News

Summer 2014 action will continue in the Mediterranean this week with two Swan 60s competing in the 2014 Palermo-Montecarlo Race, before heading to this year’s Rolex Swan Cup. The entries include the Gazprom Youth Sailing Challenge, celebrating a 5^th place at the recent Gazprom Swan 60 World Championship.  This is an initiative set up by Saint Petersburg Yacht Club and Gazprom providing youngsters with the ability to live their global yacht racing dreams. The second Swan 60 competing is Spirit of Europe who will be representing Yacht Club de Monaco (YCM) also with a youth team onboard.  This summer marks the tenth edition of the Palermo-Montecarlo Regatta 2014. This Mediterranean offshore race has had more than 3,000 sailors take part in the last nine editions, held since 2005.

The addition of Yacht Club de Monaco to the Gazprom Swan 60 Class is an important link to one of the world’s most prestigious yacht clubs.  Founded by Prince Rainier in 1953, the yacht club has over 1,200 members from 60 nationalities.  It is an exciting talent bed for French youth sailors who will provide excellent competition for the Russian team.  This race marks the start of a long term relationship between the Saint-Petersburg Yacht Club and the Yacht Club de Monaco who will work together in the future on several sustained initiatives.

The Yacht Club de Monaco is supplying some top flight names to their team onboard Swan 60 Spirit if Europe that will definitely add fire to the competition afloat in the Gazprom Swan 60 Class.  Thierry Lerett, YCM’s Sporting Director, will co-ordinate the young team including many of the quality sailing instructors based at the yacht club. Thierry, who has been involved with the YCM for 23 years has also raced extensively across the Admiral’s Cup, Tour de France a la voile, ¼ ton and ¾ ton cups as well as the European First Class 8 circuit.  Another name to note will be Benoit Briand, involved in four America’s Cups, Benoit is a Corel 45 European Champion and has raced with sailing stars Bruno Peyron, Franck Cammas and Ellen Mac Arthur for the Jules Verne Trophy, as well as winning the World Match Racing Circuit and Giraglia Rolex Cup with two entries in the solitaire du Figaro.  This will be a real step up for the young French nationals who have worked their way through the ranks from optimist and 420 classes to the likes of the Melges 24, J70, J80 and J24 circuits.

The starting signal, has been given today at 12.00 in the Gulf of Mondello in front of the Circolo della Vella Sicilia. The yachts will sail towards Porto Cervo, Italy and finally finish in Montecarlo at the spectacular line in front of Port Hercules, with a final prize giving at Yacht Club de Monaco.

For live race tracking please visit:

http://www.palermo-montecarlo.it/2014/eng/index.asp