Sydney Hobart at the start: 118 boats and … two Italians. Come on guys!

At the 70th edition of the Sydney Hobart,Australia’s great 630-mile classic (from Sydney to Hobart, Tasmania, via Bass Strait, almost always in imegnative weather conditions) starting today, a record number of 118 boats will participate. And the IRC Supermaxi category, or the 100-foot (30.48-meter) category, which we have already told you about in depth in this article, will also be crowded.

Instead, today we take the opportunity to wish the Italians participating in what is widely regarded as the world’s most beautiful regatta in the southern hemisphere. First and foremost to Giancarlo Simeoli, an athlete from the Air Force Sports Center, who recently participated in the first, successful Rome For One and is now preparing for the Sydney Hobart, embarked aboard Brindabella, Jim Cooney’s Jutson 80. Giancarlo will be the only foreigner in a crew composed entirely of Australians, and he will be in charge of the rudder by day and mainsheet by night.

SIXTH SYDNEY HOBART FOR SIMEOLI
For Simeoli, the 2014 Sydney-Hobart edition, is part of a larger sports program that takes him through the Air Force’s Olympic classes to international offshore. All at no financial cost to the armed force, because of a code of ethics desired by the Air Force leadership and shared by the Trentino navigator stationed at Vigna di Valle. “The dream that as a boy, born in Trentino, drew me to the sport of sailing,” comments Giancarlo, “has become a reality and has been repeating and renewing its challenge in the ocean of South Australia for 5 years. A total of 4 finished regattas and 1 Dnf, due to mainsail breakage. To my credit I also have a class win in Division 1. The project that started 6 years ago, with the difficulty of entering an all-Italian boat, made me realize that it would be a difficult challenge from the start. I also found myself being the only Italian participating in this fascinating regatta. It will be the 70th anniversary of the event and we will be celebrating 21 years of Brindabella, a glorious boat that also has its overall record at Hobart in 1 day, 20 hours, 46 minutes and 33 seconds.”

MONGELLI ON THE FORMER GROUPAMA
There will be more than just Simeoli this year. Also holding high the Italian colors will be Francesco Mongelli (41, from Rome) aboard the VOR70 Giacomo (former Groupama, winner of the 2012 edition of the Volvo Ocean Race), owned by New Zealand owner Jim Delegat. Mongelli, in the role of navigator, will have the delicate task of managing all aspects of choosing the best course in relation to weather conditions.

He is also responsible for real-time analysis of the vessel’s performance and monitoring the proper functioning of electronic instrumentation, a crucial aspect during ocean voyages. Also aboard Giacomo among others was Cameron Dunn (formerly of Mascalzone Latino). The crew includes 20 sailors who collect a total of 46 entries in the Rolex Sydney Hobart Race.