Please select your home edition
Edition
Palm Beach Motor Yachts

44Cup Porto Montenegro navigator's race

by Jessica Gray 14 Apr 2019 07:35 PDT 10-14 April 2019
The RC44s were sent off on a reaching start in today's 'navigators race' - 44Cup Porto Montenegro 2019 © Nico Martinez / MartinezStudio / 44Cup

The 44Cup crews were taken out of their comfort zone today for the 44Cup Porto Montenegro navigator's race, a pro-am event for the usual nine teams, but with more guest racers on board.

After a wait for the wind to fill in, Mother Nature duly obliged with it arriving from the southeast for the first time this week. With the navigator's race taking the boats through the narrow channel between the Bay of Tivat and the Bay of Kotur, the RC44s were set off on an America's Cup-style reaching start a first for this in a long time for the high performance one design monohulls.

The boats sped towards the line, popping open their gennakers seconds before crossing a great sight for the assembled spectator fleet and a once in a lifetime experience for the on-board guests.

The boats barrelled along towards the straight heavily pressed up, reaching - not a point of sail these windward-leeward machines often experience. Sadly as they approached the straight the wind evaporated with the onset of rain. The tacticians on board tiptoed their boats from vein of wind to vein of wind, but ultimately making little progress. To put the crews out of their misery, PRO Peter Reggio cancelled the race and the boats returned to Porto Montenegro and into the welcoming arms of the Regent Hotel. At the time the race was stopped Team Nika was out in front, ahead of Bronenosec Sailing, Artemis Racing and Peninsula Petroleum.

As this was non-scoring in the 44Cup's annual championship, some of the owner-drivers handed over the wheel. On board Team Nika for example, steering today was a mix of bowman Jeremy Lomas and tactician Tom Slingsby who with his background in the America's Cup and most recently SailGP is one of the sailors most experienced in reaching starts.

Meanwhile Team Nika's owner Vladimir Prosikhin was taking the opportunity to trim mainsheet. "The race isn't scored so I wanted to feel the same as my main trimmer and to understand him better," said Prosikhin with a smile. "Also the other goal was to scream and yell at the helmsman like they scream and yell at me!"

Most of the guest sailors today were from the Yacht Club Porto Montenegro, part of the magnificent Porto Montenegro complex.

James Wates, Admiral of the Porto Montenegro Yacht Club said he had enjoyed the week: "It has been fantastic, a great event, really good to see the RC44s on the water, top class powerful boats having fun. The racing was pretty competitive and it was great to see. It is certainly the highest level sailing we've had here in Porto Montenegro.

"We'd love to see the 44Cup come back. We've had a lot of fun and there's an open invitation..."

Related Articles

Lanzarote Calero Sailing Team at 44Cup Nanny Cay
Closing with solid progress and eyes set on Porto Cervo Lanzarote Calero Sailing Team concluded its participation in the 44Cup Nanny Cay after a final day in which all races were completed under ideal wind conditions, with 15-18 knots and bright sunshine. Posted on 17 Feb
44Cup Nanny Cay overall
Charisma wrestles her way on top in season opener In perfect conditions, brilliant sunshine and a 15-18 knot easterly to take the edge off the Caribbean heat, the final day of racing at the 44Cup Nanny Cay, run by PRO Maria Torrijo and the Royal BVI Yacht Club team, was also one of perfect symmetry. Posted on 17 Feb
Lanzarote Calero Sailing Team at 44Cup Nanny Cay
Progress, challenges and a steady path forward Another intense day of racing at the 44Cup Nanny Cay saw the Lanzarote Calero Sailing Team continue its steep learning curve in one of the most demanding circuits in professional sailing. Posted on 16 Feb
44Cup Nanny Cay Day 3
Team Nika's day in the sun After an average day on Friday at the 44Cup Nanny Cay, which left them fifth overall, the 2024 44Cup champions, Vladimir Prosikhin's Team Nika, recovered their mojo today on St Francis Drake Channel. Posted on 15 Feb
Lanzarote Calero Sailing Team at 44Cup Nanny Cay
Big breeze and challenging conditions on day 2 After an opening day without racing due to strong winds exceeding 25 knots, the 44Cup Nanny Cay finally kicked off with a spectacular second day of competition. Posted on 15 Feb
44Cup Nanny Cay Day 2
Big Breeze and Yee-Haw conditions After the opening day of RC44 competition in the British Virgin Islands was lost to excess winds, the breezy relentless easterly trade winds abated enough on day two to permit three races to be sailed in winds ranging from 18 to 28 knots. Posted on 15 Feb
Lanzarote Calero Team kicks off 44Cup campaign
An intense final training session, filled with well-executed manoeuvres and an unexpected setback The Lanzarote Calero Sailing Team successfully completed its final training session before the official start of the 44Cup Nanny Cay, the opening event of the 2025 season in the prestigious RC44 international circuit. Posted on 13 Feb
44Cup Nanny Cay Day 1
Overly breezy opening day in the British Virgin Island After a light wind 44Cup Nanny Cay concluded the 2024 season, it was with great anticipation that the 44Cup teams awaited 2025's opening event in the British Virgin Island, for which stiff trade winds have been forecast for some days. Posted on 13 Feb
Foam-up forecast for 44Cup Nanny Cay Season opener
Of the nine teams competing, favourite is Vladimir Prosikhin's Team Nika It's why racing yachts congregate from all parts of the world in the Caribbean - incessant sunshine; stiff breeze, soaring temperatures, warm azure water all combining to provide an alluring cocktail with which to escape the freezing gloom of winter. Posted on 12 Feb
Lanzarote Calero Team kicks off its 44Cup campaign
Presenting a refreshed crew with a strong local presence The Lanzarote Calero Sailing Team has officially set sail in the 44Cup 2025, kicking off their campaign with the first training sessions in Nanny Cay. Posted on 11 Feb
Maritimo 2023 S-Series FOOTERPalm Beach Motor Yachts