The tables turned in the heavyweight J Class bout in the Super Maxi class with Velsheda finally prising a point off Topaz.
Despite these two being the largest, heaviest, oldest style of boat competing, they are sailed with all the verve and menace of the Maxi 72s. Even before the start today, Topaz was all over her rival.
As helmsman Peter Holmberg described it: “We met with them at the start line and we crushed them and we decided to keep crushing them…”
A complex race saw Velsheda draw level down the run after Monaci as Topaz lost a spinnaker sheet only for the two to go into the mark at the bottom overlapped where Topaz was able to luff Velsheda to weather.
However Ronald de Waal and his crew were able to get their own back at the top of Bomb Alley going inside an obstruction, effectively winning them the race.
Dario Ferrari’s Maxi 72 Cannonball again won in Mini Maxi Racer 1 on the Costa Smeralda for day three of the Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup.
Cannonball pulled ahead on the beat and it was then a case of containing Jethou, not easy with a five foot length deficit.
Cannonball now leads Vesper by two points. The biggest loser here was Sir Peter Ogden’s Jethou which dropped to fourth while Peter Harrison’s Sorcha was third.
In the Maxi Racer-Cruisers, it was again Miguel Galuccio’s Reichel/Pugh 84 Vera that prevailed.
While in Mini Maxi Racer 2 SuperNikka’s winning streak came to an end with Peter Dubens’ Frers 60 Spectre taking the win.
In the Maxi Racer class, it was a tricky day for George David’s Rambler 88 which took a long gybe out to the left of the run towards the entrance to Bomb Alley only to fall into a lull. This ultimately handed victory for a second day to Irvine Laidlaw’s Reichel/Pugh 82 Highland Fling XI.
Meanwhile sailing windward-leewards in slightly more wind were the Wallys. Here defending champion Terry Hui’s Wally 78 Lyra scored a 1-2 and now leads by two points over David M. Leuschen’s Wallycento Galateia.
Thursday is layday with racing resuming on Friday and concluding on Saturday.