With sailors from 25 countries racing aboard the 36 Swan yachts competing across the fleets at the inaugural Swanmed regatta at Scarlino, it was more than appropriate that The Nations League 2023 was to be decided in sparkling Tuscan waters following a season-long contest that began in Croatia back in April.

Three of the four one-design classes went into the final race, with the leaders tied on points.

Ireland was well represented in the ClubSwan 36 class with crew aboard Richard Thompson's Black Seal, including National Yacht Club bowman Will Byrne and North Sails sailmaker Nigel Young from Royal Cork. The Blakc Seal crew ended up fourth.

Among the 36 fleet, the fight was more open between the leader of the circuit, the Monegasque GSPOT of Giangi Serena di Lapigio (Michele Paoletti on tactics) and the recent European Champion FAR STAR (Lorenzo Mondo, ITA), but GSPOT maintained its lead at the end 2022 title, reconfirming himself as champion.

A string of top-five results paid off handsomely for an Irish crew who won the ClubSwan 36 European Championships sailing on board Richard Thompson's Guernsey Black Seal entry.

The largest fleet of ClubSwan 36s gathered in the historic Croatian port of Split for the competition that saw Black Seal leading going into the final day of the competition. 

The Thompson crew includes National Yacht Club bowman Will Byrne, North Sails sailmaker Nigel Young from Royal Cork and Kinsale ex-pat Jeremy Elliott.

After a long wait, the last day's racing was abandoned due to lack of wind and confirmed the Balck Seal win. 

Richard Thompson's Guernsey Black Seal is the 2022 ClubSwan 36 European Champion

No fewer than 12 of the state-of-the-art one-design racing machines contested the event. 

National Yacht Club bowman Will Byrne prepares for a downwind leg on Richard Thompson's Guernsey Black Seal at the ClubSwan 36 European Championships

The result is a fitting end to a successful 2022 season for Black Seal, which, in June, saw the international crew takes a string of five back-to-back race victories at the Swan Sardinia Challenge for another well-deserved win.

Racing in largely idyllic conditions Black Seal took the title without winning a race.

Instead, a relentless focus on steady sailing, and avoiding racing penalties which handicapped a number of their competitors, saw the British-flagged one-design claim victory six points clear of Giangiacomo Serena di Lapigio's G Spot and Lorenzo Mondo's Farstar, both of whom had led the 12-strong fleet earlier in the event.

With the focus now turning to the Swan Croatia Challenge, hosts ACI are already thinking ahead.

"Split is one of the most attractive places in the Mediterranean with some of the most tactically challenging sailing in the most picturesque of surroundings.

"I'm delighted that so many teams accepted our invitation to the first edition of the ClubSwan 36 Europeans. It was a great combination of a fantastic party, excellent sailing, weather and breeze, and a fabulous atmosphere in the group here."

Final top five
1. Black Seal - Richard Thompson, GBR, 23.0√ 2. G Spot - Giangiacomo Serena di Lapigio, MON, 29.0
3. Farstar - Lorenzo Mondo, ITA, 30.0
4. Goddess - Nikolai P. Burkart, GER, 34.0
5. Cuordileone - Edoardo Ferragamo // Nautor Swan, ITA, 35.0

It was a day of nip and tuck racing in the superfast ClubSwan 36 fleet, with three more yachts taking their first wins at the regatta – namely Edoardo Ferragamo's Cuordileone, Giangiacomo Serena di Lapigio's G Spot and Lorenzo Mondo's Farstar.

So while Brazil's Mamao remained on top and preserved her two-point cushion, it was all change below with the Irish-crewed Black Seal dropping from second to fifth, and the day's three race winners moving above her with G Spot – the current circuit leader and World Champion – claiming the runner-up spot ahead of Cuordileone and Farstar.

G Spot's tactician Michele Paoletti said: "Today has been really hard, especially the first race. We did a good first part but then we made a big mistake with one of the wind shifts and went from second to sixth. But the other two races were pretty good for us with a first and a second.

"We are trying to get better and better and to catch the boat at the top of the ranking. We are in second place at the midway point of the regatta, so no one can say which way it will go. We have just got to concentrate and make as few mistakes as we can."

The ClubSwan 36 Worlds is running as part of the ClubSwan One Design Worlds.

Racing continues tomorrow.

Results here