Fifty-eight Solaris Yachts branded boats (37 to 111 feet), a perfect location, “kissing” weather conditions. These are the ingredients that have rested the ninth Solaris Cup, an event dedicated to all boats built by the Aquileia shipyard, recognized nautical excellence of Made in Italy.
The ninth edition of the Solaris Cup closes the curtain with the final day of racing, the awards ceremony and a Sunday dedicated to sea trials.
Solaris Cup, big party in Porto Rotondo
From a sporting point of view: the weather conditions these days allowed for two days of magnificent racing using the small archipelago of islets in the Gulf of Porto Rotondo as a natural theater. Saturday’s race took place on an unprecedented ‘butterfly’ course of about 15 miles with the fleet circling all the islets, with striking and delicate grazing passes near pink granite rocks in the turquoise sea of the Costa Smeralda.
At 12:40 p.m., with about 10 knots from the N-NW, the committee started the second race with a natural disengagement represented by the narrow passage between Le Camere and Mortorio. From here, those who went on to be confirmed winners of the Solaris Cup 2023 came out immediately well and crystallized the previous day’s brilliant results.
The winners
So back on the podium were the Maltese crew of Jamie Sammut’s Solaris 42 Unica, Paolo Buonvicini’s Solaris 62 Doug-which in spite of its years still showed remarkable speed-and third place for Maurizio Corati’s Solaris 55 Angela.
At the awards ceremony, an award and the shipyard’s gratitude went to all the shipowners and crews who, once again, demonstrated their affection for the shipyard by coming from all over the world to take part in this event that has been bringing the large Solaris family together in Porto Rotondo for now 9 years.
“Organizing this event is a very important commitment for the shipyard,” comments Solaris Yachts President Federico Gambini. We had over 650 guests at the Saturday evening event alone, but the smiles and enthusiasm of all participants more than repays the organizational effort. The concept of a big family is more fitting than ever, as is the choral work that has involved the Solaris team, the Yacht Club Porto Rotondo, our partners and the crews to whom our thanks go. Starting tomorrow, we start looking ahead to 2024, a special year that coincides with the shipyard’s 50th anniversary and which, I am sure, will be another occasion for a memorable Solaris Cup“.
These days in Porto Rotondo, the past, present and future of the shipyard were the protagonists of this three-day sports and social event, thanks to the participation of everyone, an always generous territory and an unparalleled beauty that proved to be the perfect natural setting for the Solaris Cup. The event is organized by the Solaris Yachts shipyard with the support of main partners B&G, Iren and IWC, and the cooperation of the Porto Rotondo Yacht Club and Marina di Porto Rotondo.
