Frers Cup at Trapani, Sicily - Day 1

Welcome Party at the Frers Cup Regatta Village © Carlo Borlenghi

Mani Frers, Vito Damiano Mayor of Trapani & German Frers at the Frers Cup © Carlo Borlenghi

The first edition of the Frers Cup, exclusively for owners of yachts designed by German Frers, commenced with a dockside Welcome Party in the ancient Sicilian City of Trapani. After the Skippers' Briefing from GWM Racing, Frers yacht owners and their crew enjoyed a Sicilian Wine Reception at the exclusive Regatta Village, courtesy of Terre di Giafar.

German Mani Frers bid the assembly a warm welcome and was especially praiseworthy of the City of Trapani for their generous hospitality. The stunning new trophy, The Frers Cup, was unveiled to the party. Designed by German Mani Frers and created by Andrea Salvatori, the art piece is fashioned from Faience tin-glazed ceramic and carbon fibre. The Frers Cup depicts Gianni Agnelli's Frers 93' Stealth, one of the fastest and certainly most remarkable racing yachts ever built.

Honoured guests for the Welcome Party included, Vito Damiano, Major of Trapani who welcomed the Frers Cup to the city of Trapani. Dr. Stefano Donati, Director of the Marine Protected Area of Favignana, presented a slideshow of the stunning Egadi Islands.

Under the auspices of the Club Canottieri Roggero di Lauria and assisted by Match Race Trapani, racing at the Frers Cup started with a scenic course around Levanzo, the smallest of the three main Aegadian Islands, nine miles west of Trapani. The three hour race provided spectacular views of Levanzo and a tactical challenge for the magnificent Frers fleet.

Bristolian on day 1 of the Frers Cup - photo © Carlo Borlenghi

The 94ft Frers Maxi, Bristolian got a great start but was soon overhauled by Wally 100, Gibian which led at the first mark. A tight reach to the channel between the islands of Levanzo and Favignana proved to be a perfect angle for Gibian's 700 square metre Code Zero and the powerful Maxi, helmed by Armando Grandi, extended her lead. Vincente Garcia Torres' Swan 80, Plis Play was first to hoist their gennaker and correctly anticipating the lift on the approach to Levanzo, the Spanish team was closing the gap on the leader. The stunning north coast of Levanzo is a place of extraordinary beauty, steep rocky coves pitted with caves containing neolithic paintings dating back over 11000 years. Plis Play made a tactical move after rounding the top of Levanzo by staying high and re-hoisting their gennaker to take the lead on the water, passing Gibian at the limestone lighthouse high above Capo Grosso. Plis Play took both line honours, and won the race on corrected time, to the delight of the owner and crew who come from all over Spain.

"We were all delighted to have the honour of an invitation to race at the Frers Cup." Commented Plis Play's boat captain, Marco Ibanez. "German Frers have designed so many incredible yachts and I am sure that the event will not only grow but become a venue for these creations. Today, the meteorology was in our favour. The wind speed was only light and I am sure that with more wind the bigger yachts will have the advantage of a greater righting moment and bigger sail area."

Frers Design Focus – Swan 112, Mystery

German Frers designed a flagship for the Nautor's Swan fleet in the late 1990s. Mystery was the second of five Swan 112's built. The Frers design pedigree is evident on Mystery with an easily driven hull form and powerful sail plan with megayacht levels of quality and redundancy.

Mystery on day 1 of the Frers Cup - photo © Carlo Borlenghi

"At that time, one of Mystery's new design features was the custom designed upper salon, which provides the owner and crew with a sweeping panoramic view and protection from the elements, this was a very new design concept in the late 90s. On delivery to Trapani for the Frers Cup, this feature was put to great practical use. Mystery experienced 40 knot head winds, however the crew, including my son Mani, were well protected. At the time the yacht was created it was a new requirement to have a tender storage solution and we decided on a hydraulic lazarette, which could be let down to the waterline to make it easier to use. These features are now used on many yachts but in the late 90s, they were very new requirements." - German Frers Sr.

Racing at the Frers Cup continues Friday 27 June with a social programme after racing in the Frers Cup Regatta Village, Trapani.

Results after Day 1: