VIDEOS

2024 44Cup Calero Marinas | Extended Race Highlights

2024-03-17

Big breeze, big broaches and some big wins. Check out all the key moments from the start of the 44Cup season in Puerto Calero.

44CUP CALERO MARINAS - DAY 4 CATCH UP

2024-03-02

Four bullets from nine races was enough to secure Team Nika victory in the 44Cup Calero Marinas, opening event of the 2024 44Cup. All four days of racing in the Canary Islands were in maximum conditions for the high performance owner-driver one design – in fact no one can remember an event requiring their smallest headsail, the J3, to be used in every race. Even for the final day (forecast to be the lightest), teams were still subjected to gusts into the high 20s blowing from the north, over Lanzarote’s barren lunar landscape.

44CUP CALERO MARINAS - DAY 3 CATCH UP

2024-03-02

Catch up on all the action from day 3 at the 44Cup Calero Marinas that delivered another day of prolonged gusts of +26 knots and lulls as little as 15. The breeze, passing over Lanzarote’s mountainous barren landscape, created huge turbulence, churning up an short, sharp chop to challenge the nine teams.

Onboard Team Aqua in 28+ knots

2024-03-01

☠️ WOW! Onboard Team Aqua as the winds hit 28+ knots yesterday. Pitman Jonas Hviid-Nielsen taking the impact

44CUP CALERO MARINAS - DAY 2 CATCH UP

2024-03-01

Catch up with all the action from day two of the 44Cup Calero Marinas as maxed out the wind conditions exceeded the RC44 class’ theoretical upper wind limit of 25 knots. Anticipating this PRO Maria Torrijo brought the start time forward to 09:30 to sneak one wild race in.

44CUP CALERO MARINAS - DAY 1 CATCH UP

2024-02-29

The Canary Islands are renowned for their breezy northeasterly trade wind conditions and today Lanzarote fully delivered this, with 20-25 knot winds and occasional gusts of 30. In this wind, plus the lumpy sea state, playing it safe and carrying out well executed manoeuvres was order of the day for the nine teams.

This is the 2024 44Cup | Trailer

2024-02-23

This is why we race. This is why we travel. This is why we give our all. This is why it feels like a family.

44CUP CALERO MARINA - DAY 4 CATCH UP

2023-11-26

Catch up with all the action from the final day of the 44Cup Calero Marinas in Lanzarote as Charisma wins the 2023 season and Aleph Racing wins the event.

44CUP CALERO MARINAS - DAY 3 CATCH UP

2023-11-25

The 44Cup Calero Marinas, the final event of the 2023 44Cup has become a two horse race going into the final day. Once again today the star performers among the high performance owner-driver one designs were Aleph Racing and Team Nika, both winning races and, crucially, the only teams to avoid posting any big results. They currently are on 25 and 29 points respectively with the 2023 44Cup’s overall leader Nico Poons’ Charisma third on 35.

44CUP CALERO MARINA - DAY 2 CATCH UP

2023-11-24

They say in yacht racing that when conditions are light, flukey and difficult to predict, it is all about keeping a cool head and avoiding the big results. Italian sailors are renowned for excelling in this as they are the prevailing conditions around the Italian coast line, so it was little surprise that in the 5-10 knot northerly that was blowing over mountainous Lanzarote, two out of three of today’s winning boats at the 44Cup Calero Marinas had Italian tacticians: Michele Ivaldi on Aleph Racing and Vasco Vascotto on Peninsula Racing.

44CUP CALERO MARINA - DAY 1 CATCH UP

2023-11-23

Catch up with all the action from the opening day of the 44Cup Calero Marinas in Lanzarote.

Leaders, favourites and defending champions, Nico Poons’ Charisma got off to a solid start on the opening day of the 44Cup Calero Marinas, the final event of the 2023 44Cup. The Dutchman’s Monaco-flagged RC44 leads after three races, but by a mere point from Team Nika, with Aleph Racing a further two behind in third. The three teams managed surprisingly consistent performances despite this being one of the most tricky days out on the race course that competitors have faced all year. This was caused by the NNW wind direction, blowing across Lanzarote and its unusual mountainous lunar landscape, that was causing the wind to irregularly and suddenly shift through 40° with occasional puffs.

THIS IS THE RC44

2023-10-30

Take a tour around the RC44 boat with Team CEEREF pitman Andreas Axelsson.

44CUP ALCAIDESA MARINA - FINAL DAY CATCH UP

2023-10-22

WATCH the catch up from the final day of the 44Cup Alcaidesa when the results came down to the final race.

44CUP ALCAIDESA MARINA - DAY 3 CATCH UP

2023-10-21

Watch the catch up from day 3 of the 44Cup Alcaidesa Marina when Black Star Racing continues to shine.

44CUP ALCAIDESA MARINA - DAY 2 CATCH UP

2023-10-20

WATCH the catch up from day 2 at the 44Cup Alcaidesa Marina as Black Star Sailing took their first win of the campaign and a squall hit mid race that saw the boats clock 34 knots up the rig.

44Cup Alcaidesa Marina - Day 1 catch up

2023-10-19

On some days conditions can be marginal for a committee to lay on yacht racing. Today at the 44Cup Alcaidesa Marina there was nothing marginal about the wind strength on the Bay of Gibraltar. Despite the first warning signal for the opening day of competition being brought forward by an hour to 1100 CEST, already at 1000 conditions were exceeding the maximum 25 knot limit for RC44 racing to take place. The decision to cancel racing for the day was disappointing, but an easy one. 44Cup PRO Maria Torrijo explained: “We are expecting strong wind, especially this afternoon – we have a warning of gale force winds. This morning we were supposed to have less wind and a window of two hours in which we wanted to do two races, but right now on the course we have 23 knots steady and the gusts are up to 27-28 and we know it will be increasing throughout the day.”

Best Shots - 44Cup World Championship Cowes

2023-08-14

Our showreel of the very best shots from the 44Cup Worlds in Cowes thanks to Icarus Sports.

44Cup Cowes - Day 4 catch up

2023-08-13

The Royal Yacht Squadron, Cowes and the Solent laid on a World Championship worthy of the leading owner-driver one design class, the RC44. Over four days, the nine teams enjoyed top of the range conditions, plus the usual complexities of British tides and fast moving weather systems. Despite these challenges Nico Poons, tactician Hamish Pepper and the crew of Charisma defended their World Championship title. Unlike the title they won last year in Portorož, Slovenia in ultra-light conditions, this time, the latter part of the regatta was held in 20 knot winds, more typically ‘Charisma conditions’ which contributed to their victory with a race to spare.

44Cup Cowes - Day 3 catch up

2023-08-12

With near gale force winds forecast for the afternoon, to stay on schedule racing for the high performance owner-driver RC44 one designs on the penultimate day of their World Championship was brought forward by two hours with a first warning signal at 0930. In the southwesterly breeze the race area was set up between Hill Head and the Brambles Bank, in the northeastern quadrant of the central Solent, by the Royal Yacht Squadron’s expert race management team led by Peter Saxton and the 44Cup’s own PRO Maria Torrijo.

44Cup Cowes - Day 2 catch up

2023-08-11

In typical 44 Cup style, Friday’s racing at the World Championship for the leading owner driver one design circuit concluded with two boats tied in the top spot with third place just one point behind with two days of racing left this weekend.

44Cup Cowes - Day 1 catch up

2023-08-10

With two bullets from three races, Chris Bake’s Team Aqua has taken an early lead after day one of the 2023 44Cup Cowes, the World Championship for the high performance owner driver one designs. With racing run by the event hosts the Royal Yacht Squadron under the eye of class PRO Maria Torrijo, the easterly – southeasterly wind direction required the race course to be set up in the central-eastern Solent, southeast of Brambles Bank. While the wind started light with 20° shifts, for the second race the overcast sky cleared, the sun appeared and the wind built to 15 knots with moments of 18.

44CUP MARSTRAND - Event highlights

2023-07-11

Did you miss any of the action from the 44Cup Marstrand?!? Don't worry we've got you covered. WATCH the full event highlights from event two of the 2023 44Cup season.

44CUP MARSTRAND - Day 4 Catch Up

2023-07-02

The final day of racing in Marstrand was cancelled watch the catch up from the week.

44CUP MARSTRAND - Day 3 Catch Up

2023-07-01

They are the reigning 44Cup champions, defending champions here in Marstrand - today Nico Poons, Kiwi tactician Hamish Pepper and the rest of his red-hatted crew on Charisma showed again why they are the current supreme leaders in the high performance owner-driver one design class.

44CUP MARSTRAND - Day 2 Catch Up

2023-06-30

While forecasts yesterday indicated that there might be a 50-50 chance of racing taking place today at the 44Cup Marstrand, in the event conditions off the popular Swedish tourist hotspot made this impossible.

44CUP MARSTRAND - Day 1 Catch Up

2023-06-29

Catch up with all the action from the opening day of the 44Cup Marstrand which saw four races with four different race winners.

44CUP OMAN - Event highlights

2023-02-25

Did you miss any of the action from the 44Cup Oman?!? Don't worry we've got you covered.

44Cup Oman - Day 4 Catch Up

2023-02-24

Usually racing on the 44Cup between the high performance owner-driver one designs is tight with ties or just single points separating the leaders. At the 44Cup Oman, opening event of the 2023 season and hosted out of Muscat’s Al Mouj Marina by Oman Sail, perhaps due to the strong conditions of the first three days, the leaderboard was clearly defined going into the final day with Nico Poons’ Charisma seven points clear of Igor Lah’s Team Ceeref powered by Hrastnik 1860, in turn eight ahead of John Bassadone’s Peninsula Racing.

44Cup Oman - Day 3 Catch Up

2023-03-04

While Nico Poons’ Charisma, the 2022 44Cup Champion, is the event’s runaway leader, albeit still catchable, on day three of the 44Cup Oman several other teams had the opportunity to shine.

44Cup Oman - Day 2 Catch Up

2023-06-30

Day two of the 44Cup Oman started off sedate as forecast, but finished with the wind gusting to 20 knots, providing further ‘yeehaa’ moments for the nine crews as they clung on, blasting off on the downwinds into the building sea state. After six races and at the half way stage of the 44Cup Oman, there is a new leader.

44Cup Oman - Day 1 Catch Up

2023-03-03

The 2023 44Cup set sail today with the opening races of the 44Cup Oman Cup, hosted by Oman Sail from its base in Muscat’s Al Mouj marina in 20+ knot winds. This made for spectacular downwind legs, the RC44s frequently speeding down waves then submarining, occasionally broaching, all the while providing a thorough work-out for the owner-drivers and their crews.

The 17-22 knots was in stark contrast to the conclusion of the 2022 44Cup here in December, held in four days of ultra-light conditions, in which most other keelboat classes would not have been able to race. While 17-22 knots is nothing exception for the high-performance, owner-driver one designs, today the onshore easterly wind had been blowing for some time, kicking up an evil short chop with frequent breaking waves.

This is why we race - The 44Cup 2023

2023-02-25

The most competitive owner driver one-design racing in the world. This is the 44Cup.

Designed to perform well in 5 or 25 knots the RC44 is fast upwind, able to plane downwind and is crewed by America's Cup and Olympic level tacticians. For the 2023 season the 44Cup will increase the number of female sailors in the fleet with the introduction of a new class rule, grow the fleet with two new boats in production and race for the first time on the Strait of Gibraltar.

44Cup Oman 2022 - Full event report

2022-12-11

WATCH the full event wrap-up from the 2022 44Cup Oman hosted by Oman Sail in the beautiful Al Mouj Marina, Muscat.

Day 4 - 44Cup Oman - VICTORY FOR TEAM NIKA IN OMAN, BUT CHARISMA DOMINATES THE 44CUP SEASON

2022-12-10

On the concluding day of the 2022 44Cup’s final event, the 44Cup Oman, PRO Maria Torrijo defied the odds and was able to stage three races. As is usual with this fleet of high performance owner-driver one designs, the results were close going into the final day with Team Aqua, Team Nika and Aleph Racing separated by just one point for the lead. But today’s results would not only have a bearing on the event scoreline, but on those overall for the season.

Day 3 - 44Cup Oman - Team Aqua into the lead as local team shines at the 44Cup Oman

2022-12-09

The forecast for the penultimate day of the 44Cup Oman was for either a moderate northeasterly or for a light northwesterly. In fact the near non-existent gradient breeze and the similarly soft sea breeze made it a tricky day for both race officials and the nine 44Cup teams alike.

Day 2 - 44Cup Oman - A-teams on the rise at the 44Cup Oman

2022-12-09

After a light start, conditions were optimum off Muscat’s Al Mouj Marina for day two of the 44Cup Oman, the fifth and concluding event of the 2022 44Cup. Three races were again held, but today the northerly wind peaking at 15 knots, enough to get the nimble RC44 one designs planing on the downwind legs. Meanwhile as temperatures elsewhere in the northern hemisphere plummet below freezing, so the air temperature today in Oman remained in the high 20s°C. The only small downside to the otherwise outstanding conditions was the lumpy sea state.

DAY 1 - 44Cup Oman - Team Nika back on form as 44Cup Oman gets underway

2022-12-08

After a light World Championship back in October in Portoroz, Slovenia, the nine teams competing today off Muscat’s Al Mouj Marina at the 44Cup Oman were well dialled in for the opening day of the 2022 44Cup’s grand finale. However today it was not the turn of Nico Poons’ Charisma, with her newly installed season leader’s golden wheels, to come out on top, nor that of past 44Cup season winners and World Champions Chris Bake’s Team Aqua but Team Nika, which, across today’s three races, posted a nearly immaculate 2-1-2. And this was despite having a new tactician.

DAY 4 - 44CUP WORLDS PORTOROZ - THREE IN A ROW FOR CHARISMA AS POONS IS CROWNED CHAMPION

2022-10-17

While racing in 44Cup events usually goes to the wire, decided in the last few metres of the final race, this hasn’t been the case this year where the dominant force has been Monaco-based Dutchman Nico Poons and his Charisma team.

DAY 3 - 44CUP WORLDS PORTOROZ - CEEREF FIGHTS BACK ON EVE OF 44 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP FINALE

2022-10-15

With a race lost on Friday at the 44Cup Portorož World Championship, to recoup the schedule four races were held today (Saturday). The race area was further offshore with the medieval nearby town of Piran as an eyecatching backdrop in one direction with another headland to weather strongly affecting the light breeze causing it to shift frequently between the south and southwest. This made for highly tactical racing with much position changing.

Day 2 - 44CUP WORLDS PORTOROZ - THE POONS DOWNWIND EXPRESS TRAIN

2022-10-14

Another slow start for day two of the 44Cup Portorož World Championship saw the fleet held ashore with racing not getting underway until 1400. However when it did fill in, the breeze was a crucial two knots more than it was for the opening day and the eight RC44 teams were able to race with their high performance one designs fully powered up.

DAY 1 - 44CUP PORTOROZ - LIGHT CHALLENGING OPENING TO 44CUP PORTOROZ WORLDS

2022-10-13

An ultra-light onshore breeze at the 44Cup Portoroz World Championship should have made for a straightforward opening day to the high performance one design’s pinnacle event of the season. In fact it demonstrated how the nimble RC44 can race meaningfully in practically no wind, but still scores were high with all eight teams suffering at least one big result.

44CUP Marstrand - Youth Program

2022-07-18

The 44Cup has been returning to Marstrand, Sweden, for ten years; however, for 2022, a new partnership with Marstrands Segelsällskap has formed as the supporting yacht club for the event. With it, a strong youth programme has been created to run alongside the 44Cup Marstrand, and this year has allowed five local youth sailors the opportunity to gain work experience with the professional crews and the local optimist sailors the chance to meet their heroes.

44Cup Marstrand Highlights

Watch all the highlights from the 44Cup Marstrand and Nico Poons' Charisma fought off their rivals to clinch their second win of the season.

DAY 4 - 44CUP MARSTRAND - TWO IN A ROW FOR POONS AND CHARISMA

2022-07-04

From southwesterly winds gusting up to 20 knots, and one of the sharpest sea states the class has endured, dropping to five to six knots and the lightest conditions sailable by the nimble RC44: the 44Cup Marstrand’s penultimate day provided a complete test for the teams off west Sweden’s holiday hotspot.

DAY 3 - 44CUP MARSTRAND - ALL CHANGE ON THE 44CUP MARSTRAND LEADERBOARD

2022-07-02

From southwesterly winds gusting up to 20 knots, and one of the sharpest sea states the class has endured, dropping to five to six knots and the lightest conditions sailable by the nimble RC44: the 44Cup Marstrand’s penultimate day provided a complete test for the teams off west Sweden’s holiday hotspot.

DAY 2 - 44CUP MARSTRAND - TEAM AQUA BEGINS HER SLOW ASCENT AT THE 44CUP MARSTRAND

2022-07-01

The waters off the Swedish holiday hotspot of Marstrand took on a different complexion on day two of 44Cup racing, with a sharp chop and the wind backed from the northwest to the south and gusting into the mid-high teens. But once again the sun was out and the temperature perfect for three more races to be held at this mid-way event of the 2022 44Cup hosted by the Marstrands Segelsällskap with the support of the Marstrands Havshotell.

DAY 1 - 44CUP MARSTRAND - LOCAL HEROES LEAD AFTER A TOP OPENING DAY

2022-06-30

Njörðr, the Norse god of the sea and the wind was clearly smiling upon both the 44Cup Marstrand and local team Artemis Racing for the first day of the 2022 44Cup’s third event off western Sweden’s holiday hotspot of Marstrand.

DAY 4 - 44CUP CASCAIS - CHARISMA IS RUNAWAY WINNER OF 44CUP CASCAIS

2022-05-15

Normally 44Cup events are decided in the final gybes of the last leg of the last race after four days of competition. But at the 44Cup Cascais, the second of the 2022 series for the high performance owner-driver one designs, the opposite was true. Charisma of Monaco-based Dutchman Nico Poons, set the benchmark high after scoring three bullets on the opening day. Their advantage since Thursday may have gone up and down, but they ended the weekend having won five out of 11 races sailed, including today’s third, concluding one. They finished the 44 Cup Cascais a massive 12 points ahead of Igor Lah’s Ceeref powered by Hrastnik 1860. Charisma’s result was especially unusual since at the 44Cup Lanzarote in February they finished last.

DAY 3 - 44CUP CASCAIS - ALL CHANGE AT 44CUP CASCAIS BUT CHARISMA GETS EVER STRONGER

2022-05-14

After two days of sun, Atlantic swell and prevailing northwesterlies, conditions turned around for day three of the 44Cup Cascais. Overnight the wind veered into the south and in the morning the eight RC44 teams waited ashore for an extra hour and half as the wind filled in.

DAY 2 - 44CUP CASCAIS - HIGH SCORING DAY AT THE 44CUP CASCAIS

2022-05-13

While the opening day of the 44Cup Cascais saw the rare occurrence of one boat - Nico Poons' Charisma - winning all three races, on day two it was back to the 44Cup ‘norm’ with lead changes and three different winners. Charisma performed consistently enough to maintain her lead at the half way stage, with a four point advantage over Igor Lah's Ceeref powered by Hrastnik 1860, today's overall winner - despite an 11th hour tactician change with British two time 470 World Champion Nic Asher flying in this morning to stand in on tactics for Adrian Stead.

DAY 1 - 44CUP CASCAIS - DAY ONE HAT TRICK FOR NICO POONS' CHARISMA

2022-05-12

Traditionally a team of black or white results, Charisma of Monaco-based Dutchman Nico Poons was very much in the latter phase, when his team defied the odds to win all three races on the opening day the 44Cup Cascais. This annihilation of his ultra-competitive opposition comes after Charisma was on the ‘receiving end’, having suffered an eighth-placed finish at the 2022 44Cup's first event in Puerto Calero, Lanzarote back in February.

Welcome to the 44Cup 2022

2022-04-21

The 44Cup is ready to launch into 2022 stronger than ever with a full fleet of ten boats. The 2022 season will start where it left off in Lanzarote, hosted by the Calero Marinas, over 9 - 13 February. Following the season opener, the fleet will move on to one of the sailors favourite spots, Cascais, Portugal for event two over the 11 - 15 May.

The 44Cup will return to the picturesque island of Marstrand in Sweden over the 29 June to 3 July for event three followed by the 2022 World Championship hosted for the first time in Portoroz, Slovenia over the 12 - 16 October. To close the 2022 season in December, the 44Cup will travel to the middle east for the first time since 2014 hosted over the 7 - 11 December in Muscat, Oman.

Day 4 - 44Cup Calero Marinas - Ceeref takes it to the wire at the 44Cup Calero Marinas

2022-02-13

Going into the final day of the 44Cup Calero Marinas, Igor Lah’s Ceeref powered by Hrastnik 1860 held a strong 11 point lead. Normally this would have seen them packing their bags early, having won with a race to spare. However this is the 44Cup, home of high performance one designs and owner-drivers surrounded by Olympic medallists, America’s Cup and Volvo Ocean Race winners and nothing is ever certain. Ultimately the Slovenian team did win here in Lanzarote, but for several tense minutes victory seemed to have fully slipped through their fingers.

Day 3 - 44Cup Calero Marinas - CEEREF shining after massive day

2022-02-12

Four races were held on day three of the 44Cup Calero Marinas in perfect trade winds conditions – sun, waves and easterly winds at times gusting to 20 knots.

Day 2 - 44Cup Calero Marinas - Tiny lead for CEEREF at halfway stage

2022-02-11

After a zero wind opening day of the 44Cup Calero Marinas in Lanzarote, forecasts indicated day two might repeat this. In fact, after an hour’s delay, an easterly filled in and built to 12-14 knots, allowing three good races to be held.

Day 1 - 44Cup Calero Marinas Lanzarote - Not normally like this

2022-02-10

Watch the roundup of a windless day 1 at the 44Cup Calero Marinas.

44Cup 2022 - LET'S GO!

2022-02-07

For its 15th season, the 44Cup will see ten teams on the start line for the first event of 2022 in Lanzarote, hosted by Calero Marinas in Puerto Calero over the 9 - 13 February.

Day 1 - 44Cup Calero Marinas 2022 - Not normally like this

2022-02-10

Watch the roundup of a windless day 1 at the 44Cup Calero Marinas.

DAY 4 - 44CUP Calero Marinas - NEWBIE WINS IN LANZAROTE AS TEAM AQUA CLAIMS 2021 44CUP

2021-11-21

Over four of the most difficult days of racing in 44Cup history, an impressive seven races were still held at the 44Cup Calero Marinas Lanzarote frequently in 5-6 knots wind, conditions, frankly, in which most other yachts would have been unable to race.

DAY 3 - 44CUP CALERO MARINAS LANZAROTE - CHARISMA SHINES ON DIFFICULT DAY

2021-11-20

While the forecast didn’t look hopeful, the nine RC44 teams were patient and the race committee persevered and eventually were rewarded with one successful race when the wind filled in to 6-7 knots. In this it was the immaculate Team Aleph that led around the top mark. But Nico Poons’ Charisma took the lead on the first downwind and then defended well to gain the Dutchman’s team its first bullet of the regatta.

DAY 2 - 44Cup Calero Marinas - HERO TO ZERO AND BACK IN LANZAROTE

2021-11-19

Conditions off Lanzarote’s moon scape south coast took on a different character for day two of the 44Cup Calero Marinas Lanzarote, with much improved sailing conditions albeit with the 8-12 knot wind blowing either along or off the shore.

DAY 1- 44CUP CALERO MARINAS LANZAROTE - FIRST BULLET TO TEAM ALEPH

2021-11-18

The 44Cup Calero Marinas Lanzarote, final and deciding event of the 2021 44Cup, got off to a difficult start today. To race the nimble RC44s only need 5/6 knots of wind and on several occasions the race committee valiantly began a start sequence in more than this, only for the wind to disappear.

Day 4 - 44CUP Scarlino World Championship - EXTRAORDINARY DAY CONCLUDES 44CUP WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP

2021-11-01

A last minute manoeuvre by Nico Poons’ Charisma won them the final race of the 44Cup Scarlino World Championship by a mere second, but it was the defending champions on Chris Bake’s Team Aqua that defended their title in this 11th RC44 World Championship by one slender point. Like a final curtain call to this World Championship, as well as a reminder of how close the racing always is between the high performance owner-driver one designs, the top eight RC44s all crossed the finish line for the final time within just 20 seconds after 40 minutes of racing.

Day 3- 44CUP Scarlino World Championship - ONE POINT SEPARATES LEAD THREE AFTER 20+ KNOT DAY

2021-10-09

Conditions could not have been better for day three of the 44Cup Scarlino World Championship. Blowing 20knots off mountainous Tuscany, the offshore breeze was shifty and puffy. It caused numerous lead changed and seemed to favour no one. Thus, to make up the schedule after a lost opening day four races were held and each featured a different winner.

Day 2 - 44CUP Scarlino World Championship - One point separates top seven after three

2021-10-08

After 30 knot winds prevented any racing on day one of the 44Cup World Championship in Scarlino, Italy, the race committee pulled out all the stops to ensure racing took place today, by bringing the start time forwards by two hours. Racing at the 11th 44Cup Scarlino World Championship was finally able to get underway just after 1000 this morning. Three races were successfully held in the bay off Marina di Scarlino in a northerly that built to 20 knots gusting 25.

Day 1 - 44Cup World Championship Scarlino - Maria Torrijo explains

2021-10-07

44Cup Principle Race Office Maria Torrijo explains the opening day of the Worlds in Scarlino.

DAY 4 - 44CUP COWES - FLAT OUT TO THE FINISH

2021-08-15

The final day of the 44Cup Cowes was always going to be big. Despite the overnight seven point gap between the leaders Aleph and second placed Ceeref, experience told Hugues Lepic and his team that they should take nothing for granted.

DAY 3 - 44CUP COWES - CHANGING GEAR

2021-08-14

Practice or showcase, call it what you will, the 44Cup fleet simply call it another opportunity to line up against each other. And while starting off the Royal Yacht Squadron to canon fire is always special, so too is the opportunity to push your opponents hard as you work your way west along the famous Cowes Green. So, while the race from the Squadron to the starting area counted for no points, the short beat and long run provided a valuable opportunity for all to lock in numbers and techniques for the day.

DAY 2 - 44CUP COWES - STEPPING UP THE ACTION

2021-08-13

Since arriving in Cowes for the 44Cup all eight teams had been expecting conditions to build for the second day of racing and with 20-24knots to kick things off, that was precisely what was delivered.

But as if easing the fleet into the day, the east going tide was kind to the fleet holding them back from the line at the start and keeping the sea state relatively flat. As the day progressed and the tide turned against the breeze, the fun dial was wound up. The wind speed built, the sea state increased and the downwind legs became full-on foam-ups.

DAY 1 - 44CUP COWES - TIGHT FROM THE START

2021-08-12

What the opening day of the 44Cup in Cowes lacked in sunshine it more than made up for with close racing.

The morning had started with just 8-10 knots of breeze and flat seas but, as the day played out a series of subtle changes took place that kept everyone from trimmers to tacticians on their toes.

DAY 4 - 44CUP MARSTRAND - MASTERS OF MARSTRAND FOR A FIFTH TIME

2021-07-04

It is rare even between the ultra-close RC44s for an event to go to the wire in such an extreme way as it did at the conclusion of the 44Cup Marstrand.

DAY 3 - 44CUP MARSTRAND - TEAM AQUA’S BIG BOUNCE BACK

2021-07-03

Just when the pecking order seemed to be firming up at the 44Cup Marstrand, so today’s final race off the picture postcard Swedish island, turned the results on their head, yet again

DAY 2 - 44CUP MARSTRAND - TEAM ALEPH JOINS THE DOTS

2021-07-02

In an example of the high performance RC44 one design class’ typically ultra-close racing, so yesterday’s winners dropped to the bottom of the pile at the 44Cup Marstrand today as those managing to remain the most consistent rose gradually to the top.

DAY 1- 44CUP MARSTRAND - STRONG START FOR TEAM AQUA

2021-07-01

The 44Cup Marstrand had a tricky start today off the Swedish paradise island bearing its name. A weather front slowly moving across the west coast of Sweden brought with it solid 25 knots winds, 30+ gusts and the real prospect of no racing for the eight owner-driver RC44s. However mid-afternoon, as the front’s torrential rain arrived, so the wind dropped and PRO Maria Torrijo was able to coax the teams and their high performance one designs out on the water.

44CUP PORTOROZ EVENT HIGHLIGHTS

2021-05-31

Watch the full event highlights from the 44Cup Portoroz. The opening event of the 2021 44Cup Championship Tour.

DAY 4 - 44CUP PORTOROZ - TEAM CEEREF RETAINS HER GOLDEN WHEELS IN LAST GASP

2021-05-23

The last day of the 44Cup Portoroz again saw 20+ knot conditions, gusts and shifts that made for close, high adrenalin racing and plenty of opportunities across the race course. After a difficult second day Igor Lah's local Slovenian team, Team CEEREF, was most consistent yesterday and today built on this, posting initially a second. This was followed in race two by a come-from-behind win as Torbjorn Tornqvist's Artemis Racing, for the first time at this event, led round the top mark. Team CEEREF chose to gybe early, enabling her to cruise into the lead upon which she then consolidated.

DAY 3 - 44CUP PORTOROZ - CONSISTENCY PAYS IN WINDY PORTOROŽ

2021-05-22

While Chris Bake's Team Aqua was the undisputed champion yesterday, first home in all three races, today reverted to familiar 44Cup form with three different winners. In the first race John Bassadone's Gibraltar team on their rebranded Peninsula Racing played the right side of the first beat masterfully to lead at the top mark, clinging on to the finish.

DAY 2 - 44CUP PORTOROZ - CHRIS BAKE ON THE RISE

2021-05-21

In a fleet as close as the 44Cup's it is rare for one team to dominate. However, perhaps because of the 17 month absence caused by the pandemic, yesterday at the 44Cup Portorož there was one stand-out performer, Team Nika. Today it was the turn of RC44 legend Chris Bake, Kiwi tactician Cameron Appleton and Team Aqua to shine brilliantly.

Day 1 - 44CUP Portoroz - Early lead for local heroes

Having not lined up since November 2019, 44Cup competition resumed today for the high performance owner-driver one designs, with three races successfully held on the Bay of Piran. These started in a 6 knots and built to 12 over the afternoon.

DAY 4 - 44Cup Palma 2019 - FAR BEHIND VICTORY DECIDES 2019 44CUP

2019-11-17

It was supposed to be a heavyweight bout between Chris Bake’s Team Aqua and Vladimir Prosikhin’s Team Nika. These two, among the oldest, most successful teams in the high performance one design monohull class, started the 44Cup Palma, the final event of the season, separated by just one point at the top of the 2019 44Cup leaderboard. Behind them Igor Lah’s Team CEEREF went into the 44Cup Palma five points off the lead with Aleph Racing of Hugues Lepic a further point behind

DAY 3 - 44Cup Palma 2019 - CEEREF COULD TURN 44CUP ON ITS HEAD

2019-11-16

If Charisma and Aleph were the stand-out teams yesterday, today, the penultimate day of the 44Cup Palma, belonged to Igor Lah's Team CEEREF. In a return to their 2016-17 season-winning form, the Slovenian team won both of today's races. This elevated them to second overall astern of Nico Poons' Charisma which had another solid day leaving them with a six point lead going into the final day.

Day 2 44Cup Palma - TWO BULLET DAY FOR CHARISMA BUT ALEPH LEADS

2019-11-15

Yesterday racing was canned with the breeze gusting to 40 knots. Today, despite a large residual swell, conditions appeared more sailable, but for almost two hours the wind failed to settle, its direction pulled around due to the giant clouds crossing the Bay of Palma race area. Although light to moderate, the wind randomly shifted between southwest and northwest and back before finally settling close to the former when, on their fifth attempt, the race committee was able to lay a course successfully.

DAY 1 44Cup Palma - No play on opening day

2019-11-14

Winds gusting up to 40 knots and a heinous seastate out on the Bay of Palma, kept the 44Cup fleet at the dock on the opening day of the 44Cup Palma. The wind began veering and dropping mid-afternoon but the left-over sea state precluded the deciding round of the 2019 44Cup from getting underway. “We had a steady 23-25 knots of wind, but the sea states was such, coming from various directions, that it was basically like a cauldron,” reported PRO Peter Reggio. “That combined with the velocity being at the upper end means it wouldn’t have been good racing at all. Fortunately the forecast for the next few days is looking better than it did this morning."