The third day of inshore races drew to a close here today in St. Tropez with very light winds and a race that reaffirmed the positions of yesterday's leaders. In the IRC class, Alfa Romeo's lead never faltered as she finished the race in 1st position, 12 minutes ahead of Wild Oats XI who ended up finishing 3rd in the race after Magic Carpet Squared took 2nd place on corrected time. The Overall standings see Alfa Romeo in the top position, followed by Magic Carpet Squared in 2nd and Wild Oats XI in 3rd. In the IMS Class Group A, Edimetra VI came 1st overall, followed by Atalanta II and Nikimar who took 2nd and 3rd overall respectively. Group B saw Calima take 1st overall, followed by Citta' Di Genova in 2nd and Lima Golf 3 in 3rd.
It was the last day of the 2007 Giraglia Rolex Cup inshore races here in Saint Tropez and tensions were high as the leaders of each class set out on the water. The start for the IRC class and the IMS Class Group A was at 11:15 due to favourable weather conditions early in the day. As the Maxi's rapidly left the bay, Alfa Romeo was at the head of the group, leading the fleet into the 30-mile course along the coast which was later shortened due to a complete lack of wind. This lead never faltered, as Alfa Romeo was also the first of the IRC class to return to St. Tropez.
Today's races saw the first part of this weeklong regatta come to a close as the focus now shifts towards the second part of the Giraglia Rolex Cup. Tomorrow will see the start of the offshore race that is known as the "The Fastnet of the Mediterranean", a race that is well into her 55th year and that is one of the most popular regattas in Southern Europe. The Giraglia Race is a famous 243-mile course that takes the boats from the Gulf of St Tropez, South West along the French coast, around the island of Levant, across the Ligurian Sea and to the Giraglia Rock just North of Corsica before finishing in front of the Italian Port of Genoa. The Giraglia Rock is one of yacht racing's most famous landmarks, lending her name and serving as the turn mark for this now classic regatta.
