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Rolex Maxi Cup under way

Racing continues in Sardinia until Saturday

PORTO CERVO, Sardinia -- The Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup 2002 is under way in the exclusive resort of Porto Cervo on the Costa Smeralda.

Twenty-five yachts are racing in three categories -- IMS, Wally Class and Cruising -- over six days.

The IMS class includes the latest Judel Vrolijk designed 20-metre (65ft) Sotto Voce of Dutch owner Arien van Vemde and the Reichel Pugh designed 24.4-metre (80ft) Morning Glory belonging to German SAP computer software boss Hasso Platner.

Nine Wally yachts are racing including the new 32-metre (105ft) Kauris III of Pirelli boss Marco Tronchetti Provera from Italy.

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The Cruising division allows for unlimited size, with this year's largest being American George Lindemann's 47-metre (154ft) two-masted schooner Adela.

Adela was originally built in the UK in 1905 and was substantially rebuilt in 1997 as part of a major restoration by Pendennis Shipyard in Falmouth, UK.

The tallest rig is on the 37.8-metre (124ft) Bruce King designed Antonisa built in cold moulded wood by local craftsmen at Hodgdon Yachts in Maine, New England. Antonisa is owned by Italian leather furniture manufacturer Pasquale Natuzzi.

The first day of racing on Monday was a 30-mile coastal course in a light 8-knot wind.

Spaniard Alberto Roemmer's maxi Alexia won the IMS class, L'Oreal cosmetics boss Lindsay Owen Jones's Wally 77 Magic Carpet took the Wally class and Vittorio Moretti's Viriella won the Cruiser class.

Alberto Roemmer's Alexia won the IMS class in the second race on Tuesday, again in light airs, with Mattia Gualtiero's Wally 77 Askherout the Wally class and Antonisa the Cruisers.

Racing was suspended on Wednesday due to a lack of wind and rescheduled for Thursday, originally a day of rest.

A 14-knot wind picked up for the third race with Alexia again winning IMS and Askherout leading the Wally class. American John Macklowe won the Cruising division in his German Frers designed 34-metre (112ft) Unfurled built by the Royal Huisman Shipyard in Holland.

Racing continues in Sardinia until Saturday. On Sunday the Nautor Swan fleet are set to take the marina over for their annual European Championship.

Rolex Maxi Cup 2002 results after three races

IMS Division

1 Alexia (Bruce Farr Maxi) Albertro Roemmers/Spain (1,1,1) 3.00 points

2 Sotto Voce (Judel Vrolijk 65) Arien van Vemde/Netherlands (5,2,2) 9.00 points

3 My Song (Reichel Pugh 85) Pigi Loro Piani/Italy (3,4,3) 10.00 points

Wally Division

1 Magic Carpet (Wally 77) Lindsay Owen Jones/UK (1,2,3) 6.00 points

2 Askerhout (Wally 82) Gualitero Mattia Medici/Italy (5,1,1) 7.00 points

3 Genie (Wally 77) Ginaluca Vacchi/Italy (3,4,4) 11.00 points

Cruiser Division

1 Unfurled (Frers 112) Harry Macklowe/USA (4,3,1) 8.00 points

2 Antonisa (King 124) Pasquale Natuzzi/Italy (3,2,4) 9.00 points

3 Adela (147 Schooner) George Lindemann/USA (5,4,2) 11.00 points