At the Barcolana of becalmedness, Arca wins. What happened (and ranking)

In the airless quagmire of the Gulf of Trieste (1773 starters, over 1100 finishers) Furio Benussi ‘s Maxi 100 Arca SGR (with his 16-year-old daughter Marta as co-helmsman) comes out on top in real time. A Barcolana with a reduced course at the first mark due to lack of wind.

Victory in one hour, 49 minutes and 55 seconds for the maxi that also dominated in challenging conditions even for those with an extra-large sail plan. Then within a handful of minutes came Prosecco DOC, author of a real rematch, and Way of Life, in third place. Among the maxis, some “small” ones also stand out in the top 10.

Barcolana 55: the becalmed does not come out on top. How did it go

Stepping out of the port of Duino aboard one of the Highfield dinghies provided by the organization, the situation heading toward the starting line of the 55th edition of the Barcolana there are all the premonitory signs of the impending becalming.

A bit of an onshore wind pulls the last blows, while on the horizon to the south, it is flat calm. Meanwhile, sailboats of all shapes and sizes are flocking from every port, marina and roadstead. A long, very long, procession heading to the start scheduled for 10:30 a.m. Coming toward the harbor you see crews all downwind with their sails on shore flapping and their gennakers deflated.

And yet they move. The start area gets crowded and, at the last gunshot, we are off. No lightning shots, just a few screams in the distance and a couple of mudslinging here and there to get out of the way. From right to left, the Maxis slowly parade and gain water on the fleet, which is taking, seen from above, more and more the shape of a pyramid, although for the first hour there is no more than 4 knots of air.

Then, with a rotation of the wind that catches the last ones on the right side of the field first, the distances shorten and the smallest ones catch up with the maxis. At 11:30 a.m. she catches the eye, Renzo Iuretigh’s Delta 84 Tiburon (8.4 meters) sailing almost paired with Arca. He will finish ninth overall in the regatta.

Meanwhile, from the tail to the head of the race, the spinnaker and gennaker show begins as 1773 boats set course for the first buoy, where the finish was given.

Barcolana 55: standings. Top 10 boats in real

1. Arca Sgr
2. Prosecco DOC
3. Way of life
4. Longo Pier All of Trieste
5. Barraonda
6. Anywave Safilens
7. Sayonara
8. Adriatic Europe
9. Tiburon
10. Pegasus

Click here for full rankings