Sailing party 50, May 24 in Cala de’ Medici among superboats and top sailors! All invited

You have a boat. You don’t have a boat. You are passionate about sailing. You are “laymen” but would love to know it up close. You are “sealovers.” You are young. You are elderly. You are alone, accompanied, with family.

SAIL Party 50, you can’t miss it

No matter: you are all invited to the big sailing party for the 50th anniversary of the Sailing Newspaper on Saturday, May 24, at Marina Cala de’ Medici, in the heart of the Etruscan Coast in Tuscany. The Vela Party is for all of you. An all-day party, where you can admire – and challenge – fantastic boats, meet the strongest sailors of the moment and of the past (some names: Maxi Sirena, Torben Grael, Matteo Miceli, Medea Falcioni, Rebecca Geiger, Vincenzo Onorato, Giulia Conti, Gianni Cariboni, Andrea Vallicelli, Giovanni Ceccarelli, Umberto Felci, Claudio Maletto…) and even enjoy one of the most beautiful sailing films ever made in the presence of the director. The opportunity to experience a special velaweekend. We explain how to be part of it.

The program of the VELA Party 50

When: Saturday, May 24, 9 a.m. onwards
Where: Marina Cala de’ Medici. Via Agostino Straulino, 1, 57016 Rosignano Marittimo (LI)
Who is invited: everyone
Who’s there: great sailors, outstanding boats, the people of “sealover” friends of the Sailing Journal
Admission: free

PROGRAM
9-11 am. Finalization of last entries VELA Cup Special Edition 50 years GdV, crews briefing, start of regatta.
3-6 pm. Relaxation and “chill” on the dock and plaza at Marina Cala de’ Medici.
6-7 pm. Race prize-giving and raffle prizes, “food&beverage” refreshment reserved for VELA Cup participants) in the square at Marina Cala de’ Medici.
7-8 pm. Awarding of the Sailor of the Year 2025 Special Edition 50 years GdV in the square at Marina Cala de’ Medici.
8-10 p.m. Screening of the film “No More Trouble – What Remains of a Storm” by Tommaso Romanelli in the presence of the director.

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Do you need help? Looking for maintenance advice? Ask in the new forum!

Come with your boat to the VELA Cup!

What better way to participate in the Vela Party 50 than with your boat? The opportunity is there: the VELA Cup Special Edition for the 50th anniversary of the Sailing Newspaper on Saturday, May 24(you can register here). While maintaining the winning formula that has distinguished Italy’s most attended regatta circuit since 2014 (all boats can participate, coastal course that lasts a maximum of 4 hours, prizes for – almost – everyone) , this leg promises to be a memorable one.

A special souvenir of this event is the exclusive “Anniversary 50 Years GdV” commemorative polo shirt, created uniquely for this VELA Cup, for all crews, and which you can obtain when finalizing your registration by leaving mail and contact information of your crew. On the back, the polo shirt sports GdV’s 50th anniversary commemorative logo, the design of which is reminiscent of the style of the 1970s, a period when our masthead began its journey.

In addition to the precious and unrepeatable polo shirt, there is also a rich gift bag filled with gadgets offered by our partners, which is handed out upon completion of registration by 9 a.m. on Saturday, May 24.

But the benefits of being in Cala de’ Medici with your boat for the VELA Cup don’t end there: meanwhile, you havefree mooring for two nights (Friday on Saturday and Saturday on Sunday, with reduced rates if you decide to arrive earlier or extend your stay).

The advantage of being “Classic”

Then, if you own a Classic Boat (hull launched after 1967 and more than 25 years old, by the way, join the new Classic Boat Club), in addition to a dedicated ranking you have a great opportunity: you can request, when finalizing your registration for the VELA Cup at Marina Cala de’ Medici, free registration (for this date only) of your boat in the Classic Boat Registry, you will receive a certificate and plaque making you part of the Classic Boat Club, the newly launched initiative. How does it work? An experienced Classic Boat certifier designated by the Journal of Sailing comes aboard to assess the boat’s condition. If deemed suitable, your boat will be entered for free (I repeat for this special leg!).

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What you can find in the June 2025 issue of the Journal of Sailing

In addition, under the same arrangements, you can take advantage of a free sail, mast and line check-up offered by CD Sails specialists, who will come aboard to give you the best advice for optimizing your boat.

Parterre de roi of boats…

This year at VELA Cup Toscana there is also the Mylius Rendez Vous, the regatta reserved for boats from the prestigious Italian shipyard: you don’t have to have a Mylius to admire these beautiful boats up close.

The name of some Mylius you’ll see in action: Twin Soul, 80-foot “fireball.” Schorch, splendid Mylius 66 RS. And more: Manticore, Jecalu, Sud (Mylius 60), Oscar 3 (Mylius 65, winner in class 3 at the last Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup 2024 in Porto Cervo), Barong (Mylius 76)… Who knows, you might be able to get invited on board.

Speaking of “emblazoned” boats, with which to compare yourselves at sea (and maybe glean secrets ashore, in front of a glass, with their owners): confirmed the presence of Chestress 3, the J/122 “catcher” of Giancarlo Ghislanzoni winner of the 151 Miglia and many regattas, of Mascalzone Latino, the Farr 40 three times world champion of Vincenzo Onorato, for the occasion refitted in ultra-race trim, of H2o, the Vallicelli 78 (23.80 m) of Riccardo De Michele, six-time winner of the Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup in Porto Cervo.

You will then find yourself “wall to wall” with many X-Yachts (at the VELA Cup Toscana there will also be a gathering of the X-Yacht Owners Association of all sizes and ages) and even with the legendary Vaurien, the small boats that have trained generations of sailors: lots of hulls and many young and old are expected in Cala de’ Medici.

The Vaurien class for the occasion provides some boats for those who want to try their hand at the VELA Cup (write to info@vaurien.it).

Ready on the starting line you will also find some “out of the chorus” models such as the Latini 52 Kito 1930 or the Rodman 42 Cheyenne (the former boat of the King of Spain), “family” cruisers in pure VELA Cup spirit such as Bavaria 40, C32, Beneteau Oceanis and Jeanneau Sun Odyssey, Classic Boats such as Hallberg-Rassy 42, X-412, Grand Soleil MaxiOne…

In short, if we also add to it that VELA Cup means fantastic prizes for (almost) everyone-both for those who went strong at sea and for the luckiest ones drawn at random, and who win the fantastic gifts raffled off by our partners-you can well understand that Marina Cala de’ Medici’s VELA Cup is not to be missed.

Don’t you have a boat? Seeking/Offering boarding is active as of this year! Look for the VELA Cup Toscana /Triton Cup event on Facebook.

For the sea program of the VELA Cup Cala de’ Medici, we refer you to the dedicated page: just know that the regatta starts at 11 a.m., but the not-to-be-missed moment is the briefing for all shipowners in the Marina square at 9:30 a.m.

Meteomed’s expert meteorologist Riccardo Ravagnan gives you all the forecasts and valuable advice on how to approach the regatta.

Afterwards, all you have to do is have fun along the coastal route designed for you along the Costa degli Etruschi, which lasts a maximum of 4 hours and takes you to discover the Gulf of Castiglioncello. You start in front of the waters of Marina Cala de’ Medici and, after turning the disengagement buoy, you head for the second buoy off Vada, a hamlet of Rosignano Solvay. For the third buoy you head back in a northerly direction, the point where the third buoy is placed is in front of the port of Chioma, mouth of the stream of the same name, after which you return in front of the Marina di Cala de’ Medici turning the disengagement buoy.

The VELA Cup starts at 11 a.m. but it is on the way back that … the party begins.

… and of great sailors

And here we return to speak to all of you sealovers, with or without a boat. In the afternoon, the square at Marina Cala de’ Medici becomes populated with enthusiasts like you, the curious, and familiar faces of sailing. Why? Not only because of the VELA Cup awards ceremony (from 6 p.m., followed by buffet refreshments reserved for participants). But because, starting at 7 p.m., the highlight event of Italian sailing is staged, this year made even more important by the celebration of the 50th anniversary of the Giornale della Vela.

We are talking about the Sailor of the Year Special Edition 50 years GdV. What is so special about the 2025 edition?

In addition to awarding the best sailors of the season, the créme of contemporary sailing, on the stage, you will be able to meet many great champions from the recent past and less, namely the Sailors of the Year honored by the Journal of Sailing from 1991 to the present. And who will take the stage to collect the prestigious Sailor of the Year Epic Special Edition 50 years GdV. And they will be the ones to award the 2025 Sailor of the Year 2025 Special Edition 50 Years GdV winners.

In short, you can meet many former Sailor of the Year and strong athletes such as Max Sirena (Luna Rossa), Vincenzo Onorato (Mascalzone Latino), Rebecca Geiger, Medea Falcioni, ocean navigators such as Matteo Miceli, talented sailors such as Gabrio Zandonà and Torben Grael who will be engaged in the Mylius Rendez Vous.

And real “gurus” who have made sailing easier. Who VI have made boating easier: we are reminded of Gianni Cariboni (winner of the 2024 Epic Sailor of the Year), innovator of easy-sailing with his hydraulic systems for sailing, Max Bianchi, the one who 50 years ago invented the swivel-bladed propeller (the legendary Max Prop).

There will be no shortage of big names who have made history in the design evolution of yachting: Andrea Vallicelli (designer of Azzurra, Brava and the legendary Comets, just to name a few boats!), Giovanni Ceccarelli (Mascalzone Latino, +39), Umberto Felci (all the new Dufours are his–the last step in an endless career), Claudio Maletto (Luna Rossa), Alessandro Vismara.

Not counting all the winners of the Velista of the Year 2025 in the running in the categories Absolute, Passion, Owner, Young, Innovation (how the voting went you can find out at velistadell’anno.giornaledellavela.com): who won you can find out right live on the stage at Marina Cala de’ Medici, during the awards evening presented by our own Mauro Giuffré and the aforementioned Rebecca Geiger.

Eventually everyone will go to the movies!

Once the Sailor of the Year awards ceremony is over, a grand finale awaits you. Among the awardees of the 2025 edition, in fact, there is already a certainty: Tommaso Romanelli, winner of the “Sailor of the Year Best Story” award for the film “No More Trouble – What Remains of a Storm,” in the opinion of the GdV “The most exciting and true film in the history of sailing.” And it is precisely in the presence of Tommaso, starting at 9 p.m., that the film is shown on the big screen in the Marina Cala de’ Medici square.

So you can meet live the young director who told in this splendid docufilm the story of his father Andrea, who disappeared in the ocean in 1998 while he was attempting to break the Atlantic crossing record with Giovanni Soldini’s Fila.

How long does the film last? One hour and thirty-seven minutes, to end the great sailing festival on a high note.

And on Sunday we will “repeat” with the VELA Cup / Triton Cup!

Be careful, however, not to have too many “revelries.” The Tuscan VELA Cups, in fact … are two.

The next day, Sunday 25, it’s back to the sea with the Triton Cup, the second edition of the regatta to promote marine and coastal sites, promoted by the LIFE-A-MAR NATURA 2000 project. Different name, same spirit as VELA Cup. Briefing at 9:30 a.m., regatta at 11 a.m., awards ceremony in the afternoon, with lots of prizes for all participants.

This second edition promises to be even more engaging, with a clear goal: to raise awareness of the importance of marine biodiversity and the conservation of protected habitats and species. The Triton Cup is not just a competition, but an opportunity to sail in harmony with the environment and become ambassadors for the preservation of our marine heritage. See you at Marina Cala de’ Medici!