5th Monaco Sportsboat Winter Series: Russians dominate the beginning of the season

5th Monaco Sportsboat Winter Series

October 20-22, 2017: Melges 20 & J70 (Act I)

The first Act of the Monaco Sportsboat Winter Series got off to a great start. Excitement was in the air for the first two days of the races as wind speeds reached 20 knots, allowing the race committee and the 80 sailors taking part in the event to sail through six rounds

Russians are in the lead.

Russia got off to a great start and handled the windy conditions with grace. The Russians from team Art Tube claimed a victory in J / 70 by winning 5 of the 6 races. Already victorious from last season, the team led by Valeria Kovalenko continues to be a top performer, taking every opportunity it can to widen the gap with the rest of the fleet.

They finished 12 points ahead of Oman Sail 1, who are newcomers to this event. The Omani‘s efforts to catch the leaders have been unsuccessful despite the presence of Stevie Morrison, who came 5th at the London Olympics in the 49er class. The Italian team Sport Cube completed in 3rd to get their first podium position of the season.

Monegasque Cesare Gabasio earned 4th place.  Remi Piazza (Levante) came in 10th place and received the first prize in the amateur category, Remi Piazza is from the YCM’s sports section. “It is important to encourage the practice of amateur sailing and attract more enthusiasts,” said Michel Boussard, President of the Monaco J / 70 Class Association, which is proud to see more that more than 20 teams signed up for the J / 70 in November for the second meeting of the Monaco Sportsboat Winter Series 2017-2018.

In the Melges 20, the Russians still dominate.  Alex Team won Act 1 ahead of their compatriots Leviathan. Gone Squatching, blocked by Pietro Loro Piana, climbed to 3rd place, arriving just in front of Junda, Ludovico Fassitelli, the only boat from Monaco in this series.

Race all winter

Organised once a month from October to March by the Yacht Club of Monaco, in collaboration with the sports equipment manufacturer SLAM and with an initiative by Valentin Zavadnikov, the Monaco Sportsboat Winter Series has been a huge success since it first started in 2013, this is evident by the presence of two Omani teams. The J / 70 and Melges 20 one-design regattas continue to attract new teams from around the world, who are keen to prepare for the new season.

The next meeting will take place from 10 to 12 November in Monaco.

Final ranking – J / 70

1st: Denis Rozhkov – RUS (Art Tube) – 5 points
2nd: Stevie Morrison – MON (Oman Sail 1) – 17 points
3rd: Germano Scarpa – ITA (Sport Cube) – 19 points

Final Ranking – Melges 20

1st: Alexander Mikhaylik – RUS (Alex Team) –
11 points 2nd: Maxim Titarenko – RUS (Leviathan) – 15 points
3rd: Pietro Loro Piana – ITA – (Gone Squatching) – 15 points TAGE