Frers Cup at Trapani, Sicily - Day 2

Race start on day 2 of the Frers Cup © Carlo Borlenghi

Alarife on day 2 of the Frers Cup © Carlo Borlenghi

Spectacular Favignana

Racing was delayed by an hour on Day Two of the Frers Cup but it was well worth the wait. After the gentle north easterly breeze settled, a windward leeward course was laid just off Favignana for the second race of the regatta. Swan 112, Mystery, helmed by German Frers Snr. got away to a great start staying in the shadow of Favigana and was rewarded with lifting pressure but the nimble Swan 80, Plis Play, with Vincente Garcia Torres at the wheel, revelled in the light conditions to gain first place at the top mark. After a perfect spinnaker hoist, Plis Play immediately gybed to make use of their symmetrical spinnaker to sail a more direct route to the finish. Plis Play took the gun and their second win of the regatta. German Frers Snr racing Swan 112, Mystery was second and Armando Grandi's Wally 100, Gibian was third.

By the start of Race Three, a sea breeze had developed, shifting the freshening breeze to the northwest and pumping the wind speed up to 17 knots. It was a perfect scenario for a race around Favignana, the largest of the Aegadian Islands. Nicknamed the Butterfly of the Mediterranean for its shape and beauty, Favignana's stunning scenery is fabled through out Italy.

The Frers Cup fleet enjoyed spectacular conditions through out the two hour race. Passing Capo Faraglioni, the yachts encountered an agitated sea state, whipped up in the narrow strait between Favignana and Levanzo. The Frers Maxis were in their element, smashing through the waves in a supreme display of power, whilst swapping tacks in close quarters. After rounding the top mark, Frers Wally 100 Gibian was leading the fleet on the water but a sail problem was costly. Plis Play passed them to take up the running and hugged the rugged coast line past the picturesque Isolotto Prevero. Plis Play stayed inshore to protect their windward position, preventing Gibian from overtaking and the well sailed Spanish Swan 80, Plis Play gained their third line honours in a row, however a starting infringement was to drop Plis Play into second place.

After an intense battle, German Frers Swan 112, Mystery was the winner of Race Three after time correction. Vincente Garcia Torres' Swan 80, Plis Play was second with Armando Grandi's Wally 100, Gibian third.

Gibian on day 2 of the Frers Cup - photo © Carlo Borlenghi

German Mani Frers was racing with his father on board Mystery. "We had a lot of fun, the crew only really came together yesterday but today we really clicked together and produced some good results. That in itself gives you a great feeling but the racing today, against the other yachts, was really intense and thoroughly enjoyable."

The Frers Cup is designed to encourage yacht owners and their guests to enjoy each other's company and the Boat Hop Party was very successful in that regard. Owners invited fellow competitors on board to share their stories and appreciate aspects of the different styles of Frers yachts. Frers Maxi Alarife was a popular location for the Boat Hop.

Juan Entrecanales' Frers Maxi, Alarife is well travelled, the 100 ft Frers Maxi was designed with a flush deck. However in cruising mode, custom made protection has enabled her owner to extensively cruise around the world. In 2010, Alarife left her home port in Palamós, Spain and did not return for almost two years. After crossing the Atlantic, Alarife sailed through the Panama Canal into the Pacific, cruising through the Galápagos Islands, Tahiti, Fiji and New Zealand. Alarife rounded Cape Horn and sailed to Patagonia, negotiating the Beagle Channel and Magellan Strait and cruised through Brazil, before returning to the Mediterranean.

"It was a fantastic trip and one that I shared with all my family, including some of my grandchildren." Smiled Juan Entrecanales, owner of Alarife. "We didn't do all of the trip but returned to Spain on occasions. Alarife was just perfect, so reliable and comfortable for all my family and I have so many fond memories of the adventure. The boat captain and crew had a very rough passage in the Southern Ocean but the boat had no problems at all. My only real fear during the experience was diving in the Galapagos. Along with my family we were joined with sharks of up to four metres. The Frers Cup is an excellent event, Alarife is not designed for racing but this regatta is about having fun with owners of Frers yachts and the atmosphere is excellent."

Frers Design Focus - Frers Maxi, Bristolian

Designed by German Frers and launched in 1998, as Mari Cha II, the Frers Maxi smashed the Trans-Atlantic record. Completing the course from Ambrose Lighthouse, New Jersey, to Cape Lizard, England in just under nine days, Mari Cha II broke the previous record by over two and a half days. Bristolian is both luxury yacht and racing thoroughbred. Extensively refitted with a new carbon rig and teak deck, Bristolian races extensively in the Caribbean winter and cruises and races in the Mediterranean in the summer months. Last year, Bristolian was the victor of the Grand Dames Class, at the prestigious Newport Bucket Regatta, Rhode Island, USA.

Racing at the Frers Cup will conclude on Saturday 29 June with the final race of the regatta, which will be followed by the Frers Cup Prize Giving, in the ancient city of Trapani.

Results after Day 2: