mini Maxi class (60-79ft) also has a strong line-up. Roberto Lacorte’s Mark Mills 68 Supernikka returns to defend her title, while she will be up against another Mills 68, the more thoroughbred racer, Prospector, which as Alegre and then Caol Ila R was one of the most competitive boats in what is now the Maxi 72 class. Also to be watched will be American Bryon Ehrhart’s Reichel Pugh 63, Lucky. Winner of last year’s Transatlantic Race, Lucky in her previous life was Loki, winner of the 2011 Rolex Sydney Hobart.

In 2015 the Mini Maxi Racer-Cruiser class had one of the tightest finishes and the top four boats return this year, including winner, Riccardo de Michele’s Vallicelli 80 H2O, which finished on equal points with Giuseppe Puttini’s Swan 65 Shirlaf (which this year will face stiff competition from new IMA member Marietta Strasoldo’s Swan 651 Lunz Am Meer.)

Andrew McIrvine, Secretary General of the IMA commented: “It will be an exciting year with a number of new boats competing, especially in the SuperMaxi division where a new generation of more race-oriented boats are appearing. The challenge of manoeuvring these huge craft around the tight courses around the islands of the Maddalena makes for a great spectacle and keeps so many sailors coming back year after year.”

Racing will take place over a mixture of windward-leeward and coastal courses.

Third Rolex Maxi 72 World Title for Bella Mente

Hap Fauth:

Terry Hutchinson:

Mike Sanderson:

Adrian Stead:

Maxi 72 World Champions!

Maxi 72 Worlds: Day 5

Terry Hutchinson

Mike Sanderson

Maxi 72 Worlds: Carlo Borlenghi Images

More photos from the Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup 2016:

Maxi 72 Worlds: Day 4

Terry Hutchinson:

Maxi 72 Worlds: Day 3 Cancelled

Full report from the organizers:

Maxi 72 Worlds: Day 2

Hap Fauth

Mike Sanderson

Adrian Stead

Maxi 72 Worlds: Day One Cancelled

Full report from the organizers:

Maxi 72 Worlds Start Tomorrow!

Hap Fauth

Terry Hutchinson

More Photos (Credit: James Lyne)

Maxi 72 Worlds: A Gathering of Giants

Read the full release by the International Maxi Association below:

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