NEW CIRCUIT IN THE MED

JONATHAN GREENWOOD

The gold dust man

He’s been behind more Panerai series victories than anyone else. Now, yacht skipper Jonathan Greenwood has formed a new club and a new circuit for the Med. Meet the president and co-founder of the Vintage and Classic Yacht Club

WORDS STEFFAN MEYRIC HUGHES PHOTOS JAMES ROBINSON TAYLOR

Jonathan Greenwood and his partner Sandra Ugolini have been, over the years, among the most central characters in classic yacht racing in the Mediterranean. As skipper of the bermudan New York 40 Rowdy, then wanted an exclusive owners’ club, while others didn’t have that sort of money to put into it. The funny thing was that there was no comeback from that meeting. In December that year, Sandra and I decided to do it anyway.” A European the gaff-rigged sistership Chinook, Jonathan probably has association was quickly set up and formalised online and more Panerai series wins under his belt than anyone. The before the fi rst lockdown in March 2020, 11 members had Panerai years, which ended (coincidentally) the season before joined, among them the P boats, Hallowe’en, Comet and some the pandemic, were heady times. The Italian watchmaker of the S&S yawls. “Then covid hit! We attended Antibes and took over from fellow Italian fashion sponsor Prada in 2005, Cannes in September and ended that year with 15 members.” and had, as anyone would agree, an amazing run of Covid blighted the 2021 season as well but undeterred, the sponsorship for 14 years. In that time, they sponsored around new club ran its fi rst three-race series, titled The 10 regattas annually; a circuit in the USA and one in the Mediterranean Champions Cup. Imperia, Antibes and Med, as well as outliers in the shape of Antigua Classics and Cannes. Some 21 boats took part, in four classes. The winners the British Classic Yacht Club’s annual regatta in Cowes. were: Sagittarius (Classic), Comet (Vintage Marconi), Viola During their reign, they brought a huge sprinkle of glamour (Vintage Gaff) and Hallowe’en (Big Boats). “We used and excitement to everything they touched. The company members’ fees to get solid sterling silver trophies, got them even rebuilt and campaigned its own engraved and mounted on solid yacht, the 73ft (22.2m) 1937 Fife mahogany plinths, and gave them out III-designed ketch Eilean. Times at Cannes, on the deck of a schooner. changed. There was a new CEO, then It was a brilliant moment.” Jonathan a pandemic. happily relates that membership has

At Antibes this year, there was a now reached 25 yachts, but a quick sense of rebirth, of freshness and of check shows that in the month conviviality, as old friends gathered between our interview and the time of once more in the warm, young air of writing – a mere fi ve weeks – that early summer. Standing on the dock number has risen to 40. This year, the chatting with an old mate was Mediterranean Champions Cup series Jonathan, every inch the pro yacht takes place again in Antibes, Imperia skipper, all tan, muscles and and Cannes. sunglasses, and instantly recognisable “VCYC is not just me. While we are speaking, sponsor in his grey Chinook crew tee-shirt. I Sandra is just as big a Boyd, in the shape of boss Chris hadn’t seen him since we spent a day racing aboard Chinook at Voiles part of this as I am” Savage and his wife Kos Evans (the marine photographer) are on a d’Antibes, so it was a measure of his Jonathan Greenwood nightmare car journey around half of warmth that he shook my hand like a Britain, then down through France, long-lost friend and invited me carrying the ‘battle fl ags’ for members aboard the boat to drink red wine of the club to fl y from their rigging with him, Sandra and the crew, and while dockside. Chris and Kos have talk through his big plan – the new Vintage and Classic been struggling to fi nd fl ags that aren’t Union Jacks, such is Yacht Club (VCYC), now sponsored by the interactive the heat surrounding the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee. By chance, branding company Boyd. I bump into the couple that evening, sat outside in one of the

“We lost a lot when Panerai left” Jonathan said. “They old squares in Antibes eating schnitzel and drinking rose. turned a mediocre scene into a very special one, as you had a They wave me over, tear off a bit of schnitzel for me and season-long series with really nice prizes. It got to the stage proceed to water me with rose. All this, with good cheer and where many boats are still afl oat, just because they were smiles, after a car journey of about 20 hours. With sponsors saved to win the trophy. We’re sitting on one [Chinook] that like this, VCYC is in good hands. won it twice. Rowdy [moored next to us] won it three times. After those first discussions in 2019, Jonathan and It produced big fl eets and competition. Antibes used to have Sandra settled on the inclusive route for the VCYC. It’s a 80 boats. Now it’s 55, and some of those are Tofi nous [the not-for-profit organisation run by a board of directors who Tofi nou 9.5, a 31ft/9.5m day-sailer races at Antibes]. When are elected annually. Membership for a yacht of 10-15m in there’s a bit of prestige… wine and food, a marquee and so length (33-50ft) is a very reasonable ¤150 a year. For that, on… it makes it worth the entry fee. If you just have beer in you get the right to race in the circuit, the right to vote on plastic mugs on the quay, that’s fun too, but it’s not going to club matters, technical help, and representation when bring people in the same way.” approaching race committees, organisers and rating

It was time to do something. At the end of 2019, the fi rst authorities. With the amount of experience in the club, that year largely without Panerai, regattas, particularly the has to be worth the membership fee at least a few times smaller ones like Imperia and Mahon, were “decimated”. over. There is also an option for associate or ‘sympathetic’ After “talking about it all year,” Jonathan set up a meeting non-yacht-owning members, at ¤75 per year. See more at with 20 active yacht owners. “They fell into two camps. One vintageclassicyachtclub.com.