With a record fleet of 170 yachts, the 40th Rolex Swan Cup in Porto Cervo celebrated world-class racing and camaraderie.
The Rolex Swan Cup is arguably a triumph before it even begins, and this was particularly so this year. A fleet of 170 performance yachts from one shipyard, a yacht club steeped in the art of flawless race management, a unique spirit among all competing crews and three partners in perfect alignment marked the defining qualities. Held biennially for over four decades, the regatta seamlessly blends the common values of the Yacht Club Costa Smeralda, Nautor Swan and Rolex, title sponsor since 1984, to create an event where camaraderie ashore and competitiveness on the water thrive.
Long-time Rolex Testimonee and world champion sailor Paul Cayard has witnessed many exceptional events during an impressive career in yachting. Competing in Porto Cervo this past week left a lasting impression: “The Rolex Swan Cup is a lot of things to a lot of people. The record fleet this year is just phenomenal. The yachts are both high quality and high performing, and their owners are very, very passionate. The regatta itself is a meeting of nearly 2,000 crew, mixing convivial atmosphere with some intense racing. The 40-year relationship between the Yacht Club Costa Smeralda, Nautor Swan and Rolex, whose support of yachting is unwavering, is a truly successful recipe.”
Four standout yachts were scored as the best performing in Maxi, Cruiser/Racer, Legacy and One Design, topping their individual classes as well as the others in their divisions. Respectively, the quartet were: Gérard Logel’s Swan 601 @robas from France, Fernando Chain’s Swan 45 From Now On representing Argentina, William Graves’ Swan 44 from the United States and Hendrik Brandis’ ClubSwan 50 Earlybird.
The competing fleet ranged in size from 36 feet to 131 feet, and from the earliest days of the Finnish luxury boat builder right through to some of its latest models, including the exquisite Swan 128. This year marks six decades of supremely-skilled workmanship for Nautor Swan, and the yachts gathered for this week of spirited competition in and around the Maddalena Archipelago provided a fitting tribute. The racing was close fought and the winners leave Porto Cervo confident that their preparation ahead of the event and skill on the race course reached the highest of standards.
For Gianguido Girotti, CEO of Nautor Swan, real success lies beyond the racing: “The partnership between Rolex, the Yacht Club Costa Smeralda and Nautor Swan is one of mutual respect, the result of shared values that blend together in an incredible location and create more than just a regatta for the community of Swan owners.” The Secretary General of the YCCS, Giorgio Benussi, is another to endorse the viewpoint that the event’s strength is so much more than the competition on the water: “The Rolex Swan Cup is like a family reunion. It is beautiful that it brings together so many sailors, whether friends, amateur or professional, champion or legend. It is challenging, but the Yacht Club Costa Smeralda enjoys the opportunity, and the three partners have been working together for many years to ensure it is a success on every occasion.”
Cayard, too, takes this open view, making the point that achievement in sport and especially at a competition like the Rolex Swan Cup is about so much more than simply winning: “I have been a sailor all my life and we are blessed to be on the water and in the wind chasing excellence. While you cannot win every time, you can always be learning. Whether you win or lose, weeks like the Rolex Swan Cup are a valuable part of the journey.” Whatever their result, all participants may be rightly proud of the part they played over the course of the past week. Achievement is often defined as a single moment. For Rolex and all those involved in making the Rolex Swan Cup such a success, the true accomplishment is in building on the legacy of this exceptional regatta each and every edition.
