| CAPRI, ITALY-(24-5-2003) With just one race scheduled for the final day of the Rolex IMS Offshore World Championship, the Neapolitan weather gods kept everyone waiting. From a situation with absolutely no wind at 13:30 the Yacht Club Costa Smeralda Race Committee managed to find just the right place in the Gulf of Naples to set up a start line, lay a windward leeward course and get the three classes off before the 14:00 last day start deadline. As if on cue the South Westerly sea breeze appeared at just the right moment and blew a steady 8-10 knots for the rest of the day.
Race Seven
Right from the start the action was on with three boats including, the two Swan 45s, starting prematurely and being disqualified for failing to return. Further up the first beat Pasquale Landolfi’s 2002 champion Brava Q8 retired with a broken forestay. Australian John Kahlbetzer’s Sydney 62 Bumble Bee V was handicapped when her light genoa split in half.
At the front of the fleet Charles Dunstone’s Maxi Enigma shot around the course in just over an hour whilst arch rivals X-Sport and Orlanda fought hard to be the first of the large boats on corrected time. But all eyes were on the Spanish points leader, Telefonica Movistar, the IMS 600 entry in the Real Club Nautico San Genjo of Galicia’s Admiral’s Cup team. Would the small boats beat the big ones in Class Alpha or would there be a last minute upset? As it turned out skipper Pedro Campos sailed a perfect race to win the day which was more than enough to become World Champion. In second place was World Cargo, a boat that had been moving up the rankings all week and pounced past the two new prototype big boats at the last minute.
In Class Bravo it was Antoni Orlandi’s Italtel all the way again from Roberto Maffini’s Rodman 42 Wind, a close sister to Class Alpha winner Telefonica Movistar. Third overall went to last year’s champion Team Revolution.
Scuttelaro and his group on Di Mare Vaimo’ just had to finish today’s race to collect the overall prize and a world title. The second place they collected today gave them a 25 point overall margin over today’s race winner and second overall, Francesco Siculiana’s Vismara 34 Paul & Shark. The latter boat was badly let down by her performance in the high points scoring long offshore race earlier in the week and will surely be a boat to watch for in the future.
At the final prizegiving, Patrick Heiniger, CEO of Rolex SA, awarded each of the three champions with a Rolex Yacht-Master chronometer.
Rolex IMS Offshore World Championship Final Results
Class Alpha
Pos. Boat Type Owner/skipper
1st Telefonica Movistar Rodman 42 Goldoni/Campos (3,5,1,1,8,8,1/26.25)
2nd World Cargo Vismara 41 Simoneschi/ (2,9,3,3,9,3,4/33.0)
3rd X-Sport Gd Soleil 56R Spangaro/Benussi (1,1,5,10,1,11,5/33.25)
4th Orlanda Farr 53 Pirera/Chieffi (6,2,2,4,2,13,6/35.0)
5rd Bumble Bee V Sydney 62 Kahlbetzer/ (8,4,9,12,4,1,10,47.75)
Class Bravo
Place Boat Type Owner/skipper
1st Italtel Gd Soleil 42R Orlandi/Vascoti (1,1,1,2,1,1,1/6.5)
2nd Wind Rodman 42 Maffini/Bressani (2,2,2,1,2,4,2/14.75)
3rd Team Revolution Sinergia 40 Toninelli/ (3,3,4,3,4,2,3/22.0)
4nd Naos Gd Soleil 40 Morbidelli/ (8,5,3,4,7,5,5/37.0)
5th Okyalos XII IMX-40 Periplous (4,4,5,5,3,15,4/40.0)
Class Charlie
Place Boat Type Owner/skipper
1st Di Mare/Vaimo First 36.7 DiMare-Cuomo
-Pelucchi/Scutellaro (1,3,1,1,1,2,2/10.0)
2nd Paul & Shark Vismara 34 La Corte/ (2,1,12,14,2,4,1/35.5)
3rd Don Alvaro X-362 Sport Siculiana (9,4,3,2,4,5,9/36.0)
4th X-Vector X-332 Abita (6,6,8,4,5,1,12/41.75)
5th Bonheur First 36.7 Merlini (3,8,14,10,12,7,6/60.0)
Rolex IMS Offshore World Championship 2003 – Final Race Day
Quotes:
“It was incredible. We fought every second of the way. We concentrated so hard but with this crew it was straight forward. We had two Italians, one English and a lot of Spanish on board, it was a great combination. I am humbled by this occasion. IMS is very important in Spain and with a Spanish boat World Champion in Class Alpha this situation will continue.” Girogio Goldoni owner of Telefonica Movistar, Rodman 42, Class Alpha IMS Offshore World Champion 2003.
“We are very happy, we have been tougher than our misfortunes. In spite of a lot of damage we have been able to come through. Of course this is a great victory. This crew never gave up and here we are World Champions.” Vasco Vascotto, skipper Italtel, Grand Soleil 40R, Class Bravo IMS Offshore World Champion 2003.
“I feel really good. It is very good to come back to Italy after the America’s Cup and go sailing in my city Naples and have a great victory in the Rolex IMS Worlds. In everything in life you need luck. But you get luck if you prepare well, with a good crew. What was important for us was to stay concentrated for the whole event.” Paolo Scutellaro, skipper Vaimo’ Di Mare, First 36.7, Class Charlie IMS Offshore World Champion 2003.
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The Full Results: for the 2003 Rolex IMS Offshore World Championship can be found at: http://www.orc.org/world03.htm
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