Tuesday 9th, first race day

Twenty-one nations started the regatta at the 2014 Rolex Swan Cup: Austria, Australia, Belgium, Bermuda, BVI, Cayman Islands, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Great Britain, Italy, Japan, Jersey, Malta, Netherlands, Romania, Russia, Spain, Sweden and the USA.so it is a time to meet up with old friends and get to know many new ones.

Leonardo Ferragamo, Chairman of Nautor's Swan, never misses the Rolex Swan Cup: "This event truly embodies the spirit of Swan and it is the perfect showcase of what this iconic brand stands for – excellence, passion, prestige. The Rolex Swan Cup is the top event for us and the benchmark for all other Swan regattas worldwide. Nautor's Swan offers a vast racing programme, and it is the brand that boasts the highest number of events dedicated to its owners. In Porto Cervo we are expecting a fantastic fleet of Swans, a great gathering of owners from the ClubSwan family, and of course a notable line-up of top level sailors, from seasoned America's Cup and Volvo Ocean Race veterans to young upcoming talents."

Most of the Swan owners who compete in the Rolex Swan Cup are already planning their winter season, which this year will include the Rolex Swan Cup Caribbean at Yacht Club Costa Smeralda in Virgin Gorda (BVI). Combining perfect sailing conditions with a full social programme, the second edition of this event will take place from 3-7 March 2015.So get in touch!

Friends and enemies !  Valerio and Nicola at one of the crew parties

Kit on and ready 

9th June Sardegna -Porto Pozzo

Today's pit-stop for a cappuccino with a very old friend -Alberto- who runs the new marina there. Now super hot. A quick dip  to check the propeller - well that was the excuse. Soon the intrepid Save the Nerd team are off to Caprera to meet their sponsors. More on that later...........

Dawn on the sea between Corsica and Sardegna

Thursday, May 29th

With the weather this vile what is there to say?  It's cold and drizzling so we are all locked downstairs and really keen to get there ASAP!  At least the wind means we are moving well towards our goal of Gibraltar ETA May 31st at dawn..............

Position at 10.45 UTC 36 19 N 11 53 W  apporx 300 Kn.miles to go 

The Rock looking East -

Blue arrow marking Milanto's position at 10:45 so by tomorrow will be in the shipping lanes

10-15 knots of wind at her present position

3 storms and 3 days later!

Siamo incappati in tre temporali, di cui uno notturno. Entrarvi dentro dentro e` stata un`esperienzaq unica: un fronte nero come la pece ti inghiotte. Cala il vento come per un sinistro presagio e si scatena all`interno, poi ti sputa fuori a riveder le stelle. Filippo e` terrorizzato da quella che Valerio chiama la paura dell`incognito. Sono i demoni della notte la cura che somministriamo al nostro nerd: la paura uccide la mente. La notte Filippo sogna ancora gli schermi dei suoi videogiochi preferiti. Per tutti noi la barca sta diventando sempre piu` la nostra casa. Stamani durante il mio turno al timone ho visto una delle albe piu` belle della mia vita, una tonalita` di azzurro che non avevo mai percepito. L.C

Translation below.......

We have already met with 3 storms, one at night.. Getting under these has been a unique experience : a black front coming at you like the mouth of a giant fish. The wind drops as a sinister warning of worse to come. Then it spits you out ,and you see stars! Filippo is terrified by what valerio terms 'the fear of the unknown '. They are the night devils who are going to cure our 'nerd'. Filippo is still dreaming of  his favourite video games! For the rest of us the yacht is becoming more like a home every day.  This morning, during my watch  I saw one of the most beautiful dawns of my life -a tone of blue I had never seen before.  L.C