also about sharing knowledge and experience with our national team- mates in the ClubSwan 42 and Swan 45 classes. Reinforcing the team ethos within our national team, with daily gatherings to run through meteo and race strategies and so on, will make sure that we’re all helping each other out – and in turn help to make the event itself very special… more like other famous team events of previous years.’ According to Enrico Chieffi, the
two separate classes. This will also encourage all the yachts racing to push hard right until the end of the regatta in order to be part of the winning team – even if individual championships might have been decided before the final race.’ President of Real Club Náutico
de Palma (RCNP), Javier Sanz, says he’s honoured that his club is hosting the inaugural event, which will take place every two years. This year’s inaugural regatta runs from 10 to 14 October, with plans already in place to run subsequent events in the UK, USA and Asia. ‘At the RCNP we’ve come to
know the Nautor’s Swan family well over the years,’ says the president. ‘It’s a special atmosphere when the Swans come together and I think this regatta will be particularly friendly, with the idea of bringing nations together through sailing. The racing itself should be spectacular at that time of year in the Bay of Palma with its beautiful wind and sea conditions… I’m even going to stick my neck out and predict 12-15kt of wind for the first ever Nations Trophy!’ The sight of a new fleet of ClubSwan 50s competing at close quarters will be one of the highlights of the regatta. The Juan Kouyoumdjian-design has proved instantly popular, as class president Jochen Schümann explains. ‘Selling 20 yachts in the first year shows just how special this yacht is,’ says the three-time Olympic champion and two-time winner of the America’s Cup. ‘It’s been interesting to see how
many different types of owner are attracted to the class, for a variety of reasons. It’s appealing to a younger generation of Swan lovers who want “their” Swan yachts to get up and plane like other top
Nautor’s new Nations
Trophy will be run in three classes – the ClubSwan 42, Swan 45 OD and the new ClubSwan 50 (above). By keeping the event within a tight 40-50ft size range the fleet should remain quite compact with the yachts – or ‘clients’ – hitting the dock at a similar time each day. For the same reason this regatta
should stay inclusive, without the splits that inevitably occur ashore among crews of very
different-size boats, even when racing at the same event. No doubt the Nations
Trophy will also prove a handy show- case for the ClubSwan 50… as
owners look to trade up; repeat
custom has long been one of the pillars upon which this great Finnish boatyard has evolved
modern offshore designs. They also love its avant-garde looks with the reverse bow. Then there are the existing Swan owners, who are interested in exploring one-design racing and want a more modern, stylish boat with which to do it. Plus with its rigorously enforced one-design specification and closely controlled build the ClubSwan 50 becomes an attractive prospect for race charters.’ Some owners of much larger
yachts have been attracted to the one-design racing offered by the CS50, such as Filip Balcaen, owner of 112ft superyacht Nilaya. Another long-time Swan owner, Hendrik Brandis is also enjoying sailing his ClubSwan 50 Earlybird in its first season. Speaking at the Rolex Swan Cup Caribbean earlier this season he explained: ‘She is a very new type of boat for me, extremely agile and great fun actually. ‘She accelerates downwind
quickly but remains easy to steer and control. The twin rudders are a big advantage downwind and make the boat easy to keep on the edge so you can really push. Also upwind we are usually averaging 8.5-9kt; we hit 20kt+ downwind and frequently average 18kt. Very safe, very easy. ‘In my opinion, the more
top-tier sailors we can attract to the ClubSwan 50 fleet the better the racing will be. If [company chairman] Leonardo Ferragamo’s vision for the Nations Trophy is to recreate the spirit of the Admiral’s Cup, for example, I see a lot of top sailors coming into the class. And that’s good for everyone… ‘It’s going to be an interesting
double contest competing at the Nations Trophy. First and foremost, we’ve got our own race against the other ClubSwan 50s. But then it’s
SEAHORSE 7
guiding philosophy of Swan has always been to do everything in the best possible manner, whether it is building yachts or organising events. ‘With some 130 one-design Swans now racing in the world, we have proved it is possible to create performance one-design yachts that offer the cruising comfort expected of Swan,’ he says. With this in mind, Swan has, for
a long time, felt it important to make sure that owners are offered the best possible environment in which to compete. Location, organisation, race management and shoreside activities are the four criteria on which Swan regattas have been built. The success of the new ClubSwan 50 was the final element needed to get the Nations Trophy off the ground.
ONE-DESIGN LUXURY – Leonardo Ferragamo There are a number of reasons why our one-design philosophy attracts owners to buying and racing Swan one-designs. One-design racing is generally acknowledged to remove some of the unnecessary expense and aggravation typically associated with handicap racing. Then, of course, Nautor’s Swan
has developed a reputation for building high-quality yachts over many years and the aspiration to own a Swan remains strong within the sailing world. The Swan community is also attractive, since it brings together like-minded owners and sailors. So when entering a Swan one-design event owners are assured of not simply the highest quality of organisation, but also fair-minded, gentlemanly competition. This spirit is a hallmark of every
Swan regatta and continues to encourage more owners to compete in our many different designs.
www.thenationstrophy.com
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