Foam-up forecast for 44Cup Nanny Cay Season opener

by 44Cup 12 Feb 22:07 GMT 12-16 February 2025

44Cup Nanny Cay © Nico Martinez

It's why racing yachts congregate from all parts of the world in the Caribbean - incessant sunshine; stiff breeze, soaring temperatures, warm azure water, palm trees, rum, all combining to provide an alluring cocktail with which to escape the freezing gloom of winter. It is therefore with great enthusiasm that the 44Cup resumes over the next four days in Nanny Cay, Tortola in the British Virgin Islands for the opening event of the 2025 44Cup.

Of the nine teams competing, favourite is Vladimir Prosikhin's Team Nika, the 44Cup's defending champion, following her wins last year in the opening event in Puerto Calero, Lanzarote and the 44Cup World Championship in Brunnen, Switzerland. She ended the year clear ahead of the other podium-placers Igor Lah's Team Ceeref Vaider and Aleph Racing, skippered by Hugues Lepic and Pietro Loro Piana.

"The team is very, very good and we are now in our prime," observes Prosikhin. "I expected us to get to this level this year, but in fact we got to it one year early." Looking at the circuit: "What I really love is that more boats are coming: My personal feeling is that 12-13 boats is the best for this class, so it looks very good. I believe it's very difficult to stay at the top, but the competition has to be encouraged - it's a natural process."

44Cup Nanny Cay - photo © Nico Martinez

New RC44s are being built for the 44Cup, but Prosikhin's Team Nika is in fact the oldest having been launched in 2006. "It's a very good quality boat. It has a very stiff hull and is a fantastic design," says Prosikhin, whose crew will remain the same this year as they were in 2024, with exception of the bow legend Matt Cornwell on board for this event only.

As to there being any change in the form guide, Team Nika's British tactician Nic Asher says it is too early to tell. "I think everyone will be closer for sure. It's good to have some new boats and some new teams. Later in the year when there's 12 boats it will change the racing, which will be really exciting. The new guys already are going well..."

In addition to last year's podium placers, also certain to be strong will be Chris Bake's Team Aqua, complete with their new support ship, Bake's well-appointed former oceanic tug, moored off nearby Peter Island. Winners of last year's event in Baiona, Spain, Torbjorn Tornqvist's Artemis Racing, is back with Hamish Pepper once again calling tactics as is the 2022-23 44Cup champion, Nico Poons' Charisma and John Bassadone's Peninsula Racing.

The forecast this week is looking exceptional with uninterrupted sunshine, 17-25 knot winds every day, although Asher warns "there's actually lots of big holes and shifts - there's plenty going on out there."

44Cup Nanny Cay - photo © Nico Martinez

Aleph Racing won the 44Cup in Nanny Cay when it concluded the 2024 season here in November. On that occasion Pietro Loro Piana was steering but this time Hugues Lepic is back behind the wheel, having last raced his RC44 in Marstrand, Sweden last June.

"It's great to be back with the crew," Lepic commented. "It feels like the class is in very good shape, having some new owners. We're going to be up to 12 boats by Marstrand which is very exciting. As usual, there's going to be very close racing and hopefully we'll manage some decent results. And if we don't, we'll still have fun."

Having missed November's event, Lepic is enjoying the surroundings and the conditions. "With the wind, sun, etc it will very much be what people call 'champagne racing'. I'm not very familiar with the British Virgin Islands, but it looks like a very nice place."

44Cup Nanny Cay - photo © Nico Martinez

Two new teams are joining the 44Cup for this event - Daniel Calero's Lanzarote Calero Sailing Team and the Swedish GeMera team.

Named after a 'megacar' made by Swedish manufacturer Koenigsegg, the GeMera team is to be sailed by a Swedish youth crew but also with some America's Cup and SailGP A-listers such as Aussies Kyle Langford and Kinley Fowler and Brits Nick Hutton and Neil Hunter. Calling tactics is none other than Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli co-skipper Francesco Bruni, a frequent past participant on the 44Cup with teams including Artemis Racing, Team Nika, Katusha and Mascalzone Latino. "It's great to be back," said Bruni. "I'm super excited. It's really something special to see new crews and new owners in the class, which is going through a second youth period. The RC44 has always been a great fun boat to sail and the racing is so close - every cross is a deciding moment and every metre that you can gain or lose can make a difference in the race."

Racing sets sail tomorrow (13 February) with a first warning signal at 1100 local time.

Follow the live tracking available here.