Ivica Kostelić, the ski champion who now wins offshore races
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Ivica Kostelić, a former Croatian ski champion with four Olympic silver medals, three world championship medals, one overall and four specialty World Cups, reinvented sailor, wins the Garmin Roma for 2 in real time. Second overall is Michel Cohen of France, followed by the Germans from Blue Planet.
Garmin Rome for 2: Line Honours for Ivica Kostelić
Wednesday morning, after 3 days, 21 hours, 46 minutes and 47 seconds at sea and having covered a total of 603 nautical miles, the Class40 ACI 40 of Croatian and Olympic skiing champion Ivica Kostelić, assisted by his co-skipper Darko Prižmić, crossed the finish line at Riva di Traiano. The duo won the Rome Line Honours for 2, as well as victory in the Class40 valid for the Trofeo Mediterranée, the Class40 regatta circuit in the Mediterranean.
Upon his arrival in Riva di Traiano, Ivica declared himself very satisfied with the result. A race they led from start to finish despite the difficult weather conditions. At the start and during the first night of racing, many competitors were forced to retire, and on the return from Lipari, the ride back to Riva was characterized by light breezes, certainly not ideal wind conditions for a boat that is at its best in significant winds.
Rome for all, for 2, for 1
“Dedicated to true sailors who love the sea and the breath of the great spaces,” read the slogan of Roma for 2 back in 1994. It was precisely those who were not famous (at that time), who entertained the idea of trying their hand at a tough and testing competition and who most enthusiastically welcomed the idea. Conceived in 1993 (the first edition was in 1994), the Rome for 2, was an immediate success with over 54 boats entered of all kinds, racing (including Soldini’s brand new KODAK 50) and non-racing.
Many well-known names have participated over the years, including Giovanni Soldini (winner of the first edition together with Piero Quintavalle), Bruno Peyron, Skip Novak, Isabelle Autissier, Vittorio and Pietro Malingri, Andrea Mura and Pietro d’Alì to name a few. Today, this classic 500-mile transthyrenic race starting and finishing from Riva di Traiano turns 30 years old. The course is as usual: start at Riva, gate at Ventotene, Lipari to be used as a natural buoy, and return to Riva for the finish line.
Ivica Kostelić and sailing
Hanging up his skis in 2017, after some 20 years at the highest level, Ivica became owner of the Class40 Optimus Prime, a Mach 40 built by the JPS shipyard in 2013 to a design by Sam Manuard. With Hull #130, which belonged to Phil Sharp (now switched to IMOCA60) and renamed ACI40, he participated in several Class40 circuit regattas, achieving some excellent results and finishing 10th at the Championship in 2021 (17th at Transat Jacques Vabre and 10th at Normandy Channel Race).
From the mountain to the sea
Ivica Kostelić is not the only skier to have descended from the mountain to the sea. Luc Alphand, one of the strongest downhill skiers of the 1990s, a French ski champion and also a winner of one overall and four specialty World Cups, participated in the Transat Jacques Vabre in 2011. His rival on the ski slopes, Kristian Ghedina, the downhill skier who first led Italy to compete in downhill and super-giant races, and Alberto Tomba, one of the greatest skiers of all time, Will take part in the prologue of the Venice-Montecarlo powerboat race to be held next June. A passion for boating that who knows may lead them to compete in sailing in the future as well!
James Barbaro
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