Grimaldi Trophy – San Remo – Monaco – San Remo – 16-17 October 2021

 

Sunday 17th October 2021. Around 30 boats lined up on the start of the Grimaldi Trophy, an inshore race between Sanremo in Italy and the Principality, jointly organised by Yacht Club Sanremo and Yacht Club de Monaco. Four entrants were representing YCM, including its flagship Tuiga, Valter Pizzoli’s Ange Transparent II, Gorilla Gang XL helmed by Andrea Statari and Alain Mazzoleni’s Alcyon.

 

Three races on the programme

For 2021, there were three stages, the first an 11.6 nautical mile race launched in Sanremo on Friday in an 8/12 knot easterly taking the fleet to Ventimiglia. YCM’s Valter Pizzoli (Ange Transparent II) came 2nd in the ORC A while in the IRC Tuiga crossed the line in 5th. The next day, contestants were out on the water again for the second race covering the ten nautical miles from the new Cala del Forte marina in Ventimiglia to Monaco, with Valter Pizzoli (Ange Transparent II) again clinching 2nd in ORC A while Tuiga upped her game to arrive 4th in the IRC.

 

 

 

Today Sunday the southwesterly breeze kicked in for the third and final race. Winner of the last edition, Tuiga pulled out all stops on the final straight to win the last race, propelling her into 2nd place in the final overall ranking. There was no change in the ORC A after YCM’s Valter Pizzoli pulled off yet another excellent 2nd. Andrea Statari (Gorilla Gang XL) was 4th. In the Libera category, Alain Mazzoleni (Alcyon)  made it onto the podium in a well-deserved 3rd.

 

Appetiser

For many the weekend served as a warm-up to the Monaco Sportsboat Winter Series 2021/2022 which kicks off 4-7 November 2021 with Act 1. This series of monthly regattas launched by Yacht Club de Monaco in 2013 instigated by Valentin Zavadnikov is enjoying its ninth season, bringing together some of the best teams in one design racing who come to take full advantage of the mild winters on the Monegasque race area. For international racers in the J/70 class their hearts will be set on preparing for the World Championship scheduled for 14-22 October 2022 in Monaco.