The Swan 90 Freya has completed a remarkable comeback to lead the Swan Maxi class at the 23rd Rolex Swan Cup, with just one point separating the top two boats ahead of tomorrow's final races.
After finishing sixth in the opening race of the series, Freya has won both of the past two races to sit on eight points, one clear of Spiip. The turnaround leaves the class finely balanced at the Yacht Club Costa Smeraldo in Porto Cervo, where the Maestrale has delivered three days of strong sailing conditions.
Wednesday's racing saw the north-westerly build from 16 knots at the start to 22 knots, with gusts to 25 on the windward-leeward courses. The Swan 128 Rajin touched 18 knots boat speed on the reach to the finish of the coastal race, with 22 knots of breeze.
In the Swan Mini-Maxi division, Arobas has confirmed her pace with a second consecutive victory, extending her margin over Cloudy 7 to two points. The Swan 601 now looks the boat to beat.
The Swan Cruiser Racer class has seen the most dramatic movement. From Now On has won both of the past two races after opening with seventh, and now trails leader Thetis by a single point.
Among the Swan Legacy divisions, Elan has taken the lead in the ≥47' Sparkman & Stephens category by one point after winning today's race, while Mascalzone Latino XXXIII has closed to within a point of Pride in the ≤44' division after winning today. Lunz am Meer leads the Classics by Frers division with her Swan 651 on four points, five clear of nearest rival Cygnet.
The Pure Cruising divisions remain wide open. Azzurro has fought back from seventh on day one to share the Maxi Pure Cruising lead with Coco de Mer, both on nine points. In the Swan Pure Cruising class, Alegher leads on eight points with Black Zero one point behind and Luca F now third after today's win.
The ClubSwan One Design classes completed two windward-leeward races each. Earlybird, the ClubSwan 50 of reigning world champion Hendrik Brandis, won both races to lead with four points after the discard. Leonardo Ferragamo's Cuordileone sits second on nine points.
Nadir, skippered by Pedro Vaquer Comas, took both ClubSwan 42 races to move into the lead, tied on six points with Pez de Abril. In the ClubSwan 36, Edoardo Ferragamo's Cuordileone won the first race with Goddess taking the second, leaving Cuordileone leading on four points. Anya Race, skippered by Giulio Gatti, has moved to the front of the ClubSwan 28 class after a first and second today, with Black Swan trailing by a single point.
Racing concludes on Thursday with a midday start and lighter breezes of 7-8 knots from the north-east forecast. Prize-giving is scheduled for 5pm in Piazza Azzurra.
