.jpg)
Esimit Europa 2 competing in Rolex Capri Sailing Week. Image ©Esimit Europa/Francesco Ferri
by Eldina Knez
After an elapsed time of 1 day, 3 hours and 16 minutes of sailing the offshore Volcano race at the Rolex Capri Sailing Week, Esimit Europa 2 returned from the volcanoes in the Aeolian Islands to Capri’s Marina Grande to take its 29th consecutive line honours win at its opening race of this season. Crossing the finish line second and third were the mini maxi Robertissima (GBR) and Jethou (GBR) respectively.
In the fourth edition of this race, the organizers set the course south of Capri to round the volcano of Stromboli and then Strombolicchio before returning to Capri in a shortened 230 nautical mile course. In all Volcano races held previously, the course had to be shortened or modified due to the weather conditions and lack of wind; therefore the course in 2014 opened a »new page« in the history of this race.
The sailing started on Monday morning at 10:00 CET with wind of eight to nine knots at the starting line. The wind soon picked up to 10 to 11 knots and led the competitors towards the volcanoes with a maximum speed of 18 knots. After a competitive race among the boats heading towards the volcanoes, Esimit Europa 2 managed to round Stromboli in the night of 19 May. Racing back towards Capri was marked with many wind gaps before the Esimit Sailing Team finally sailed across the finish line as the first boat to finish the race, taking its 29th consecutive line honours.
The skipper of Esimit Europa 2 Jochen Schümann, “There were the expected, tricky light wind conditions. Especially in the rounding of the volcano, there was a big bubble of no wind that cost us a lot of time. But overall, it was a very good race for the team and for the boat and we are ready for some more racing by the end of this week with the coastal races of Rolex Capri Sailing Week.”
Igor Simčič, the founder of the Esimit Europa project, “We had good wind all the way down to Stromboli, the tactics were good, so I can say we reached Stromboli in the shortest possible time. I must say the boat is in great condition, ready for the whole season, and the team as well. This was the first regatta and the first win of this season.”
With this opening race of the Rolex Capri Sailing Week, the very first event for maxis of the Rolex’s Mediterranean sailing season organized by the International Maxi Association in collaboration with the Yacht Club Capri, Esimit Europa 2 kicked off its 2014 racing season. The Esimit Sailing Team will now prepare for the coastal racing off Capri for three days, starting on Thursday.
About the Esimit Europa project, maxi yacht Esimit Europa 2 and Esimit Sailing Team
Founded in 1995 by Igor Simčič, the Esimit Europa project, represented by the Esimit Europa 2 yacht and the Esimit Sailing Team, aims to promote a pan-European cooperation and spread a sense of common European identity through the unifying power of sports.
The 30 meter long, 5.3 meter wide yacht with a 44 meter high mast, on board joins 18 highly skilled sailors, coming from 10 different nations. With a maximum speed of more than 35 knots it is one of the world's fastest monohull yachts. Inspired by the Esimit Europa’s main message “All together – for Europe,” the Esimit Sailing Team sails under the flag of the European Union and promotes the sailing values of teamwork, solidarity, innovation and collaboration. Since its christening in June 2010, Esimit Europa 2 claimed 28 line honours at the 29 races attended and set 6 records. Its main sponsor is the global energy company Gazprom, while BMW is the official partner.
The project is under the patronage of the President of the European Commission, José Manuel Barroso, and is endorsed by Martin Schulz, the President of the European Parliament.
Esimit Europa 2
Rolex Capri Sailing Week
