Day three of the Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup saw the prevailing north easterly winds drop to 10 to 15 knots, and a change in lead for at least two of the divisions.

Luna Rossa (ITA) had a disastrous day in the Mini Maxi Racing division, slipping back from first place overall to fourth, while Neville Crichton’s Alfa Romeo (NZL) excelled in the light conditions to move up to first place overall ahead of Niklas Zennstrom’s Ran (GBR). Meanwhile in the Wally division Claus Peter Offen’s Y3K (GER) took her second bullet of the series and now sits ahead of Thomas Bscher’s Open Season and Jean Charles Decaux’s J One (GBR).

Michael Cotter’s Whisper (IRL) remains unchallenged in the Mini Maxi Cruising/Racing category with a straight run of first place finishes as does Filippo Faruffini’s Roma – Aniene (ITA) in the Racing/Cruising division, which also sits on three bullets. Velsheda (GBR) continues the trend of overall domination with three first places gained in the Cruising/Spirit of Tradition division ahead of Hasso Plattner’s 45.5 metre Visione (GER).

The Mini Maxi Racing division completed two windward-leeward races today while the remainder of the fleet was set a 36-mile course. The Mini Maxi racers saw the Udo Schuetz’s Container (GER) back on form after a crack in the hull had forced them to retire for the second day of racing. Container was followed in the first windward-leeward by Alfa Romeo and Ran. In the second race of the day Alfa Romeo took first place ahead of Ran and Roger Sturgeon’s Rosebud/ Team DYT (USA).

With three days of racing completed, today (10 September) is a lay day. Racing is scheduled to continue on Friday 11 September at 11:30.

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or or www.regattanews.com .