Entry open for 2023 Scandinavian Gold Cup and 5.5 Metre World Championship in Porto Cervo
by Robert Deaves 15 Feb 16:21 GMT
20-29 September 2023
2022 5.5 Metre World Championship © Robert Deaves
Entries are officially opened for the 2023 Scandinavian Gold Cup and 5.5 Metre World Championship in Porto Cervo, Sardinia. The two events take place from 20-29 September.
Organised by the Yacht Club Costa Smeralda, it will be the first time the class has returned to Porto Cervo since 1984 and only the second time in the history of the class.
The Scandinavian Gold Cup is one of the oldest competitions in sailing, dating from 1919 and has been raced for by the 5.5 Metres since 1953, so 2023 marks the 70th year of competition for the 5.5 Metre Class, though it's the 71st event (there were two events in 1986 and 2021 was cancelled).
The competition runs from 21-23 September in a unique format that only rewards race wins. After three races, only race winners proceed to the second stage and then the first to three wins takes the Cup. So, the event can be over after three races, but the maximum number of races is seven
The 5.5 Metre World Championship began in 1961, when the 5.5 Metre was still an Olympic class, and 2023 will be the 62nd championship. The 10-race series runs from 25-29 September.
In 2022 both the Scandinavian Gold Cup and the World Championship were won by Peter Morton's Jean Genie (GBR 42, Elliot Hanson, Andrew Palfrey, Sam Haines). Morton has since sold GBR 42 and has a new boat GBR 43 in build to defend these titles this September.
The 5.5 Metre class is not only attracting a lot of strong talent into the class at the moment, but it is also heading to many exclusive and glamorous destinations. Porto Cervo follows on from Pittwater in 2020 and Hankø in 2022, with New York coming up in 2024. For owners looking to sail in competitive fleets and great locations, the 5.5 Metre class is certainly the class to be sailing right now.
The Notice of Race, entry form and further information are available in dedicated sections of the YCCS website.