ROLEX GIRAGLIA 2019
ROLEX GIRAGLIA 2019 – There’s less than a week to go to the start of the Queen of the Mediterranean with 297 yachts entered. The 2019 edition of this offshore classic, now in its 67thedition, continues with alternating courses as in the past. The Yacht Club Italiano and the Yacht Club de Monaco, twinned since 1996 to reinforce their relationship based on sharing the ideals of the sport of sailing, solidarity at sea and the competitive spirit, are bringing the finish of the Rolex Giraglia back to Monte Carlo after five years
The regatta
Started in 1953 to connect two nations just a few years after the world war, the ‘Italo-Italienne’ regatta grew as the years went by, bearing witness to the evolution of yachting and custodian of the Corinthian spirit that has always distinguished it. The Rolex Giraglia, thanks to the collaboration with Rolex, evolved into an event that glorifies the sport of sailing thanks to a tried and tested format that enshrines the typical values of the sport.
Classes and courses
The regatta is open to all IRC or ORC/ORC Club rated yachts with the length overall of more than 9.14 m dividing into the following groups: Group 0 (ORC 0 and IRC 0), more than 18.05 m overall; Group A (ORC A and IRC A): Classes: 0 – 1 – 2; Group B (ORC Band IRC B): Classes: 3 – 4 – Swan One Design.
For all classes will be upwind/downwind races in the Bay of St Tropez and coastal races of no more than 35 miles.
For Group 0 (coastal St Tropez) there will be a mix of coastal races (one per day) and upwind/downwind races (maximum two per day). For Groups A and B there will be a maximum of three coastal races.
For the Swan One-Design there will be a maximum of two upwind/downwind races per day on courses of the beaches of Pampelonne.
The fleet of maxis and superyachts is large and growing, with a record length in 2019 to the big ketch Marie. With her 54 m overall, this yacht is the largest ever to take part in the Giraglia.
There is continuing support from the IMA, the Internazionale Maxi Yachts Association, which has included the Rolex Giraglia in its Mediterranean Maxi Offshore Challenge.
The participation is not just a formality: “This year will be my 9th Rolex Giraglia,” says IMA President Benoît de Froidmont: “And there is no need to tell you it is my favourite regatta; a perfect combination of hard-fought coastal races and the legendary offshore race. In my role, I must appreciate the synergy between theYacht Club Italiano and the Societè Nautique de Saint Tropez which have become, over the years, among the leading players in Maxi yacht regattas in the Mediterranean. As a yachtsman – he is owner and skipper of the very fast Wally 60 Walliño – I will be waiting for everybody on the water for this magnificent week of sport”.
There are remarkable numbers also for the Swan One Design Class (50′-45′-42′); here too the coastal races of the Rolex Giraglia are part of The Nations Trophy Med League. Says Enrico Chieffi, Vice President of Nautor Swan, underlining the importance of the event with almost 40 caps Swan’s on the start line: “We are enthusiastic about taking part in the Rolex Giraglia again this year together with our partner Rolex and our friends of the Yacht Club Italiano, with whom we have shared a passion for years. With about 40 Swans, One Design and Bluewater yachts, from 14 nations we will certainly see memorable moments of competition and enjoyment. The choice of Monte Carlo is the last leg of the event where we will be presenting the ClubSwan Award for the Best Placed Swan, underlines the exceptional nature of the event which visits some of the most glamorous ports of the world”.
The programme
Here is the calendar of events in the Rolex Giraglia 2019:
Friday, June 7 – Sanremo
- 18:00 Skipper Briefing
- 19:00 Oyster Party
- 24:00 Sanremo – Saint Tropez race starts
Saturday, June 8 – Saint-Tropez
• 09:00 – 19:00 Registration of entries
Sunday, June 9 – Saint-Tropez
• 11:00 inshore races start
Monday, June 10 – Saint-Tropez
• 11:00 inshore races start
Tuesday, June 11– Saint-Tropez
- 11:00 Inshore races start
- 19:30 First phase prize-giving
- 20:00 Rolex Crew Party
Wednesday, June 12 – Saint-Tropez – Monaco
• 12:00 offshore race starts
Thursday, June 13 – Monaco
• 08:30 Yacht Club Monaco Village opens
Friday, June 14 – Monaco
• 20:00 Crew evening – Yacht Club Monaco
Saturday, June 15 – Monaco
• 11:00 Prize-giving ceremony – Yacht Club Monaco
Sanremo – Saint Tropez
The Rolex Giraglia is by now a perfect triangle with the first apex leaving Sanremo for the traditional race of about 60 miles that links Italy and France. The yachts leave on the stroke of midnight on Friday, June 7. “We are happy to celebrate this year the 10thanniversary of the Sanremo-St Tropez leg – says Beppe Zaoli, President of the Yacht Club Sanremo – which over the years has attracted an increasing number of entries, reaching and surpassing 100 yachts. The participants have shown they appreciate the social events organised for them by the Yacht Club Sanremo, the oyster and champagne party and the start at midnight preceded by a firework display. It’s a success thanks to the friendship and collaboration with the Yacht Club Italiano, the Yacht Club de Monaco and the Société Nautique de Saint-Tropez, in addition of course to the fundamental support of Rolex”.
The long race
Although the destination changes, what doesn’t change is the length of the long race which takes place around a geographical triangle with the Giraglia rock as its southern point. A total of 241 miles with the start at midday on June 12. An offset leg towards the Formigue rocks, along leg of about hundred and 20 miles towards Corsica and then back towards the Principality of Monaco for a final leg of just under 100 miles. The entire race will have a service of online tracking with real and compensated time positions for all yachts in the fleet.
The arrival in Monte Carlo
The finish in the waters of the Principality of Monaco will see the fleet of the long race being hosted again after five years by the Monaco Yacht Club. “Five years after hosting our first Rolex Giraglia – says Yacht Club de Monaco General Secretary Bernard d’Alessandri – we again have the privilege of having in our waters the finishing line of this Mediterranean classic. This return underlines the strong links of friendship that the YCM has with Rolex, with the Yacht Club Italiano, with which we are twinned, and our neighbouring clubs the Société Nautique de Saint-Tropez and the Yacht Club di Sanremo”.
SLAM technical sponsor of the 2019 edition
Slam, thanks to an agreement with the Yacht Club Italiano, has created this year a limited edition dedicated to this important event: T-shirts printed with the course of the long race, technical jerseys, sailing jackets, caps, belts, sunglasses and a special flask have been produced by Slam with the official logo of the Rolex Giraglia. The limited edition can be purchased from May 23 to June 30 online and in Slam flagshipstores in Genoa, Sanremo and Monaco, while in Saint Tropez there will be a stand at the Rolex Giraglia village.
THE ROLEX GIRAGLIA
The Giraglia was conceived in 1953 as a 241 mile offshore race. Since then it has grown and today includes races towards Sanremo and three days of inshore races in the Bay of Saint-Tropez. In 2019 this classic regatta celebrates its 67thanniversary. The Rolex Giraglia is organised by the Yacht Club Italiano in collaboration with the Yacht Club Sanremo and, for the 2019 edition, with the Yacht Club de Monaco, the Société Nautique de Saint-Tropez and the Yacht Club de France. Rolex has been a partner of the Rolex Giraglia dal 1998 and this year celebrates 22 years of collaboration with the Yacht Club Italiano.
THE YACHT CLUB ITALIANO
Founded in Genoa in 1879, the Yacht Club Italiano is the oldest sailing club in the Mediterranean. Based in the Porticciolo Duca degli Abruzzi, the YCI has always aimed to popularise yachting and organise regattas. The Rolex Capri Sailing Week, the Rolex Giraglia, the World Cup Series and the 2.4 Worlds, the last to arrive in chronological order, are just some of the international regattas organised by the YCI. The Coppa Carlo Negri, the Trofeo SIAD Bombola d’oro, the Millevele and many other events distinguish the present and future of the Club, which is always ready to accept new challenges. As is traditional, BMW will be alongside the YCI as a partner also for this regatta with the much appreciated shuttle service for guests, press and yacht owners.
