We didn’t even make it in time to announce them among the finalists for the Sailor of the Year 2023, Ambrogio Beccaria on Allagrande Pirelli and Alberto Bona on IBSA are once again “hunting” for the big score in the Ocean. This time the regatta, in doubles, is the Normandy Channel Race, a very technical race that starts in Caen, leaves the Isle of Wight on the left, then heads back up to Ireland to round first Tuskar Rock and then the Fastnet, finishing again in Caen after a 1,000-mile course. Italians in the regatta are not only Beccaria and Bona, for the first time as skipper also Pietro Luciani, at the tiller of Dekuple.
Normandy Channel Race – Italians on the attack
There are 30 Class 40s in the race, with all of the French “bigs” lined up, but Allagrande and IBSA from the very beginning have sailed almost consistently in the top 5. Ambrogio Beccaria, paired with Frenchman Kevin Block, first took the lead of the race at the Isle of Wight passage, then lost it momentarily and regained it with a tactical stroke on the approach to Tuskar Rock.
In an area of little wind Beccaria and Allagrande Pirelli were able to position themselves farther east in the fleet, from where the new wind would come, which they in fact hooked first by heading north and taking the lead in the race.
Alberto Bona, paired with Spaniard Santurde del Arco, also placed well, just 3 miles behind and in sixth position. Excellent performance also by Pietro Luciani, paired with Hugo Picard, currently in 11th position 4 miles behind Beccaria. The Normandy Channel Race has thus reached almost the halfway point, a long ride down the slack to the mythical Fastnet rock will be the prelude to the return to Caen.
