A 350-mile match race to relaunch the Carthago Dilecta Est, which has been suspended for two years due to the difficult political situation in Tunisia (which has now approved a new Constitution). Last Saturday, Matteo Miceli and Mario Girelli set off on the Fiumicino-Hammamet route aboard their boats (Eco 40 and Patricia II, respectively) to beat the time set in 2012 by the Akilaria Rosa di Mare of Venetians Massimo Juris and Giampaolo Rinaldo.
WHAT A “BOMBSHELL,” GIRELLI!
Conditions were good, and Mario Girelli’s Class 40 came out on top by finishing in 39 hours, 24 minutes and 23 seconds (a far shorter time than the more than 63 hours taken by Juris and Rinaldo).Miceli took 40 hours, 18 minutes and 58 seconds.
HELPED BY 30 KNOTS
Mario Girelli is obviously pleased to have tied his name to this record: “It was a fantastic ride during which we glided so much, because the wind from the northwest was just right. From 20 to 30 knots almost nonstop that brought us here to Hammamet in less than two days. The boat went very well after problems with a halyard we had at the start, and on board, with Natale Marcallini and Roberta Lancillotti, we had no problems in managing the boat and the shifts.”
DRESS REHEARSAL FOR MICELI
For Matteo Miceli there is the bitterness of an eluded record. But not even that much. “I am really happy with how the boat went, which, it should not be forgotten, is practically brand new. I learned a lot from this crossing, including about the limits this hull still has and the room for improvement. I first broke the spi sock with all the consequences, then the mainsail and then also the second smaller spi. From Marettimo on we lost everything and I followed Mario only with the jib.” On board with Matteo was his companion of many adventures, Valerio Brinati, and two university professors, Paolo De Girolamo, professor of Hydraulic Engineering at La Sapienza University in Rome, and Giorgio Bellotti, also an engineer and researcher at Roma 3 University. From their findings Miceli awaits indications to further improve his ECO 40 ahead of the “eco-sustainable” solo round-the-world race in which the Roman sailor will embark starting next October.
