As per tradition, the Argentario Sailing Week races proved both compelling and crucial to the Panerai Classic Yachts Challenge standings. There was constant swapping in the top spots, particularly in the Classic class in which Ganbare – the 1973 One Tonner that secured American Doug Peterson a place amongst the yacht design greats – eventually held sway over Ardi, Il Moro di Venezia and Naïf, after an exciting jostle for leadership that went until the final mark.
In the Vintage class, Luna Rossa boss PatrizioBertelli’s gaff sloop Linnet completely dominated the entire week’s sailing, winning all four of her races. That said there was also plenty of lively sparring going on behind her as Rowdy, Chinook, Spartan and Enterprise clashed thrillingly in every race in pursuit of points pivotal to the overall classification.
As always, the yachts that caught most photographers’ eyes at sea and attracted the greatest admiration in berth were the Big Boats, most notably Cambria, Hallowe’en and Moonbeam of Fife, three fantastic historic craft built by Fife of Scotland, just like the ketch Eilean, Panerai’s own brand ambassador. In the end, Moonbeam of Fife proved nimblest and most adept at catching the Porto Santo Stefano breeze.
The fact that so many different boats figured in the placings in both the Antibes and Porto Santo Stefano rounds leaves the battle for end-of-season honours wide open in all the various categories of the 2017 Panerai Classic Yachts Challenge. As is now traditional, the Cannes round at the end of September will be the real make-or-break moment on the Circuit as crews can discard their worst result for the calculation of the final standings.
Currently, the podiums in the various classes are as follows:
Vintage Yacht Class
1st – LINNET
2nd – CHINOOK
3rd – ROWDY
Followed by 39 other boats
Classic Yacht Class
1st – GANBARE
2nd – ENCOUNTER
3rd – IL MORO DI VENEZIA
Followed by 39 other boats
Big Boat Class
1st – MOONBEAM OF FIFE III
2nd – CAMBRIA
3rd – HALLOWE’EN
Followed by 39 other boats
In the run-up to the third stage of the Mediterranean Circuit, which takes place at Mahon in Spain between August 29 and September 2, the next Panerai-sponsored event is at Cowes on the Isle of Wight, one of the most iconic venues in international sailing history.
