Today marks the start of the 20th edition of the Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup in Porto Cervo, Italy. The internationally acclaimed regatta, organised by the Yacht Club Costa Smeralda, will run from 6th to 12th September with a schedule of windward-leeward or coastal races across the week and a longer Islands Race on Wednesday. Among the 42 yachts assembled for the event are a number of Swan yachts, ranging from two of the new Swan 90s, DSK (ITA) and Cuordileone (ITA), to Swan Maxi Circuit leader, Gerard Logel’s 601 @Robas (FRA), and Will Apold’s competitive custom-built Swan 78, Valkyrie (CAN). This year's Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup will form the final showdown in the Swan Maxi Class 2009 Circuit with the perpetual silver Asprey trophy being presented at the final prize giving on Saturday. The overall Maxi fleet will be split into five divisions: Cruising/Spirit of Tradition, Mini Maxi Racing, Mini Maxi Racing/Cruising, Racing/Cruising and Wally. Each division will have a separate start and may be assigned different courses. The Yacht Club Costa Smeralda’s Race Committee, headed by President Peter Craig, will set courses in and around the islands of the La Maddalena archipelago off the north-eastern coast of Sardinia. With first signal set for this morning at 11:30, the forecast is for seventeen to eighteen knots of wind from north east providing the usual fantastic Sardinian environment for these Maxi yachts to compete in.
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