VELA Cup Liguria, how it went. PHOTOS and CLASSIFICATIONS.

On Saturday, April 27, the Gulf of Tigullio was filled with boats of all sizes and shapes that arrived at the
Marina di Chiavari Calata Ovest,
the marina of the Marinedi network that hosted the VELA Cup Liguria. While Italy was bitten by a winter chill, with polar temperatures, rain (and snow), more than 40 crews, aboard boats from 7 to 24 meters, participated in the first leg of the most fun racing circuit there is. Line Honours for Azzurro, Bruno Veronesi’s stunning Swan 78, which crossed the finish line first after a long head-to-head race with Goose, Maria Ingrid Torres Munoz’s ICE 52RS with Beppe Cavalieri at the helm and ICE Yachts administrator Marco Malgara on board.

The charge of 40 at the VELA Cup Liguria

In the background the snow-capped peaks of the Ligurian Apennines, in the foreground more than 40 crews, and their boats, arrived from all over northern Italy to participate in this strange off-season winter event. The weather forecast did not deter the VELA Cup people who came to Chiavari for this start of the season at all. So, some with family and some with friends, donned their oilskins and cast off their moorings, just before noon the competitors’ boats set course for Portofino.

Although the wind was weak, about 4 to 5 knots, there was a long wave in the Gulf of Tigullio due to the gale hitting the middle of the Ligurian Sea. It did not take Bruno Veronesi’s Swan 78, Azzurro, long to gain ground on the rest of the fleet, breaking away from the smaller boats right away with only Goose, Maria Ingrid Torres Munoz’s ICE 52RS, following at a distance.

Adrenaline-pumping moments aboard Cheyenne, Luca and Tommaso Oriani’s Rodman 42 jv, and Arly, Salvatore Sarpero’s Vismara 43, as they cross at the meda, barely touching each other. In the meantime, the wind has picked up a little, and so Aia de Ma, Luca Olivari’s self-built Pinguin 38, reaches the Portofino promontory with its sickle in the water.

Having turned the Portofino meda, also aided by Goose’s use of the code0, the distances shortened-Azurro had entered the Cruising class, with white sails-until the finish in front of the Marina di Chiavari Calata Ovest. Azzurro closed in first position, crossing the finish line. a few minutes ahead of Goose. It will be followed in third place by Cheyenne.

Weather conditions gave VELA Cup crews no respite, forcing some to withdraw after the wind dropped to almost zero. Meritorious efforts by Andrea Venturelli, alone and in his first regatta aboard Centometri, a Sun Odyssey 26. He will cross the finish line last, never giving up.

The protagonists of the VELA Cup Liguria

Riding high at the VELA Cup Liguria, even more than the weather, which has gone crazy, was the genuine and relaxed spirit of the VELA Cup, which at this Ligurian leg saw boats of all kinds and crews of the most diverse backgrounds racing side by side. Only common element is a passion for sailing and a desire to have fun!

First and foremost was the crew of Nonna Lucia, the ICE 54 with the family of Andrea Nocentini on board, a sailor and friend who sadly passed away a few months ago and to whom this regatta, also valid as the first leg of the ICE Cup, was dedicated.

Precisely because the VELA Cup is a regatta for everyone, there were not only maxis and racing boats on the starting line, but also cruising boats and Classic Boats (boats at least 25 years old). These include, for example. Mirit By Lucio Ruocco, a 1985 Grand Soleil 39. designed by the legendary Alain Jezequel, Child by Paolo Ponsicchi, a 1980 Stag 32 that came in 20th position, Adrenaline, the trimaran F27 of 1993 by Massimo Morandini, Celestina 3, the 1996 Este 24 by Francesco Campodonico, and Hellcat, the 1997 Farr 31 by Leporatti – Valerio Coming in fourth position.

Honorable mention for Mä Vista by Bruno L. Cova, the last boat that Cesare Sangermani, Cesarino’s father who passed away in 1976, designed and built for himself, a true Stradivarius of rare beauty.

And the winners

Winning the first leg of the VELA Cup Liguria Hellcat, Leporatti – Valerio’s Farr 31 – a Classic Boat – Half Tonner from the IOR era, one of the first boats to plane with relative ease. Line Honours for Azzurro, Bruno Veronesi’s Swan 78, also first among Cruising Boats since it was racing with white sails. Finally second overall but first among Sport Boats is Goose, the ICE 52RS owned by Maria Ingrid Torres Munoz.

VELA Cup Liguria – All Photos

Now, as promised, it is time to relive the regatta (organized in cooperation with the
Marina di Chiavari Calata Ovest
) in pictures. By clicking on the link below you will access the official VELA Cup gallery where we will upload all the photos in the coming days!

View all photos of the VELA Cup Liguria

Feel free to download and share them! Now let’s take a look at the winners and final rankings.

VELA Cup Liguria – Standings

Total registered boats: 41
Total boats arrived: 23

LEG WINNER

Veneziani Yachting special prize with Speedy Carbonium antifouling and Adherpox primer

Hellcat, Leporatti – Valerio, Farr 31

OVERALL CRUISING BOAT AND LINE HONOURS WINNER

Azure, Bruno Veronesi, Swan 78

WINNER OVERALL SPORT BOAT

Goose, Maria Ingrid Torres Munoz, ICE 52RS

• ICE CUP RANKINGS

1 Goose, Maria Ingrid Torres Munoz, ICE 52RS; 2 Nonna Lucia, Nocentini, ICE 54; 3 Venilia, ICE 60 Gran Comfort

• CLASSIC BOAT RANKINGS

1 Bambina, Paolo Ponsicchi, 1980 Perotto Stag 32; 2 Mirit, Lucio Ruocco, 1985 Grand Soleil 39; 3 Adrenalina, Massimo Morandini, 1993 Corsair Marine F27.

• SPORT BOAT RANKINGS

CLASS 1 (up to 9 m)

1 Adrenaline, Massimo Morandini, Corsair F 27; 2 Celestine 3, Francesco Campodonico, Este 24; DNF Gared, Antonio Cogni, Saffier SE 27 Leisure; DNS TabuJ, Maria Laura Raimondo, J/80

CLASS 2 (9.01 to 10 m)

1 Hellcat, Leporatti – Valerio, Farr 31; 2 Pomella J, Nicola Vivanet, J/92S; 3 Strolaga II, Alessandro Savasta Fiore. Azuree 33; 4 Bambina, Paolo Ponsicchi, Perotto Stag 32; DNF JLab, Alessandro Garibotto, J99; DNF First…issima, Fabio Montale, Beneteau First 34.7; DNF Melania, Riccardo Bergamasco, Elan 333

CLASS 3 (11.01 to 12 m)

1 Cheyenne, Luca and Tommaso Oriani, Rodman 42 jv; 2 Aia De Ma, Luca Olivari, Pinguin 38; 3 Shide, Simone Ronchini, Beneteau First 36.7; DNS Bellatrix, Daniela Allodi Fiorentini, Italia Yachts 11.98

CLASS 4 (12.01 to 13 m)

1 Catherine, Massimo Bonfante, X-Yachts X-40; 2 Grace, Alessandro Agosta, Latitude 46 Tofinou 12; 3 Trident, Stefano Trifiro, Grand Soleil 39

CLASS 5 (13.01 to 15 m)

1 Arly, Salvatore Sarpero, Vismara 43; 2 Alebi, Massimo Arrighi, Advanced Yacht A44; DNS Anna, Massimo Franchini Beneteau Oceanis

CLASS 6 (over 15.01 m)

1 Goose, Maria Ingrid Torres Munoz, ICE 52RS; 2 Nonna Lucia, Nocentini, ICE 54; 3 Venilia, ICE 60 Gran Comfort; DNS Black Samurai, Giuseppe Porro, Carbonline The Fifty

• CRUISING BOAT RANKINGS

CLASS 1 (up to 11 m)

1 Hundred Meters, Andrea Venturelli, Sun Odyssey 26; DNF Mä Vista, Bruno L. Cova, Sangermani one-off; NDF Sara, Stefano Perini, SIBMA EM/24 Roof Cabin; DNF Kiti Munina, Andrea Righini, Rustler 36; DNS Scappovia, Nicola Bosisio, Oceanis 37

CLASS 2 (11.01 to 12 m)

DNF Efram, Massimiliano Poli, Dufour 412 GL; DNF Zerag IV, Vincenzo Romeo, Elan 37; DNS Blue Witch, Carlo Roso and Walter Zunino, Baltic 39; DNS Frappo, Filippo Zabban, Bavaria C42

CLASS 3 (12.01 to 13 m)

1 Zoe II, Marco Laboccetta, Grand Soleil 43 BC; 2 Mirit, Lucio Ruocco, Grand Soleil 39; DNS Gianin, Pietro Supparo, Hallberg-Rassy 41 Ketch

CLASS 4 (13.01 to 14 m)

1 Filiblù, Luigi Polenghi, Grand Soleil LG 42; 2 Yoshi, Emanuele Fiore, Sun Odyssey 43; DNF Freto’s, Vincenzo Lodi, Elan Impression 434

MAXI CLASS (over 14 m)

1 Azure, Bruno Veronesi, Swan 78

The special awards

Alessandro Agosta’s Grazia, a Tofinou 12 from the Latitude 46 shipyard, wins the Elegant Boat award reserved for the most beautiful and elegant boat in each stage, regardless of the result.

Last but not least, Andrea Venturelli’s One Hundred Meters, a Sun Odyssey 26, wins the special prize for the last real time finisher, showing tenacity and determination to complete the course to the end.

VELA Cup Liguria – Prizes to be drawn

Those familiar with the VELA Cup know: there are lots of raffle prizes up for grabs. The Garmin GPSMAP® 86s handheld GPS was won by Emanuele Fiore while the Leatherman Skeletool CX utility knife was won by Massimiliano Poli. The Nocentini family takes home the YachtIngBond sailing jacket and Maria Ingrid Torres Munoz the HiNelson backpack. The ACSI Vela sailing instructor course was won by. Andrea Venturelli, the 40% discount on Moby A/R Livorno – Olbia from Stefano Perini,3-year “Paper + Digital”subscription to the Giornale della Vela from Stefano Trifiro , and Plastimo Pilot 165N life jacket from Bruno Veronesi. Finally, the IBSA Wellness Box Paolo Ponsicchi and the BF2.3 outboard motor from Honda Massimo Bonfante were awarded.

After Chiavari, the VELA Cup awaits you in Tuscany

After last year’s great success, the VELA Cup returns to Marina Cala de’ Medici on Saturday, May 25 and Sunday, May 26, in the heart of the Etruscan Coast and in front of the beautiful Tuscan Archipelago. A second edition that fills up and doubles, even triples! In the weekend leading up to the 151 Miglia, in addition to being the second leg of the VELA Cup, the circuit of regattas open to all boats and sailors (sports and non-sports), on Saturday, after the awards ceremony the champions of Italian sailing will take the stage, with the awarding of the Sailor of the Year prize, the Oscar of Italian sailing.

Sign up now for the VELA Cup Tuscany

There is eating, drinking and dancing, and if you still have energy and desire to go boating on Sunday, there is the Triton Cup – Natura 2000 Regatta. Two regattas, for a weekend to be framed by the scents and flavors of Tuscany and the crystal clear waters of Castiglioncello!

The next stages of the VELA Cup 2024

• May 24/26 – VELA Cup Tuscany / Triton Cup
• May 31/June 1 – VELA Cup Brindisi
• August 21/22 – VELA Cup Costa Smeralda / Beneteau & Lagoon Cup
• September 27/28 – VELA Cup Procida
• October 4/5 – VELA Cup Sicily

Photos by John Mitolo

James Barbaro