Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup 2000 – Disneyland victory

by Susannah Bourne on 7 Sep 2000 Roy Disney's 70-foot lightweight racing yacht crossed the finish line almost
three-quarters of an hour ahead of the Italian Maxi called Edimetra, but finished ahead by
just one second on corrected time in the second race of the Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup
2000.
But if Ernesto Gismondi missed winning
the race, he can at least console himself
that Edimetra leads the overall standings
in the racing division of this high-profile
regatta, being hosted by the Yacht Club
Costa Smeralda in Sardinia's most
exclusive harbour, Porto Cervo. America's
Cup tactician Tommaso Chieffi is providing
the local knowledge for American yacht
Pyewacket, as the fleet negotiates the
tactically challenging waters around the
islands on this rocky coastline. "We
picked the right corners today, along with
good speed in the light winds," he said.

Alexia failed to match her 2nd place in yesterday's race, and a disappointing 4th puts
her in 2nd overall behind Edimetra. "We had a good first leg today," said Chris Larson,
the American America's Cup sailor calling the shots aboard Alberto Roemmers' IMS
Maxi. "Then we tried to sail the tactically safe option down the run, but I think there was
some local knowledge involved in going towards the shore that we didn't pick up on."

L'Oréal chief executive Lindsay Owen-Jones was not aboard his Wally yacht Magic
Carpet to savour a victory by over three minutes on corrected time ahead of near-sister
ship Genie of the Lamp. These two yachts now share the lead in the Light division, with
a 1st and 2nd apiece.

Again, the super-fast swing-keeled Tiketitan led the way round the 22.6 mile course, but
for the second day running, tactician Vasco Vascotto felt cheated by the fickle wind
conditions. "We did a brilliant job today, but the wind picked up after we finished, from
about four knots to eight knots. The slower boats gained five minutes on us in the last
three miles. There was nothing we could do," said the Italian multiple world champion.

Helmsman Luca Bassani opted to start on port behind the fleet, to give the 80 foot yacht
one less tack to complete, never a quick task with a swing keel to move from side to
side by hydraulics. Another boat that attempted a port tack start was Kauris, helmed by
Pirelli's chief executive Marco Tronchetti Provera. However she forced another boat to
alter course to avoid a collision and Kauris completed a penalty turn which put her some
way back behind the other yachts.