As an important element of Yacht Club de Monaco’s sports policy, the Monaco Sportsboat Winter Series of monthly regattas continues to attract J/70s from across Europe. The third and penultimate act attracted a fleet of 40 boats representing six nationalities (Monaco, Switzerland, Germany, France, Italy and USA). Race Committee ran a full slate of scheduled races over the three days, counting six in total, permitting teams to discard their worst races.
Friday: After winning the previous meeting, Giangiacomo Serena di Lapigio’s G-SPOT took first place in the provisional ranking of Act 3 at the end of the first day with a 2-2 record. In his wake, other Monegasque teams kept up the pace during the two races sailed in a light 6-knot southerly. Ludovico Fassitelli’s JUNDA and Ferdinando Matteo Scandolera’s IRRUENZA completed the first day’s podium, with IRRUENZA also leading the Corinthian category ahead of two Swiss teams.
Saturday: In a 10-knot southwesterly, the sun was shining and another two races were completed. The day again called on consistency, a game mastered by YCM’s Serena di Lapigio; skippering his team to a second and third place. A change was noted in the rankings after a sensational performance by the crew on CHARISMA V led by Louis Samuel Poons for second place. Fassitelli’s JUNDA was lying in third.
Sunday: The RC team was delighted with another good day to complete the three-day weekend, with two more races to count for a total of six races run and five to count with a discard. Serena di Lapigio’s G-SPOT crew took a second in the first race of the day to punctuate an amazing regatta for his team, counting just podium finishes. As a result, after posting a 2-2-2-3-2 for 11 points net, they were able to return to harbor. After posting an impressive 8-10-1-1 on the first two days, Young Poons and his YC Monaco crew on CHARISMA V finished the regatta with a 9-5 tally for 24 points net. They ended up tied at 24 points with the Italian crew led by Alessandro Molla on VIVA. Molla’s crew posted a 7-8-5-6-3-3 tally for 24 points, too. Poon’s CHARISMA V team won the countback based on the number of firsts to take the silver medal over Molla’s VIVA team which settled for the bronze. The balance of the top five saw a top French team, Damian Michelier’s SAGE ENGINEERS, also improve every race to close with a 5-2 on the last day to finish with 27 points net for fourth place. Taking the fifth position was Ludovico Fassitelli’s JUNDA with 34 points net. Winning the Corinthians was Michelier’s SAGE ENGINEERS with 27 points. The balance of the podium included two Swiss teams. The silver went to Nick Zeltner’s QUARTER2ELEVEN with 38 points net, and the bronze was awarded to Stefan Seger’s AIOLA with 42 points net. Both Swiss crews were from the same club: Regatta Club Oberhofen on the Thunersee in the middle of Switzerland. After three events and 18 races, the teams are able to count their best 15, discarding their three worst races. As a result, Fassitelli’s JUNDA is leading with 16 points net going into the grand finale in two weeks—the Primo Cup Trophee Credit Suisse. They’re followed by Pierrik Devic’s LEONTEQ with 77 points net, then Poons’ CHARISMA V in third with 83 points net. The top five is occupied by all YC Monaco hometown teams, with Graeme Peterson’s MOONLIGHT II in fourth and Stefano Roberti’s PICCININA in fifth place. In the Corinthian Division overall, two Swiss teams are leading: Zeltner’s QUARTER2ELEVEN with 101 points net and David Biedermann’s RHUBARBE second with 108 points net. Lying third is Cesare Gabasio’s MON 731 team with 127 points net. For more Monaco J/70 Winter Series information, visit https://yacht-club-monaco.mc/en/home/.