Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup: victory with heart-pounding finish for Galateia and Django 7X
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The 35th Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup closed Saturday with a breathtaking finale that awarded the two world titles up for grabs. The WallyCento Galateia owned by David M. Leuschen and Chris Flowers took the Rolex IMA Maxi 1 World Championship, while Giovanni Lombardi Stronati’s Django 7X won the first Rolex IMA Maxi Grand Prix World Championship. Both victories came after tight battles resolved in the last few meters, with the Mistral rising from the initial 10 knots to 18 knots allowing two decisive windward-leeward races for the worlds and a coastal race for the other classes.
Galateia beats Leopard 3 on points with Murray Jones and Simon Fisher
The Rolex IMA Maxi 1 World Championship provided excitement to the last edge. Galateia finished tied on points with Joost Schuijff’s Farr 100 Leopard 3, but prevailed thanks to the greater number of partial first places: two against one. Leopard 3 did not need only to win the sixth and final race to win the world title.
The key to victory was Galateia’s stellar crew-Murray Jones at tactician, a living America’s Cup legend with six victories between Team New Zealand, Alinghi and Oracle Team USA, and Simon Fisher at navigator, a British veteran with five Ocean Race appearances and two victories. “It is very satisfying for us to win the Rolex IMA Maxi 1 World Championship. This is a highly competitive class and we saw that again today, right up to the last ” Fisher stated.
Joost Schuijff, the Dutch skipper of Leopard 3, led an impressive comeback with the 100-footer designed by Bruce Farr that had dominated the RORC Caribbean 600 this year. Third place went to YCCS Commodore Andrea Recordati’s Wally 93 Bullitt, just one point from the top.
Django 7X and Vascotto triumph in Maxi Grand Prix return
In the Rolex IMA Maxi Grand Prix World Championship, the first edition after the break from 2018, the Wallyrocket71 Django 7X with Vasco Vascotto as tactician triumphed. Lombardi Stronati’s boat, designed by Botin Partners and presented as the 2025 major newcomer, beat Peter Harrison’s Jolt with Ed Baird and Hap Fauth’s Bella Mente with Terry Hutchinson.
Ed Baird, 66, and Terry Hutchinson, 53, represent two legends of world tactics: Baird the 1980 Laser world champion and 2007 America’s Cup winner with Alinghi, Hutchinson skipper of American Magic for the 37th America’s Cup. But it was Vascotto who prevailed: ” It was a team achievement; everyone made their own contribution. I dedicate a thought to Matteo Auguadro because he was with us, pushing the boat until the last meters of the finish line that gave us the victory “.
Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup. The rulers of the other classes
In the other classes, perfect score for YCCS member Riccardo De Michele’s Vallicelli 78 H2O with Lorenzo Bodini as tactician: Four firsts in four trials in the Maxi 4.
Victory in the large Maxi 3 class (13 yachts) for Aldo Parisotto’s Mylius 65 FD Prysmian Oscar 3 with Paolo Cian, in its second consecutive victory in Porto Cervo. Second was Massimiliano Florio’s Southern Wind 82 Grande Orazio, third was Ganesha, one of three Baltic 68 Café Racers in the race.
Absolute dominance also for YCCS member Juan Ball’s Swan 115 Moat with Gonzalo Araujo at tactician in the Supermaxi class: four consecutive firsts ahead of Wally 94 Inti and Briand 108 Inoui.
Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup. Forty years of excellence
The award ceremony at the Blue Square also celebrated 40 years of Rolex Title Sponsorship, which began in September 1985. Commodore Andrea Recordati announced the establishment of a new cup in memory of His Highness the Aga Khan IV, Founder of the YCCS, which will be awarded starting next year.
The Commodore Alberini Perpetual Trophy for fair play went to YCCS members Riccardo Genghini and Marietta Strasoldo (Swan 651 Lunz Am Meer), while the Paolo Massarini ORC Challenge Trophy was awarded to Moat.
The next YCCS event will be Sept. 21-27 with the 52 Super Series, the final stop on the world circuit for professional sailing.
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