Sailors competing on the final day of the 2005 Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup, sponsored by the Yacht Club Costa Smeralda yesterday, experienced sunny skies and the traditional Sardinian Mistral of around 14 knots, gusting up to about 20 knots, after extreme weather, high winds and very competitive race conditions throughout the regatta. During the week, the record international fleet saw toppled rigs and torn spinnakers which tested the stamina of the most experienced crews.

In Cruising A division, Harry Macklowe’s Unfurled won first place with four points, while American Arne Glimcher’s Ghost finished in second with eight points. Italy’s Vittorio Moretti took third with 10 points. In Cruising B division, Filippo Faruffini’s Roma continued her winning streak to lock up first place overall. Great Britain’s Allsmoke, owned by Gunter Hertz and driven by American world-class sailor Ken Read, took second. Italy’s Charis, involved in a collision on Friday, took third with 13 points. An overall award was giving for the combined Cruising division. Allsmoke and Roma where tied with 10 points, but Allsmoke won on the basis of two second place finishes.

In the Racing division where competition was close, The UK’s Black Dragon, owned by Performance Yachting, won overall with six points, one point ahead of Roland Pieper’s Favonius of the Netherlands, who finished second. Australian Grant Wharington’s Skandia took third place with 15 points.

According to Black Dragon’s tactician, Hank Van der Vaart: “Our boat was designed for the downwind sailing of the Transpac and Pacific Cups, and is best suited for light winds. The upwind legs were tough for us, but once we started sailing downwind the boat seemed to fly.”

In the 12-boat Wally division, though there was a tie for first place, Y3K, owned by German Claus Peter Offen, had more first places finishes throughout the regatta, and thus claimed first. Alexia, owned by Alberto Roemmers, finished in second place with Italian Tiketitan, helmed by Wally President Luca Bassani, finishing third. Alexia, which won the regatta last year, proved to be tough competition for Y3K, covering her moves throughout yesterday’s 30-mile race.

In the Spirit of Tradition division, American George Lindemann won first place with Adela, with Italian Alfredo Canessa’s Whitefin taking second. Annagine, owned by C.E. Van Asbeck from the Netherlands, took third.

The entire fleet sailed through the islands of the La Maddalena archipelago. From the start just off Porto Cervo, the competitors headed up past the island of Santo Stefano and the Secca Corsara rock before rounding Spargi, leaving the island to port and doubling back down past Capo Ferro to the finish just off Porto Cervo.

Overall Results

Racing Division (6 Boats)

1. Black Dragon, Performance Yachting, GBR 1, 2, 1, 2 (6)

2. Favonius, Roland Pieper BVI 3, 1, 2, 1 (7)

3. Skandia, Grant Wharington, AUS 2, OCS 7, 3, 3 (15)

Wally Class (12 boats)

1. Y3K,Claus Peter Offen, GER, 3, 1, (5), 1, 1 (6)

2. Alexia, Alberto Roemmers, ARG, 1, 2, 1, 2, (3) (6)

3. Tiketitan, Galeazzo Pecori Giraldi, ITA, 2, (DNF 13), 2, 3, 2 (9)

Cruising Class A (6 boats)

1. Unfurled, Harry Macklowe, USA, 1, 1, 1, (DSQ 7), 1 (4)

2. Ghost, Arne Glimcher, USA, 2, 2, (3), 1, 3 (8)

3. Viriella, Vittorio Moretti, ITA, 3, 3, (DNF 7), 2, 2 (10)

Cruising Class B (9 boats)

1. Roma, Filippo Farufini, ITA, 1, 1, 2, (4), 2 (6)

2. Allsmoke, Gunter Hertz, GBR, 2, 3, (DNF 10), 2, 1 (8)

3. Charis, Fabio Mangifesta, ITA, 3, 4, 1, (10), 5 (13)

Spirit of Tradition (4 boats)

1. Adela, George Lindemann, USA (3), 1, 1, 2, 1 (5)

2. Whitefin, Alfredo Canessa, ITA 1, (2), 2, 1, 2 (6)

3. Annagine, C.E. Van Asbeck, NED 2, 3, 3, 3, (5) (11)