2022 ClubSwan Racing season goes full throttle in Tuscany

Tuscany's exquisite coastline is the backdrop for the much-anticipated opening regatta in what promises to be an exciting and ultra-competitive ClubSwan Racing season.

A fleet of more than 20 ClubSwan yachts have gathered for the Swan Tuscany Challenge in the Marina di Scarlino, the home of Swan in the Mediterranean.

Owners and crews – which include both driven Corinthian sailors racing alongside top-flight professionals – can take advantage of the world class facilities at Nautor’s Swan Global Service shipyard - Scarlino hub, the Marina di Scarlino's impressive resort amenities, and of course the Tuscan region’s beautiful countryside and renowned wineries.

No fewer than 11 nationalities are represented among the owners of the ClubSwan 50s and ClubSwan 36s taking part, and all will be aiming to start adding points to their country's account in the hotly contested season-long Nations League competition.

The 2022 season opener will see full-blown racing action out on the Gulf of Follonica organised by the experienced race management teams of Yacht Club Isole di Toscana and ClubSwan Racing, with a warm welcome waiting ashore over five days of racing.

"At Marina di Scarlino we are delighted to welcome the opening event of The Nations League 2022, the Swan Tuscany Challenge," said Stefan Neuhaus, General Manager of Marina di Scarlino.

"Our team is working hard to give ClubSwan owners and crews the best welcome, both at the marina, and throughout the resort. We would like the Swan One-Design teams to feel Marina di Scarlino is a home away from home, and we are ready to meet all their needs. We are sure that our sheltered bay will deliver fair and exciting racing!”

Among the planned shoreside social festivities are the opening ceremony on Tuesday 26 April, an exclusive owners' Ferrari wine tasting followed by a crew party on the Friday, and the celebratory prize-giving on Saturday 30 April.

The unique ClubSwan Racing division is designed to provide Swan owners around the world with dedicated stand-alone regattas incorporating one-design racing as well as unprecedented levels of service and support, both ashore and afloat.

For the Swan Tuscany Challenge 13 ClubSwan 50s and seven of the ultra-modern ClubSwan 36s have registered. Among the ClubSwan 50s are Graeme Peterson's recently launched Moonlight, making her regatta debut, and George and Natalia Brailoiu's Natalia, the Romanian team also making a class debut having scaled up from a ClubSwan 42.

Meanwhile the ClubSwan 36 class welcomes back Haakon Lorentzen and his Brazil-flagged Mamao, returning for the first time in two years following the easing of travel restrictions, one of several entries out to challenge the 2021 champion G-Spot.

An early indication of possible form came with the Scarlino Warm Up event at the end of March, which saw Fra Martina taking top spot in the ClubSwan 36 class, while in the ClubSwan 50 fleet reigning world champion Marcus Brennecke's Hatari put down a solid marker taking four wins in seven races to finish ahead of Louis Balcaen's Balthasar and Andrea Bianchedi's Drifter Sail.

"Once again the Swan Tuscany Challenge is the launchpad for another amazing season which will run all the way through to the ClubSwan 36 Europeans in October," said Federico Michetti, Head of Sport Activities at ClubSwan Racing.

"The warm-up regatta last month showed that there is an undimmed enthusiasm for the kind of event that ClubSwan Racing can deliver, and we are confident that we will provide a great experience on and off the water at the Swan Tuscany Challenge and beyond."