The 220 Giraglia Rolex Cup race participants left for San Remo today at 12.00 CEST, with a south-easterly wind of 8 to 10 knots. Jethou, the 18 m Mini Maxi of Peter Ogden was the first boat to round the offset-mark off Port Grimaud as the fleet set out on the 241-mile Giraglia Race in direction of the Island La Fourmique, before heading to the Giraglia Rock off Corsica.
The wind increased during the afternoon and a top group accelarated with 20 knots toward the rock with Igor Simcic’s Esimit Europa 2 in the lead, followed by Shockwave, Container and Alegre.
But by 21.00 CEST the dream had turned into the reality of a parking lot. Esimit Europa 2, still doing 8 knots, was able to escape her adversary’s and round the rock at 22.25 CEST.
The weather forecast predicts a south-easterly breeze of around 10 knots for the forthcoming 100 nm to San Remo. To beat the record the first boat has to cross the finish line by 6.03 CEST on Thursday morning (17 June).
The prize giving for 2010 Giraglia Rolex Cup will be held at 13.00 CEST on Saturday, 19 June at the Yacht Club San Remo.
