Cracking start for 17th edition
The 17th Palermo-Montecarlo, a 470 nautical mile race between Palermo in Sicily and the Principality of Monaco, got off to a cracking start in the Gulf of Mondello for the nigh on 40 boats taking part in an event that has established its place in the offshore racing calendar since 2005.
Big names
Organised by Circolo della Vela Sicilia in partnership with Yacht Club de Monaco and Yacht Club Costa Smeralda, the meeting always attracts big names as it has done again this year with the likes of Frenchmen Kito de Pavant (HBF Reforest’action) and Nicolas Berenger (Lady First III) in action.
Among the favourites is the Neo 570 Carbonita belonging to Manolis Kondilis, Circolo della Vela Sicilia’s boat and his crew of experienced sailors, and the Austrian Farr 65 Sisi, respectively first and second to the first mark followed by the French Solano of Pascal Feryn.
Nine nations are represented including three Monaco boats: Andrea Statari’s Gorilla Gang, K’Mena and Andreas Feichtinger’s Lung’Ta with two young members of the YCM Sports Section on board, Oscar Royneau and Jessica Klimeck, reflecting the Club’s ongoing commitment to fire up a passion for sailing among future generations.
Of note this year is the strong showing of professional sailors on small boats (circa 15m) with carbon masts whose weight ups the ante on the power of these vessels.
Nearly 40 boats set to line up!
Wednesday 10th August 2022 – Just over a week to go for competitors registered for the 17th Palermo-Montecarlo 2022 which starts from the Gulf of Mondello in Palermo. The offshore race has been organised by Circolo della Vela Sicilia in partnership with Yacht Club de Monaco Yacht Club Costa Smeralda since 2005.
The start gun will be fired at midday Friday 19th August to launch a race in which many sailing champions are again taking part, reinforcing an already consolidated tradition for this challenge.
Among those in competition is the Circolo della Vela Sicilia local team on Manolis Kondilis’s Carbonita which will have onboard Tommaso Chieffi, Alberto Bolzan, Gaetano Figlia di Granara and Diego Battisti, co-ordinated by co-skippers Edoardo Bonanno and Paolo Semeraro. Other big names include Ambrogio Beccaria and Alberto Riva (Alla Grande Pirelli), Gabriele Bruni and Giuseppe Angilella (Spirit of Nerina Lauria), Andrea Caracci (Solano), Mauro Pelaschier (Elo II), Stefano Raspadori (Karmak) and Frenchmen Kito de Pavant (HBF Reforest’action) and Nicolas Berenger (Lady First III).
Competing alongside them are three Monaco boats namely Gorilla Gang led by Andrea Statari, Andreas Feichtinger’s Lung’ta and K’Mena.
Curtain down
Italia Cup – J/70 – Riva del Garda – 15-17 July
Sunday 17th July 2022. The J/70 Italia Cup Championship ended this weekend after four stages, this last one being in Riva del Garda. Nearly 100 teams joined the Italian J/70 Class for the season, representing 16 nations from three continents.
Eight races were completed by the 70 boats present for this last meeting. They included seven teams from Monaco among them Pierrik Devic (Leonteq) who ranked 16th ahead of Cesare Gabasio (Tinj70) 33rd, Loïc Pompée (Sailing Racing Team) 34th, Nico Poons (Charisma V) 36th, Graeme Peterson (Moonlight II) 46th, Stefano Roberti (Piccinina) 58th and Leandro Casali (Zero) 61st.
The European Championship in Hyères mid-September is the next major event for the J/70 fleet before the long-awaited World Championship, held for the first time in the Principality (14-22 October 2022) when 90 boats will be out on the water.
Back to back victories
Coppa Europa Smeralda 888 – Porto Cervo | 8-10 July
Sunday 10th July 2022. After winning the Corsica Cup, class President Charles de Bourbon des Deux Siciles again topped the leaderboard in 1st place at the Coppa Europa, fifth stage of the circuit. Seven teams made the trip including Timofey Sukhotin (Beda), 2nd, followed by Paolo Rotelli / Nicolo Stimamiglio / Achille Onorato (Black Star). Francesco Vauban (Botta Dritta) came in 4th, Blandine Médecin (Monaco Plaisir – Show Lapin) 5th and Valter Pizzoli (Ange Transparent), 6th. Next meeting is 23-26 Setember for the Régates Royales de Cannes.
2nd place for Ludovico Fassitelli
J/70 Italia Cup – Alassio | 20-22 May 2022
Sunday 22nd May 2022. The competition had time to watch his transom, as Ludovico Fassitelli (Junda) demonstrated total control of his J/70 in the five races. After winning the 2021/22 Monaco Sportsboat Winter Series, the Yacht Club de Monaco member is riding high a few months befor the J/70 World Championship being organised for the first time in Monaco (14-22 October 2022).
It seems the Monaco teams are used to occupying leading roles as evidenced by an excellent 5th place for Giangiacomo Serena di Lapigio (G-Spot). Meanwhile, Pierrik Devic (Leonteq) came 22nd ahead of Cesare Gabasio (TinnJ70) 25th, Graeme Peterson (Moonlight II) 28th, Loïc Pompée (Sailing Racing Team), 30th and Matteo Scandolera (Irruenza), 37th.
Serious opponents
J/70 Cup – Punta Ala | 22-24 April 2022
Sunday 24th April 2022. We already knew it but the facts confirm that the Monaco teams are up there with the best at major J/70 meetings. Present at the start of Act 1 of the Italian Championship held in Punta Ala, the red and whites were on fine form, like Loïc Pompée (Sailing Racing Team) who won the event, beating a tough international field.
The conditions could not have been more different over the two days, with a light unstable wind on the first day that had the whole fleet on their toes when it came to choosing the best tactics. It was all change on the second day with 18/20 knots gusting 30 to 35.
The Monaco Sportsboat Winter Series title holder Ludovico Fassitelli (Junda–Banca del Sempione) finished 5th with Giangiacomo Serena di Lapigio (G-Spot) 13th ahead of Graeme Peterson (Moonlight II) in 15th, and Pierrik Devic (Leonteq) and Cesare Gabasio (TinnJ0) 22nd and 24th.
The number out racing rises with every meeting as the J/70 World Championship being held in Monaco 14-22 October approaches.
A tight finish
Smeralda 888 – Trofeo Luigi Carpaneda | 8-10 April 2022
Sunday 10th April 2022. Nine Smeralda 888 teams turned out for the Trofeo Luigi Carpaneda that also counts toward the class’s Gold Cup. The winner of the YCM Awards in the Smeralda 888 category won this event, Francesco Vauban on Botta Dritta. Also competing on the race area in Alassio were the Swiss from Société Nautique de Genève in 2nd ahead of YCM’s Timofey Sukhotin (Beda) in 3rd.
Seven races were completed in variable often breezy 6-19 knot conditions, providing a tough regatta for the fleet that comprised professionals and amateurs, like the young sailors from YCM’s Sports Section who showed great fighting spirit throughout the event.
Next meeting on the agenda is the Coupe de l’Hippocampe at Saint-Tropez 6-8 May.
A superb finale
38th Primo Cup – Trophée Credit Suisse & Monaco Sportsboat Winter Series – Act IV
Sunday 6th March 2022. The temperature fell as the tension mounted on the last day of the Primo Cup-Trophée Credit Suisse, a flagship winter event organised by Yacht Club de Monaco, with technical clothing from Slam for all winners, launched 1985 at the instigation of YCM President, HSH Prince Albert II.
For the 38th edition 14 nations, 400 sailors and four classes (J/70, Smeralda 888, RS 21 & Longtze Premier) were competing. Some big names in sailing had made the trip including John Kostecki, winner of the Volvo Ocean Race and America’s Cup on USA 17, Michael Illbruck and 470 Olympic medallist Will Ryan.
One design racing in the spotlight
38th Primo Cup – Trophée Credit Suisse – Monaco Sportsboat Winter Series – Act IV
Friday 4th March 2022. A double event for Yacht Club de Monaco with three days of races ahead. Some 400 sailors have made the trip to line up on the start of the 38th Primo Cup-Trophée Credit Suisse that doubles as the fourth and final act of the 9th Monaco Sportsboat Winter Series.
Four classes are in competition this weekend: Smeralda 888, Longtze Premier and newcomers RS 21, alongside an impressive fleet of J/70s all with their sights set on the J/70 World Championship in Monaco from 14-22 October 2022.
Top sailors at the rendezvous
Each year many big names honour this classic with their presence, as the biggest winter meeting in the Mediterranean since it launched in 1985. In the 80-strong fleet of J/70s, competitors see it as one of the last test events before the Worlds. Some teams have jaw-dropping track records, like the Americans on Pinta whose crew includes Michael Illbruck, the new commodore at Yacht Club Costa Smeralda and American sailing legend, John Kostecki with ten World Champion titles to his name in different classes and victories in the Volvo Ocean Race and America’s Cup on USA 17.
After two races today, Découverte-Geo Mod has taken the lead in the provisional J/70 ranking ahead of the Americans on Good to Go followed by G-Spot led by Giangiacomo Serena di Lapigio. Winner of the last Act, the YCM member regularly tops the ranking.
In Smeralda 888, there were some fierce tussles between YCM member boats before Beda grabbed 1st place in the provisional ranking ahead of Black Star followed by Botta Dritta. In the Longtze Premier, the Germans on Wetfleet top the leaderboard ahead of the Swiss on Shensu and Outsider.
J/70 Training Clinic
J/70 Training Clinic – 26-27 February
Ten teams turned out for the 4th J/70 Training Clinic of the year. Organised by YCM and supervised by high-level technique gurus it was a great opportunity for the Monegasque fleet to fine tune skills for upcoming regattas, including the Primo Cup-Trophée Credit Suisse and of course the J/70 World Championship here in Monaco (14-22 October).