The Five Hundred: all the winners of the 50th anniversary edition

TheCinquecento Trofeo Pellegrini is one of the oldest offshore regattas run in Italy, the one that has just ended in fact is the 50th edition of the super classic organized by the Circolo Velico Santa Margherita of Caorle. The Caorle, Sansego, Tremiti, Caorle course, long and strategically complex, was characterized this year by weak and variable winds in the first part of the race.

However, since the Five Hundred is a long race, conditions can vary greatly during the course, so in the second half the Sirocco arrived to stir things up. Swinging conditions and contradicting major weather models were the common thread running through the last few miles between the Croatian island and the finish line in Caorle, where there was no shortage of extreme situations, with wind gusts over thirty knots and several waterspouts, with a few boats suffering damage but all smooth sailing for the sailors.

Five hundred Pellegrini Trophy – Who Won

The ORC compensated time calculation crowns the overall winners of the 50th edition of La Cinquecento Trofeo Pellegrini X2 Mr Hyde by Marco Rusticali and Riccardo Rossi, who also win the Vivila X2 Trophy created by artist Giuseppe Celeprin.
“The 2024 edition was a complete regatta for us,” Rusticali says, “hot days and cold nights, from bonanzas to slalom between waterspouts, dolphins, turtles and endless glides. After a good start, we were lucky in the choices we made on the descent to the Tremiti, staying in the lead group and breaking away from the bulk of the fleet. This allowed us to have a more tactically serene regatta and helped keep us focused until the finish, where we found a big storm with waterspout formations waiting for us, which we fortunately managed to pass without damage. For us to win this beautiful regatta again, especially in a special year like the 50th, is a great satisfaction.”

Second place ORC Overall X2 for Tokio of Massimo Minozzi- Fabio Schaffer, also second in Class C, and third for Key-go of Pacifico D’Ettorre – Michele Zambelli.
In Class A-B, victory goes to Paolo Bevilacqua-Michele Toffano’s Oryx, the first boat in the X2 category to cross the finish line in Caorle, already winners of the Antal Line Honour Trophy, the Challenge delle Vittorie Trophy and the International Trophy, while Michelangelo Meucci-Enrico Fasolato’s Argo wins the Antal Never Give Up Trophy.

Among the Minis, Nessuno of Franco Deganutti-Elisabetta Maffei won ahead of Jagoda of Jaka Grcar-Devid Pamic and Brunilda of Carlo Scalmana-Stefano Paltrinieri. Thus Deganutti at the reading of the rankings: “It was an epic regatta, especially because of the weather situations we encountered. The 150-mile gennaker ride from Tremiti to Sansego was amazing and will remain in our memory for a long time. The thunderstorms we encountered seriously tested boat and crew, but we were able to handle the however critical phases, limiting the damage. On board excellent understanding with Elisabetta, who confirmed herself as an absolutely prepared co-skipper, the victory is the result of a good teamwork.”

In the XTutti category, the ORC Overall victory goes to the Solaris 36 Hangover of Blu Sailing Team Asd, who also win the Super Atax Challenge Trophy and the prestigious prize provided by Sponsor Bamar, an RLG EVO 10.

The ORC Overall Xtutti podium sees Alpago Sailing Team’s Farraway in second place and Lara Piva’s Millenium 40 Amabell in third, confirming their successes in Class B as well.

In ORC XTutti class victory for Salvatore Costanzo’s QQ7, the first boat to the finish line winner of the Antal Line Honour Trophy and the painting created by artist Renzo Canta, second place for the boat of Caorle sailors, Emanuele Spata’s Caterina IV Spirit of Caorle. In Class C, Marino Schiavato’s Princesse won, and in the Multi Hikari by German Berk Plathner. The Leonardo Bronca Challenge Trophy, awarded to the best result of the youngest couple goes to Munjek RS of Niska and Toma Stipanovic.