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The Rolex Swan Cup, one of the most iconic regattas in the world, formed the final event of the 2014 Gazprom Swan 60 Class Circuit.  Now in its 18^th edition this biennial event was held during September in the incredibly glamorous surroundings of the Yacht Club Costa Smerlada, Porto Cervo, Sardinia.  Established by the Aga Khan in 1967 this club has a strong link with the America’s Cup and now regularly hosts the world’s elite racing competitions.

Six Swan 60s raced in Class A1 at the Rolex Swan Cup this year which included two Swan 601s.  The pull of the warm, azure Mediterranean Sea was strong enough to attract two new faces from the USA and Denmark to the Gazprom Swan 60 scene.

Steve Cucchiaro from Boston, USA debuted his Swan 60 racing at the Rolex Swan Cup.  Mr Cucchiaro helmed Swan 60 Petite Flamme after having recently sold his investment management company. An experienced racer from Marblehead, Mr Cucchiaro sails from Eastern Yacht Club as well as being a member of the New York Yacht Club.  A double collegiate All American at MIT and Prince of Wales men’s Match Racing Champion as well as a gold medal Pan-American Champion led to time in the US Olympic Team in the 470 Class. “I always thought it would be fun to compete in the Rolex Swan Cup someday, Jack Slattery USA, highly recommended the Gazprom Swan 60 Class.  We are totally new to this class and event”.  The Petite Flamme crew also included Jack Slattery, pro sailor as tactician and Carl Buchan an Olympic gold medallist in the strategist role.  Finishing fourth overall, Petite Flamme finished in the top 5 across all races and was one of the only few Swan 60s hot on the heels of season favourite, Bronenosec. "The Swan 60 is a fantastic boat to race and performs extremely well across a range of conditions both upwind and downwind.  The crew and I really enjoyed our time sailing in the Gazprom Swan 60 Class tremendously".

The Danish contingent also grew for Rolex Swan Cup with two entries.  Peter Lebrandt’s team racing Vertical Smile really excelled at this final event in the circuit series finishing a very commendable 5^th overall.  As the event progressed so too did Vertical Smile up the score board with impressive stamina, at home in the stronger winds, the Danish crew took a 4^th place after racing hard for 51 nautical miles and moved up a gear to take a very coveted race win.  Peter Lebrandt has owned Vertical Smile since 2010 and in some well-deserved podium places after a frustrating Gazprom Swan 60 World Championship earlier in the season, “the Gazprom Swan 60 Class is a ball, racing boats that are similar in speed means the boats are equal, a real one design Gazprom Swan 60 Class.  We have a good time and love the Swan 60s.”

Fellow Danish sailors on board Swan 60 Tsaar Peter found some tough competition amongst the Swan 60 racing.  Henrik Jansen from Raskilde Yacht Club, normally competes West of Copenhagen in a fjord.  The Gazprom Swan 60 fleet visited Copenhagen to celebrate the centenary of the Danish Sailing Organisation which sparked an interest from Mr Jansen and the Rolex Swan Cup racing is the happy outcome.  Originally a Farr 40 owner and helm, Henrik Jansen took part in 3 editions of the World Championships.  The Danish born sailor also has experience in the Dragon Class, match racing world and also at national level.  His long term sailing companion Hans Tonder Jensen was happy to experience racing the Swan 60 at such a prestigious event, “this is for the majority of our crew the first time that they will have raced in the Mediterranean.  We have a core contingent who race with Henrik and myself a lot and we merged these sailors with a few new people at the Rolex Swan Cup”.

Vladimir Liubomirov’s team on board Bronenosec triumphed over adversity in the long coastal race which took the fleet island hopping round an 11 mark course in one of the most picturesque places on the planet.  The Saint Petersburg Yacht Club team had to fight back from a premature start, a significant tear in their mainsail and damage to both their spinnaker and code zero. Tommaso Chieffi , Tactician, Bronenosec said, “it was a double edged sword, we were happy to win but we were also sorry for the damage we incurred.  Luckily we had our offshore main sail to use the following race day as the tear in the main was irreparable”.

Bronenosec, a clear speed machine, overcame the starting handicap to play some good shifts up the first beat taking them past Swan 601 Wohpe into 1^st position.  The Russian entry was the first to then set their A3 which
produced a safe lead for the team.  Unfortunately they then endured a large tear in the main splitting it in two through the gybe.  They held the main until the bottom of the leg and then during the spinnaker drop ripped it due to the damaged main sail.  Vladimir Liubomirov’s crew reached along nicely holding the main until a 24 knot gust forced them to drop the damaged main and sail under jib alone.  The team hoisted their trisail and also the code zero, which subsequently broke.  Suffering all these incidents Bronenosec outstandingly kept their lead intact. 

Vladimir Liubomirov used this event with his Swan 60 Bronenosec to push forward with their consistently excellent 2014 Gazprom Swan 60 circuit results, finishing 3^rd overall the team was only 1 point off a second place.  “We feel as a team that we triumphed in the stronger winds, especially with our considerable breakages on one day and we feel comforted that Vertical Smile and Petite Flamme were the only boats in contention with us from the circuit”.

As well as intense racing during the daytime, the sailors enjoyed a relaxing welcome champagne reception, the private Gazprom Swan 60 owner’s dinner and the spectacle of the Rolex crew party including a laser light show.  President of the Yacht Club Costa Smeralda, Princess Zahra Aga Khan, provided a Royal touch at the official Rolex Swan Cup prize giving held in the studding Sardinian sunshine.

Final Results 2014 Rolex Swan Cup

http://www.yccsfiles.com/results/rsc14/res/s14a1_g.htm