Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup

At the Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup if there is no wind, but somewhat more irritating if it is a surfeit that has caused the cancellation of the day's activities. The predicted Mistral wind arrived overnight with a vengeance. Anyone sleeping in Porto Cervo with the windows open last night would have sensed the onslaught of something special in the early hours of this morning. By the time yachts were due to leave the dock, the wind was blowing at an average of 40 knots, with gusts as high as 60 in the Straits of Bonifacio and 'around exposed headlands' - of which there are plenty in and around the Maddalena archipelago. With some of the most expensive racing yachts in the world assembled on the docks, owners and boat captains breathed a huge sigh of relief at the Race Committee's early decision to hold off until tomorrow. At 0930 the Committee signaled its intention to keep yachts in harbour to allow time see if the winds would moderate as predicted yesterday. By lunchtime it was clear the Mistral was here to stay and with no indication that a lessening in the strength would occur today, racing was duly postponed until Wednesday.