Giraglia Rolex Cup - ESIMIT EUROPA 2 LEAD FLEET

Esimit Europa 2  is leading the pack, followed by Alegre (GBR), Jethou (GBR) and DSK Pioneer Investments (ITA) and). Esimit are currently182.5-nautical miles from Genoa.

Esimit Europa 2 Photo: Rolex/Carlo Borlenghi

Esimit were the first yacht to pass the La Fourmigue at around 15:02 CEST, at which point Simcic confirmed that the yacht was travelling at 11.5 knots with a wind speed of 8.5 knots. The crew are expecting to arrive at the Giraglia rock, the race’s legendary turning point, at between 04:00 – 07:00 CEST. The already light conditions set to become even more benign.

Fleet at the start Photo: Rolex/Carlo Borlenghi

The staggered start times, with the small yachts going first, ensured that the racecourse was fairly bottlenecked during the early stages. Even so impressive starts were made by X-Trifix (ITA), Tchin Tchin (FRA) and Javier Pujol’s Calima (ESP), the overall winners in 2009.

Alegre (GBR) were the second yacht to round La Fourmigue, and tactician Chris Main confirmed via satellite phone that the crew were on course with their pre-race expectations.

“We’re very happy with how things are going, the conditions are good and will most likely favour some of the smaller boats,” Main said. He predicts that the yacht should arrive at the Giraglia rock around 05:00 CEST.

According to the tracker, the leading three on IRC handicap at 19:00 CEST are the 81-ft maxi, Sagamore (USA), Pace (GBR) a TP52, and Thierry Bouchard’s Class 40 Mistral-Loisirs (FRA).

Lulu Roseman