| Lack of wind, luck
for Emilia and Bona. |
by the Portofino Rolex Trophy
Media Team
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Photos
By Carlo
Borlenghi for Rolex.
Edited by Peter Andrews. |
May 10, 2009. |
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Portofino’s Harbour Clears of Classics, Dinner at La Cervara and Varuna’s Centennial
Portofino glowed brightly this morning with solid sunshine as Portofino Rolex Trophy participants readied in the dock for the final day of racing in this weekend’s classic yacht regatta. While offshore in the Ligurian sea the wind was up to twenty knots with a moderate sea state, along the coast and in the gulf there were more waves than wind. With the classics often needing a minimum of eight knots to get going, racing was postponed until mid-day and then eventually cancelled as the south-easterly breeze barely hit six knots. |
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Luigi Donna's Varuna and Gabriele
De Bono's Cintra,
during the Portofino Rolex Trophy 2009.
Photo © Rolex / Carlo Borlenghi.
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| The prize giving ceremony took place at 16.00 in the main Piazzetta. The overall winners in the 12-Metre and 8-Metre Classes were Emilia and Bona respectively, both taking home a coveted Rolex Yacht-Master Rolesium in addition to their trophies. Cintra placed 2nd overall followed by Varuna in 3rd for the 12-Metre Class, while it was Elsinore in 2nd and Helen in 3rd in the 8-Metre Class. |
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Giovanni Mogna and crew from Bona with their prizes after the presentations for the Portofino
Rolex Trophy 2009.
Photo © Rolex / Carlo Borlenghi.
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| "This year we tried to do a test with the metre classes," said Dr. Carlo Croce, president of the Yacht Club Italiano and president of the Italian Sailing Federation. "In October of 2008, when we decided to go ahead with the regatta, the 2009 race calendar was already very busy, so it was difficult to find a good place for this year’s Portofino Rolex Trophy. We are very optimistic for next year as we could have as many as 50 boats, hopefully including the international J-Class, and we will begin planning for next year as of tomorrow." |
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Ambiance on the docks, Portofino Rolex
Trophy 2009.
Photo © Rolex / Carlo Borlenghi.
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| The Portofino Rolex Trophy is organized by the Yacht Club Italiano, in collaboration with Circolo Velico of Santa Margherita Ligure and under the patronage of the Cities of Portofino and Santa Margherita Ligure. |
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La Cervara.
Photo © Rolex / Carlo Borlenghi.
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Social complement to the Portofino Rolex Trophy: La Cervara
Last night participants of the Portofino Rolex Trophy flocked to La Cervara for the Rolex Dinner Party, the social highlight of the regatta calendar. Declared a national monument in 1912, this historic Benedictine complex welcomed guests for an evening of local specialties, live music and an unrivalled view over the Gulf of Tigullio.
Surrounded by ancient Mediterranean woods, La Cervara is an abbey (Abbazia di San Girolamo) in the hills between Portofino and Santa Margherita Ligure. For the evening’s festivities the gardens were delicately lit and the statues slowly moved, coming to life before dinner, much to the entertainment of the 400 some party guests.
As the day’s light faded, the coast began to twinkle and all made their way to the tables as the full moon rose, orange and large, in the evening sky. The dinner party was in honour of the Portofino Rolex Trophy, this weekend’s classic yacht regatta that found its perfect social complement in this historic Italian monument, founded in 1396. |
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La Cervara.
Photo © Rolex / Carlo Borlenghi.
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La Cervara contains marvellous Italian-style gardens, a church, cloister and buildings that once hosted illustrious names of history, literature and the Christian faith. The first stones were laid in the summer of 1361 by the resident Benedictine monks in the name of San Girolamo.
What was once their vegetable garden is now the only Italian-style monumental garden in the Liguria region. Extending over two levels that are connected by arbours and steps, the gorgeously well-tended garden is home to a variety of enchanting species and has been included on the exclusive list of "Great Italian Gardens."
The Cervara complex has since changed hands many times and has undergone many modifications and modernisations over the following centuries. The current owners purchased the complex in 1990 and instigated important recovery and restoration projects under the supervision of the Ligurian Office of Natural and Architectural Properties. Architect Mide Osculati oversaw the project and Pinin Brambilla Barcilon, the celebrated specialist who restored Leonardo da Vinci’s "Last Supper," reconditioned the paintings inside La Cervara. |
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Luigi Donna's Varuna, during
the Portofino Rolex Trophy 2009.
Photo © Rolex / Carlo Borlenghi.
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Varuna, racing with the Hindu Gods for over 100 years
Originally launched in 1909 as White Heather, this yacht is thought to have been constructed in accordance with the 1906 International Rule for the 12-Metre Class. In accordance with her owner’s wishes, Alexander Richardson designed White Heather’s hull to resemble the yacht Britannia, and she was even fondly nicknamed "Little Britannia" in honour of this likeness.
Tragically, a majority of the shipyard archives were destroyed during World War I, so not much is known about the yacht’s original construction or her early history. What is known is that in the 1930s she underwent a transformation from a gaff rig into an easier-to-handle Marconi rig, along with other changes including an engine and, more importantly, a new name inspired by the Hindu God of the rivers and oceans: Varuna.
The last 30 years of the 20th century saw Varuna suffer from neglect in various Mediterranean and Caribbean ports and she was eventually abandoned. While this may have meant the end for Varuna, perhaps the Gods had other plans as fate led her elsewhere. |
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Luigi Donna's Varuna, during
the Portofino Rolex Trophy 2009.
Photo © Rolex / Carlo Borlenghi.
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In the 1990’s she was transferred to the Imperia Shipyard in Italy where she eventually underwent a three-year restoration. With limited archive information recovered from the British museum, architect Franco Giorgetti was able to restore Veruna’s interior in accordance with her original layout.
Her hull was repainted it’s original black and the initial Burmese teak planking, which was in remarkable near-perfect condition, was reused in her restoration. Varuna stands out in any fleet with her mid-ship doghouse, dark black hull and towering gaff rig. Varuna is currently owned by Wanda and Luigi Donna and is here in Portofino this weekend for the premiere edition of the Portofino Rolex Trophy. |
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Luigi Donna's Varuna, during
the Portofino Rolex Trophy 2009.
Photo © Rolex / Carlo Borlenghi.
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| The Portofino Rolex Trophy is part of the Rolex Yachting Portfolio that includes over twenty world-class sailing events that take place around the world. Rolex is also the title sponsor of classic races such as the Rolex Sydney Hobart, the Rolex Middle Sea Race and the legendary Rolex Fastnet Race. |
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more information about the host club, Yacht Club Italiano,
and the Portofino Rolex Trophy, please visit their website
at www.yachtclubitaliano.it. |
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| Outimage and Rolex © 2009 |
