What a party in Porto Rafael! 60 boats at the start of a great edition of the TAG Heuer VELA Cup Summer Trophy Formenton

The record edition. 60 boats at the start of the TAG Heuer VELA Cup Summer Mario Formenton Trophy. The sailing regatta open to all boats in the heart of the La Maddalena Archipelago was a great success, confirming the successful synergy between VELA Cup and Trofeo Formenton, which combined their intentions to create a great sailing festival of the summer.

At 11:35 a.m. on Saturday, August 20, the party began: the channel between Porto Rafael and the island of La Maddalena filled with boats of all sizes and types: giants of the sea such as the Maxi 80 R&P Ourdream sped alongside smaller Este and J24s, boats never seen on the water before such as the brand new Grand Soleil 58 and the ICE 52 RS tested the race course along with historic boats such as Loki, a 1948 Sparkman&Stephens.
Children and novice sailors, with enthusiasm skyrocketing, were able to challenge a sailing monster like Tommaso Chieffi (aboard the ICE 62) or engage at the buoy with the M37 multiple ORC world champion Adelasia di Torres (formerly Low Noise).

A grecale around 10 to 15 knots allowed for two starts: the first group of boats with ORC tonnage certificates (Formenton Trophy) and followed after ten minutes by all other boats without tonnage certificates (VELA Cup). The spectacle in the middle of the Straits of Bonifacio saw the boats, after the start in front of Porto Rafael and a small disengagement, skirt the Maddalena to turn around Barrettini, then point toward the Punta Corsara buoy, later set their bows toward Porto Pollo for the third buoy, round the meda south of Spargi and finally cross the finish line in front of Porto Rafael. Twenty-one miles that saw the first boat, Stefano Masi’s Swan 45 Ulika, cross the finish line after 2 hours 41 minutes. But let’s look at the winners of all classes.

SAIL CUP.

FIRST OVERALL CLASS REGatta: ULIKA Swan 45 by Stefano Masi

FIRST OVERALL CLASS CROCEIRA: OURDREAM Maxi 80 R&P by Roberto Colombo

CRUISING CLASS
GROUP A (8.01 to 9.30 meters): won by Roberto Bosio’s SUN FAST 32 BABAU
GROUP B (9.31 to 11 m): Franco Pistone’s J-105 Bruschetta wins.
GROUP C (11.01 to 13.50 meters): wins the Brenta 38 Ochoa of Belinvest
GROUP D (13.51 to 16 m): won by Angelo Asti’s Grand Soleil 50 Freetime 5
GROUP E (16.01 to 25 meters): won by Roberto Colombo’s Maxi 80 R&P Ourdream

REGATTA CLASS.
GROUP A (7 to 8 meters): the ESTE 24 Supersilvietta by Michelangelo Tardioli wins.
GROUP B (8.01 to 11 m): Leonardo Petti’s J-109 Chestress wins.
GROUP C (11.01 to 13.50 meters): Tommaso Oriani’s Rodman 42 Cheyenne wins

GROUP D (13.51 to 16 m): Stefano Masi’s Swan 45 Ulika wins.
GROUP E (16.01 to 25 meters): wins Grand Soleil 58 Lazy Dog by Sergio Sagramoso

FORMETON TROPHY

ORC GRAND CRUISE
1. JEROBOAM CA’ NOVA – Vittorio Codecasa’s Swan 45 WINNER OF THE 2016 FORMENTON TROPHY.
ORC REGATTA
1. ADELASIA DI TORRE-DHL M37 BY Renato Azara
ORC WHITE SAILS
1. EL CHICO J109 by Daniele Fogli

Once the challenge at sea was over, the party moved ashore to the picturesque marina of Porto Rafael, the perfect setting for the crowded awards ceremony and the concluding dances at the end of the day all together on the seashore, with our feet practically in the water.

Photo Awards/Party

https://goo.gl/photos/i1bDzznapcnKmK9X6

Photo Departure

https://goo.gl/photos/ae1P9E4bLwnQR7Z66

Photo Action

https://goo.gl/photos/w6USa1wcYxhu85nY9

https://goo.gl/photos/cNUpDuz2zJQUMckW6