Swan Tuscany Challenge closes with a finish to the limit
The Swan Tuscany Challenge has concluded today in Italian waters with the suspense maintained until the last minute, and the first places still up for grabs during the final tests of the regatta.
Going into the final round of the ClubSwan 50, Marcus Brennecke’s Hatari led the table just three points ahead of August Schram’s Stella Maris, which boded well for an emotional finish.
The German boat, which has had the Spanish Javier de la Plaza as trimmer of the main, has gone all out and has managed to be at the head of the fleet on several occasions, but has had to settle for second place in the last test and in the general classification, since Hatari’s perseverance and the third place in the final test, have earned him the general victory.
Meanwhile, the winner of the tenth and final race, Alberto Franchi’s Giuliana, took third place on the podium, ahead of Balthasar, winner of the first race of the day, and Cuordileone.
The ClubSwan Racing 50 fleet has had a large representation of Spanish sailors, with Iker Martínez aboard Ulika, Pablo Arrarte and Juan Meseguer sailing aboard Balthasar, Luis Doreste as tactician for Giuliana, Manuel Weiller Vidal in the same position in the Cuordileone, or Javier de la Plaza as the trimmer of the largest of the second classified, Stella Maris.
Hatari’s victory was memorable as the boat recovered from a poor start on the first day of competition, in which she was penalized for an infraction.
“The first day started badly for us, but afterwards we tried to play our game. The next day we won the first test with a margin of one minute, and then we have tried to navigate constantly”, recalls Brennecke. “It’s been very close, everyone is getting better, which is great for the class. August Schram has been second with three first places, which has given a very tight end. Giuliana has been third, it has been a great week for them too. It’s been a fantastic week, so we’re very, very happy.”
Hatari’s triumph in the Gulf of Follonica has also helped Germany to the top of the table in the 2022 Nations League, the country competition. Their points tally combined with that of Hendrik Brandis’ Earlybird gives the Teutons a total of 20 points, tied with the two best Italian units in the race, the ClubSwan 50s Giuliana and Cuordileone. Third place in the Nations League goes to Monaco with G-Spot and Moonlight.
Equally close has been the competition in the ClubSwan 36 class, with Giangiacomo Serena di Lapigio’s G-Spot showing his best game to achieve a first and second place in the last two tests, beating the provisional leader Mamao in the general with only two advantage points.
Haakon Lorentzen’s Brazilian team Mamao finished the Swan Tuscany Challenge in style, winning the last test, but paid dearly for fourth place in the first test of the day, finishing second two points behind G-Spot. The Turkish Facing Future of Mehmet Taki occupied the third position of the podium.
Asked about the secret of G-Spot’s success, Giangiacomo Serena di Lapigio assured: “I am the oldest person in the fleet and this is our second year, so I would say that we have a little experience and a little luck, and also we have done well. There is no secret. We always try to win and sometimes we succeed and sometimes we don’t. Today we have had two consistent results, first and second, which we really needed.”
“I would say that the feeling is that the level of the fleet is higher than last year. We have a couple of new units that are really good, especially the Brazilian team who are very, very good sailors, and also the Turkish team that has been formed this year. Throughout the season other teams will join, so we will have 10 or 11 boats, all of a very high level.”
During the trophy delivery ceremony, held at the Marina di Scarlino, Swan’s headquarters in the Mediterranean, awards were given to the best boats of the day, Hatari and G-Spot, who also received the Swan Tuscany Challenge trophies in their respective classes, as well as accolades from ClubSwan Racing sponsor Sease.
During the night of Friday, the events on land were made with all the prominence of the Swan Tuscany Challenge. The evening began with a sparkling wine tasting courtesy of Ferrari Trento held in the ClubSwan Lounge, a Conceived by the renowned interior designer Ioanna Marinopoulos, in which she captures the Swan essence with numerous elements that are part of the brand’s DNA.
After the wine tasting, the Crew Dinner Party was held, organized by Banor Capital on the terrace of the Il Tarantella restaurant, enlivened by a show of mosquitoes and fire-eaters.
During the night, the environmental group Marevivo, also a sponsor of ClubSwan Racing, presented to the attendees the joint campaign that it is developing with Nautor’s Swan. “Microplastics are everywhere and pose a threat to the entire marine ecosystem. They also pollute beaches, such as Calasetta beach in Sardinia. A true paradise polluted by plastic! That’s why we decided to take action, carefully collecting each little piece, thanks to the support of Nautor’s Swan. Together we can make a difference!” commented Beatrice Del Balzo, from Marevivo.
Meanwhile, BMW, another of ClubSwan Racing’s sponsors, offered a driving and navigation experience with a selection of its all-electric car models: the iX3 M Sport, X3 xDrive30e and i4 eDrive40.
In the artistic sphere, the Swan Tuscany Challenge has generated a unique collaboration between contemporary urban art and the more traditional art of sailing, through the delivery to all competitors of a t-shirt with the ClubSwan logo and the 2022 events , reinterpreted by Spiros Zouboulakis and the NOS Graffiti Team.
The Swan Tuscany Challenge has delivered five days of exciting racing setting the bar high for the entire 2022 ClubSwan Racing season. The fleet will meet again at the end of May in Villasimius for the Swan Sardinia Challenge.
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