After seeing victory slip through his fingers in 2022 when his Maxi 72 North Star was becalmed on the final run into the finish of the last race, today owner Peter Dubens, tactician Nick Rogers and the North Star crew were vindicated: Having started the last day of racing at the International Maxi Association’s European Championship second overall, their performance today squeezed George Sakellaris’ Proteus from the top spot to win the regatta by a mere quarter point after discarding their worst result.
Held out of Sorrento, Italy, the IMA Maxi European Championship was organised by the Circolo del Remo e della Vela Italia (CRVI) in conjunction with the IMA, the body officially tasked by World Sailing to administer and develop maxi yacht racing internationally. It was supported by Rolex as Official Timepiece and Loro Piana.
With its combination of offshore, coastal and windward-leeward races, the IMA Maxi Europeans provides a complete test for competitors thus making it one of the hardest titles to win in the maxi yachting calendar. North Star got off to the best possible start claiming last weekend’s Regata dei Tre Golfi offshore race. After a disappointing day for all of the former Maxi 72s on Monday when conditions favoured the smaller boats, North Star followed this with a consistent series, her worst result being a fourth.
The IMA’s Mediterranean Maxi Offshore Challenge continues on 1 June with the 151 Miglia-Trofeo Cetilar offshore race from Livorno to Punta Ala, via the Giraglia Rock.
Prizes:
2023 IMA Maxi Europeans overall:
1: North Star/Peter Dubens (GBR)
2: Proteus/George Sakellaris (USA/GRE)
3: Cannonball/Dario Ferrari (ITA)
IMA Maxi Europeans class awards:
Maxi 1-2:
1: (Loro Piana Challenge Trophy): North Star/Peter Dubens (GBR)
2: Proteus/George Sakellaris (USA/GRE)
3: Cannonball/Dario Ferrari (ITA)
Maxi 3:
1: Leaps and Bounds 2/Jean-Philippe Blanpain (BEL)
2: Cippa Lippa X/Guido Paolo Gamucci (ITA)
3: Tilakkhana/Pascale Decaux (FRA)
Maxi 4-5:
1: H20/Riccardo de Michele (ITA)
2: Wallyño/Benoît de Froidmont (BEL)
3: Shirlaf/Giuseppe Puttini (ITA)
Line honours – Coppa Gustavo d’Andrea: Jethou/Sir Peter Ogden (GBR)
Overall 68th Regata dei Tre Golfi IRC Maxi:
1: North Star/Peter Dubens (GBR)
2: Jethou/Sir Peter Ogden (GBR)
3: H20/Riccardo de Michele (ITA)
Inshore races:
Maxi 1-2: Proteus/George Sakellaris (USA/GRE)
Maxi 3: Leaps and Bounds 2/Jean-Philippe Blanpain (BEL)
Maxi 4-5: H20/Riccardo de Michele (ITA)
2023 IMA Maxi European Championship:
Inshore trophy – 1st: Proteus/George Sakellaris (USA/GRE)
IMA trophy – best placed IMA member: North Star/Peter Dubens (GBR)
Mylius Trophy: Cippa Lippa X/Guido Paolo Gamucci (ITA)
Nautor Trophy: My Song/Pier Luigi Loro Piana (ITA)
IMA Maxi Europeans line honours trophy – Coppa Roberto Garolla di Bard: My Song/Pier Luigi Loro Piana (ITA)
Corinthian class – Coppa Guido Imperiali di Francavilla
1: Shirlaf/Giuseppe Puttini (ITA)
2: Manticore/Franz Baruffaldi (ITA)
3: Aragon/Craig Clifford (AUS)
For more information about the IMA Maxi European Championship and Tre Golfi Sailing Week visit www.tregolfisailingweek.com.
For more information on the International Maxi Association visit www.internationalmaxiassociation.com.
