Panerai British Classic Sailing Week 2013 Winners

JULY 2013 - After a stunning week of great weather, superb racing afloat, outstanding hospitality ashore and a unique sense of camaraderie and fun, the Panerai British Classic Week 2013 came to a close last Friday.

SASKIA WINS TROPHY AND PANERAI WATCH

AT PANERAI BRITISH CLASSIC WEEK 2013

Following a week of exciting racing, the skippers and crews of all competing yachts assembled at the final prize giving gala dinner to honour the winners of this year's regatta. The loudest cheer of the night was saved for the overall winner, who was presented with the British Classic Yacht Club Racing Trophy and a Panerai watch: Saskia, a beautiful classic 8 Metre built in 1931 at the famous William Fife boatyard. On accepting his prize, owner Murdoch McKillop spoke on behalf of the competitors to thank the organisers of the event, Officine Panerai, the race officers, EFG International and the weather gods for making this such a fantastic week.  He concluded saying, "I'd like to thank everybody involved in Project Saskia. We really are delighted that we've managed to bring a truly classic Scottish yacht back into full fettle."

The overall winner in Class 1 went to Meteor, a one-off modern classic built in 2006; Class 2 was won by overall regatta winner Saskia, who displayed remarkable speed and performance throughout the week. Clarionet, an iconic race winner built in 1966, extended its successful streak by winning Class 3, whereas Class 4 was won by Cereste, one of the oldest yachts competing this year being built in 1938.

The Je Ne Sais Quoi prizes, which are awarded to the boat in each class which has that "certain something", went to Cereste in Class 4, Gluckauf in Class 3, Stiren in Class 2, Flight of Ufford in Class 1 and Zoom in the Cruising Division with Saskia being named overall winner.

The next regatta in the Panerai Classic Yachts Challenge series will be the Marblehead Corinthian Classic Yacht Regatta (US), taking place from the 10^th – 11^th August 2013.

For further information and images of the Panerai British Classic Week please visit www.britishclassicyachtclub.org/regatta or www.paneraiclassicyachtschallenge.com.  

About the British Classic Yacht Club

The British Classic Yacht Club was formed in 2001 to provide a congenial environment for owners and other classic yacht enthusiasts to share experiences and enjoy each other's company. Affiliated to the RYA, the BCYC strives to represent the interests of classic yacht owners and has developed good relationships with many leading yacht clubs in the UK and abroad. The officers of the BCYC are actively involved in both national and international discussions about the future development of classic yachting.

The membership of the BCYC now consists of more than eighty boats. In addition to the Club's flagship annual regatta held in Cowes each July, the Club also organises a full programme of other racing, cruising and social activities in the Solent and on the East Coast, and supports the popular East Coast Classic Regatta in early June. BCYC yachts also participate in many important sailing events, including classic regattas in the Channel, Mediterranean and West Indies.

Officine Panerai

Founded in Florence in 1860 as a workshop, shop and school of watch-making, for many decades Officine Panerai supplied the Italian Navy in general, and its specialist diving corps in particular, with precision instruments. The designs developed by Panerai in that time, including the Luminor and Radiomir, were covered by the Military Secrets Act for many years and were launched on the international market only after the brand was acquired by the Richemont Group in 1997. Today Officine Panerai develops and crafts its movements and watches at its Neuchâtel manufacture. The latter are a seamless melding of Italian design flair and history with Swiss horological expertise. Panerai watches are sold across the world through an exclusive network of distributors and Panerai boutiques.

Panerai Classic Yachts Challenge

In honour of its historic links to the sea, Officine Panerai has promoted classic sailing culture for many years through its sponsorship of the Panerai Classic Yachts Challenge, the leading international circuit for these vintage craft. In 2007, the company also acquired and restored the Bermudan ketch Eilean. Built in 1936 by the legendary Fife yard at Fairlie in Scotland, she is now the brand's ambassador at vintage and classic boat rallies and regattas.

Press Release