Rolex Giraglia - Black Jack 100 secures Line Honours
by Quinag 16 Jun 2023 00:23 PDT
Black Jack - Rolex Giraglia 2023 © Rolex / Carlo Borlenghi
Recent editions of the Rolex Giraglia have provided numerous epic contests for line honours. This year's 70th edition of the famous offshore race proved no exception.
First to cross the finish line in Genoa was Peter Harburg's Black Jack 100. The Australian Maxi saw off determined opposition to finish today at 11:33:16 CEST in a time of 23 hours, 30 minutes and 16 seconds.
This followed a compelling contest which saw a number of the frontrunners converge at the emblematic landmark and virtual halfway mark, the Giraglia rock. It was from there that Black Jack 100 assumed leadership of the race. Magic Carpet Cubed, a three-time Rolex Giraglia line honours winner, pushed Black Jack 100 close to finish second on the water and just under ten minutes later.
For Harburg, a multiple Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race competitor, success comes at his first Rolex Giraglia attempt. Under its former guises Black Jack 100 had twice broken the Rolex Giraglia race record and claimed the line honours title on eight occasions.
An international fleet of 155 yachts are contesting the 70th edition of the race, a renowned and historic contest first held in 1953, running some 215-nautical miles (398 kilometres) from Saint-Tropez, France to Genoa, Italy. With line honours now decided, the focus on is who will prevail to claim overall victory on handicap.
Rolex has partnered the event since 1998. The Rolex Giraglia is organized by the Yacht Club Italiano and the Société Nautique de Saint-Tropez, both Rolex partner yacht clubs. They are supported in their efforts by Yacht Club de France and Yacht Club Sanremo.