Doyle-powered yachts once again proved their strength on the world stage, dominating the podium at this year’s Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup and powering more than 60% of the fleet. Porto Cervo delivered a full range of conditions for the world’s top sailors and the leading high-performance Grand Prix race yachts to battle it out for the ultimate prize, two World Championship titles!
In the prestigious Rolex IMA Maxi 1 World Championship, Doyle-powered yachts swept the podium:
🥇 Galateia : David M. Leuschen & Chris Flowers
🥈 Leopard 3 : Joost Schuijff
🥉 Bullitt : Andrea Recordati
In the Rolex IMA Maxi Grand Prix World Championship, Doyle-powered teams again featured strongly:
🥈 Jolt : Peter Harrison
🥉 Bella Mente : Hap Fauth
Doyle Sails also drove standout performances across the fleet, as Marcos Vivian’s Inti secured second place in Maxi 4, and Grande Orazio (partial inventory) claimed second place in Maxi 3.
The battle was hard fought in the IMA Maxi Grand Prix fleet, with eight yachts on the start line, all at the top of their game – between each event many improvements are made as they continue to eek every bit of performance out of each yacht.
Strategist on board Vesper, Cameron Appleton commented, “The racing structure this week has been such that we have eight great teams, and everyone has made lots of changes and some big steps in their performance, including Vesper”.
Doyle Sails technology and innovation was on full display with teams across all fleets showcasing the developments in Doyle Sails. Alongside the tried and trusted Stratis sails, the majority of the IMA Maxi Grand Prix fleet and IMA Maxi 1 teams all included Structured Luff Asymmetric (SLA) sails in their inventories with some stepping even further into Hybrid sails. The latest steps forward in Doyle Sails technology showcases the brands relentless pursuit to push the boundaries with sailmaking.
Doyle Sails Palma’s and Mainsail Trimmer onboard Bullitt, Luke Molloy, commented, “It was great to be at this regatta and see so many Doyle boats. We are really innovating with the Structured Luff A sails which Bullitt now have a full new inventory of. Onboard we have got all our Cableless Code Zeros and Structured Luff head sails which have made a big improvement to the boat over the year; it’s just been great to see so much innovation from Doyle Sails and now other manufacturers trying to catch up.”
With Doyle Sails sailors becoming integral parts of these teams, the support extends so much further than sails – with owners being supported both on and off the water by the industry’s leading experts.
Off water support included a shared service loft for all regatta repairs, alongside complimentary coffees (in collaboration with North Sails and Southern Spars) for all sailors and supporters of the event.
The YCCS once again delivered a spectacular event, combining world-class competition with exceptional hospitality in Porto Cervo.
Check out the Doyle Sails YouTube channel for all the team interviews and daily highlights of the action-packed racing.
ABOUT DOYLE SAILS // Doyle Sails strives to deliver success through high-performance, high-quality, custom sails that continue to redefine the boundaries of sailmaking technology and innovation; whilst connecting sailors to inspire, support and encourage sailing.
Our obsession with sailing takes us to every corner of the world and onboard every yacht. We become part of teams, share in the adventures of friends and families, sharing our knowledge and experience with those with the same passion. Sailing is in our DNA, and we are the custodians of a legacy that has been supporting sailors for four decades and counting.
Photo and video credit: Alex Turnbull