THEY ARE THE CHAMPIONS – All the winners of the week’s regattas.

Along our coasts (but not only), many regattas take place every weekend. From week to week, we will give you an account of the winners of the most important events around the Boot and abroad. From the Trans Benaco Cruise Race, through the Vilamoura Optimist World Championship to the Asteria Cup. Pictured is Marco Gradoni, bronze medal winner in the Team Race at the Optimist World Championship in Vilamoura and just back from an excellent fourth place in the individual standings, one step away from the podium.

Desenzano (Brescia)
Trans Benaco Cruise Race
It is Bravissima, shipowner Sandro Vinci’s prototype designed by Umberto Felci, with Giovanni Pizzatti at the helm, Anna Poli, Michele Pavoni, Gabriel Treddenti, Paolo Zenoglio, Andrea Caiola and Ghidini Amedeo aboard, that won the 30th anniversary edition of the Trans Benaco Cruise Race. In second place was 30 Knots, Emiliano Paroni’s Dolphin 81 and third was Peter Bovolato’s LB10 Eclisse. HERE ALL THE RANKINGS

Vilamoura (Portugal)
Optimist World Championship
Marco Gradoni of Tognazzi Marine Village finished in fourth place at the Optimist World Championship in Vilamoura. Also, excellent bronze in the ace team (behind USA and Argentina) for the Azzurrini: Alessandro Caldari (CN Cesenatico), Andrea Milano (Club Velico Crotone), Demetrio Sposato (Club Velico Crotone), Luisa Penso (Yacht Club Adriaco) and Marco Gradoni. HERE ALL THE RANKINGS

Dervio (Lecco)
Optimist Zonal Selection
The second Optimist Zonal Selection of the XV Zone in Dervio (regatta valid for qualifying for the Primavela Cup and the Italian Championships) was won by Theo Ligteringe (followed by Davide Falzoni and Luca Mario Belloli) among the Juniores and by Filippo Piacentini (ahead of Matteo Plodari and Ludovica Pallavicini). HERE ALL THE RANKINGS

Andora (Savona)
Optimist Zonal Selection
The second Zone I Optimist Zonal Selection, in Andora, saw Gabriele Venturino prevail over all, followed by Alessandro Bonelli and Daniele Delfino. First of the girls in fifth place Beatrice Martinuzzi. In the Juniors, Giovanni Malfassi won ahead of Silvia Guloppo, first female, and Davide Manica. HERE ALL CADET AND JUNIOR RANKINGS

Riva del Garda
Melges 20 Sailing Series, Act 4
Stig (Rombelli-Weller) won Act 4 of the Melges 20 Sailing Series on Garda ahead of Guido Miani’s Out of Reach and Drew Freides’ Pacific Yankee. Miani took the circuit victory ahead of Michael Illbruck’s Pinta and Richard Davies’ Section 16. HERE ALL THE RANKINGS OF THE STAGE AND OVERALL

Naples
Le Vele d’Epoca in Naples
Manitou (Vintage Yachts) and Sagittarius (Classic Yachts are the winners of Le Vele d’Epoca in Naples 2016. On the second step of the podium, among the vintage boats, came Marga, on the third Ausonia. Sagittarius won out over Naif and Bufeo Blanco instead. HERE ALL THE RANKINGS

Muggia (Trieste)
ORC Mittel Europa Criterium
In Muggia, victory for Sideracordis (class A and B, ahead of 2R in the Wind and Brava) and X- Real (class C, ahead of Olalla and Lady Day 998) at the fifth edition of the ORC Mittel Europa Criterium. The category winners are Brava (class A), 2R in the Wind (class B) and Take Five jr. (class C). HERE ALL THE RANKINGS

Palermo
Regatta of the Five Lighthouses
Alvarosky-Luxwing, followed by Dreamcatcher and Alchor: this was the leading trio at the second edition of the Regatta of the Five Lighthouses, one of the long races (138 miles) that touches some of the most beautiful places in the Mediterranean. HERE ALL THE RANKINGS

Porto Cervo (Olbia-Tempio)
Audi Mouths Week
Alberto Roemmers’ TP52 Azzurra, with Guillermo Parada as skipper, finished third in the 2016 Audi Mouths Week: victory went to Doug Devos’ Quantum Racing followed by Niklas Zennstrom’s Ran. Good seventh place of Xio Hurakan by Marco Serafini. HERE ALL THE RANKINGS

Passignano sul Trasimeno (Perugia)
National Fun Class Championship
Casini’s Funky2 won the Italian Fun class title, followed by Dolciami’s 2 Sillage and Tagliani’s Funny Frog.The championship was held in Passignano sul Trasimeno. HERE ALL THE RANKINGS

Medemblik (Netherlands)
Class A World Championship
Mischa Heemskerk won his second World Class A title in Medemblik. The Flying Dutchman beat a fierce competition (118 boats) well represented by Tornado Olympian and former Oracle team member Darren Bundock and two-time World Class A champion Steven Brewin, who finished second and third, respectively. HERE ALL THE RANKINGS

Civitanova Marche (Macerata)
Civitanova-Sebenico International Regatta
Adrenaline pumping, Bruno Bucciarelli’s First 45 won the Civitanova-Sebenico and took home the “City of Sibenik” Challenge, ahead of Altair 3, Sandro Paniccia’s Scuderia 50, and Folgore, Piero Paniccia’s J88. HERE ALL THE RANKINGS

Cesenatico (Forlì-Cesena)
European Tornado Championship
The Tornado European Championship at the Congrega Velisti in Cesenatico concluded: winning were the Greeks Mauros Nikolas and Tagaropoulus Alexandrous, while Italians Mirco Mazzini and Gilberto Tinti , 12th overall, won the National title. HERE ALL THE RANKINGS

Porto Rotondo (Olbia-Tempio)
Bailli de Suffren Trophy
The first leg of the Bailli de Suffren Trophy, dedicated to Vintage Sails, was run on the Saint Tropez-Porto Rotondo route (193 miles). Victories for Adria among the Epochs, Stiren among the Classic and Alma of Lymington among the Spirit of Tradition. HERE ALL THE RANKINGS

Rimini
Ri.Mini 6.50
The first edition of the Ri.Mini 6.50, a race valid for the circuit for the Italian Class Championship (230 miles on the Rimini-Faro di Sestrice-Rimini route), has come to an end: among the Proto wins Spot ITA 444 of Matteo Rusticali and Pino Acquafredda, ahead of the Paltrinieri-Zannoni pair on Adrenalina ITA 156 and Luca Rosetti and Alessio Bartoli on Emergency ITA 542 In the Series closes in first place the Super Calin Liska ITA 398 of Francesco Bertotti with Roberto Posocco. It is followed by Bufalo ITA 368 by Nicola Ventura and Alessandro Suardi and Antigua ITA 408 by Franco Deganutti and Daniele Balzanelli.

Anzio (Rome)
Asteria Cup
The 31st edition of the Asteria Cup-Asteria Challenge Trophy has closed: the Asteria Cup is won for the second consecutive year in IRC and ORC overall by the smallest boat in the fleet, the First 28 mod. Tarantella of owner Giovanni Carusio/Anemos ASD, very well carried by Palermo-based Maurizio D’Amico. In second place in IRC are Raggio di Sole and Splendida Stella, in ORC are Splendida Stella and Meridiana. HERE ALL THE RANKINGS