Bronze Medal for Vladimir Prosikhin
Vladimir Prosikhin from Yacht Club de Monaco pulled off another fine performance in a major event. This time it was at the Melges 20 World Championship in Miami, a race venue the YCM member knows well, where he stood out from the competition.
Nico Poons holds on to his lead
For the second year in a row, Yacht Club de Monaco’s Nico Poons (Charisma) has won the RC44 season after racking up some outstanding results. Second in Oman, he followed that with victory in Marstrand and at the RC44 Worlds in Cowes. For this final event of the season he came 3rd. “This week we started reasonably well but had a low point due to the weather. The season was perfect: a second win and the World Championship title… What more could we wish for in a class as competitive as the RC44?” said Nico Poons when results were announced.
Sébastien Josse and Armel Le Cléac’h win Ultim prize
The 16th double-hander Transat Jacques Vabre ocean race from Le Havre to Martinique returned its verdict for the Ultim class with victory for Sébastien Josse and Armel Le Cléac’h. It took the Maxi 14 days 10 hours 14 minutes and 50 seconds to swallow up the 7,500 nautical miles.
A solid 4th for Alexander Ehlen
The fourth and final stage of the Engie Kite Tour just ended in Saint-Raphaël. A super windy event, orchestrated by the Fréjus multisport and leisure association (AMSLF) with support from the French Sailing Federation (FFVoile), ended the season in style with 14 Twin-Tip and directional board races, 12 in the wingfoil group and 10 in kitefoil.
Eighth win in the bag!
Smeralda 888 International Championship finale – 20-22 October 2023
Eighth win in the bag!
Sunday 22nd October 2023. The 2023 season has just ended for this Gentlemen racing fleet. Under its President Charles de Bourbon des Deux-Siciles the Smeralda 888 class has gone from strength to strength to become a must on the calendar. Saint-Tropez, Alassio, Porto Cervo, Calvi, Monaco and now Barcelona comprise the Mediterranean circuit. This year saw 17 teams in competition, a record that shows the class really has the wind in its sails.
Unbeatable
There are always many contenders in the race for first place in the Smeralda 888 International Championship. Some manage to occupy top stops more than others like the men on Vamos mi Amor helmed by Charles de Bourbon des Deux-Siciles. A 4th place in the finale in Monaco this weekend was enough for this gentleman to win the 2023 season, adding to an extraordinary record as it is his eighth championship title of his Smeralda 888 career.
Never give up!
They had to be patient and wait until the final day of this penultimate regatta of the season. In light 7-8 knot conditions, the Race Committee managed two races. The first was won by Spindrift but Yacht Club de Monaco’s Esteban Garcia’s Realteam Sailing snatched victory in the second to win the TF35 Malcesine Cup.
Vladimir Prosikhin tops right out
History repeated itself for Vladimir Prosikhin on his Nika. The Yacht Club de Monaco member enjoyed winning a Melges 20 event in grand style as he clinched yet another victory, this time in Tuscany at Porto Ercole a full seven points ahead of the competition.
Black Jack takes line honours
It was 19:53:06 precisely when Peter Harbourg’s Black Jack crossed the finish of the Palermo-Montecarlo on Thursday 24th August winning the event in real time to take line honours.
Mathis Duplomb new French Vice-Champion
YCM’s young Mathis Duplomb left La Rochelle with a silver gong round his neck. After a week of intense racing, the Yacht Club de Monaco sailor kept up the pace against fierce competition.
11 days before the big departure
Only 11 days left before the start of the 18th Palermo-Montecarlo 2023, a 500-nautical-mile offshore race between Sicily and the Principality of Monaco, organized by the Circolo della Vela Sicilia in collaboration with the Yacht Club de Monaco and the Yacht Club Costa Smeralda.
A prestigious lineup
This edition will bring together a substantial fleet, including five Maxis, such as ARCA SGR from the Fast and Furio Sailing Team led by Furio Benussi. For the team, it’s a real race against time to be ready for the start after months of intense construction work. Other top contenders for victory include Black Jack, owned by Australian yachtsman Peter Harburg, Shockwave Prosecco DOC by Claudio Demartis, representing the Circolo della Vela Sicilia along with YC Monfalcone, with Max Maneschi and Orazio Fatta della Fratta on board. Not to forget the two VO65s from The Ocean Race: I Love Poland and SISI.
Five Class 40 boats will also join the competition: ACI 40, helmed by former Croatian Olympic skiing champion Ivica Kostelic; Imagin’Act Socomec, the former Influence of Andrea Fornaro, now owned by sailor Marco Guerra; Made in Midi, skippered by Frenchman Kito de Pavant, now a regular in the event; OPA, a Tyker Evolution 2 designed by Verdier, previously owned by prestigious skippers such as Yannick Bestaven and Louis Burton, now led by Malouine Marie Goulven, who is aiming for the 2024 Jacques Vabre and the 2026 Route du Rhum; and finally, Vaquita, a 2007 Lombard project featuring Alessio Bernabò and Andrea Pendibene, one of the few Italians who participated in select legs of the last edition of The Ocean Race.
Many offshore racing boats will also gather in the Gulf of Mondello for the start, including ICE Yachts 52RS, skippered by Maltese sailor Aaron Gatt Floridia; the HH42 Artie Jeep, Judel Vrolijk, led by Maltese sailor Lee Satariano; and the J121 Spitfire, skippered by Frederic de Visser. The Elo II prototype from the Yacht Club Italiano, with Mauro Pelaschier, returns for this edition with a young crew. Also present are two Neo Yachts: Alemaro, owned by Roman Puchtev, and Afazik Impulse (formerly Neojovaro), helmed by Frenchman Yves Grosjean.
The Ker 46 Tonnerre de Glen, led by French skipper Dominique Tian and the IRC winner of the 2022 edition, will once again defend its title. It will be followed by its smaller counterpart, the Ker 40 Chenapan 4, owned by Gilles Caminade. Also competing are the Farr 40 Comanche Sagola, owned by Battistoni, Sorrentino, and Fornich, racing under the colors of the Circolo Canottieri Roggero di Lauria; Jacanda 3, owned by Marc Rouanne; Kuka 3, a Cookson 50 helmed by Franco Niggeler; the Figaro 3 of Luca Bettiati; the Azuree 33 Nuestro, skippered by Giulia Farnetani; and the legendary Pistrice, a 1992 Vismara 40 belonging to Carlo Levantino.
The Palermo section of the Italian Naval League, participating for the 14th time, will once again try its luck this year with Starfly, the Rimar 44.3 skippered by Andrea Alaimo, whose crew is entirely composed of non-professional members of the LNI.
The Palermo-Montecarlo is part of the Italian Offshore Championship, organized by the Italian Sailing Federation and the IMA (Mediterranean Maxi Offshore Challenge), as well as the Class40 Mediterranean Trophy. It is also included in the 2023 Mediterranean IRC Inshore and Offshore Championship. The event has become a key fixture on the offshore sailing calendar. The Circolo della Vela Sicilia, the organizing club, is also involved in the 37th America’s Cup, set to take place in Barcelona in 2024, with Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli.
Art takes center stage with Monegasque artist Jean Boghossian
On the occasion of the Palermo-Monte Carlo 2023, and thanks to the twinning agreements between the Circolo della Vela Sicilia and the Yacht Club de Monaco, the Sicilian club will host three artworks by Monegasque artist Jean Boghossian. Entitled “The Language of Fire / Flaming Imaginary. Shapes and Rhythms of Universal Instability,” this exhibition will take place in collaboration with the Sebastiano Tusa Foundation and the Sicilia Foundation.