VELA Cup Tuscany (May 24-25): 85 boats registered. What the weather will be tomorrow

Everything is ready for the VELA Cup Toscana 2025. We are writing to you live from Marina Cala de’ Medici where we have recently opened the VELA Cup Point to formalize registrations (or sign up if you haven’t done so yet). The second leg of Italy’s most participated racing circuit will be a real celebration of sailing, which this year takes on a special meaning: in fact, we celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Giornale della Vela, with an edition full of boats (more than 85 registered!) surprises, events and special guests. And on Sunday it’s back to sea for the Triton Cup sponsored by the LIFE-A-MAR NATURA 2000 project (we explain the details of this fine initiative in the news).

Ah, we forgot the Sailor of the Year award ceremony (also a special edition) with some of the best sailors of the past, present and future. And the weather conditions are promising (we tell you about them below with the official forecast by Riccardo Ravagnan of Meteomed, a partner of the VELA Cup.

• • LAST CALL: sign up for VELA Cup Toscana at Cala de’ Medici

The (beautiful) weather forecast for tomorrow and Sunday – signed Meteomed

The latest pressure charts confirm that on Saturday and Sunday Tuscany will be protected by an area of moving high pressure with a high ground maximum centered over the Ionian Sea and marginal influence from an Atlantic low descending toward France.

Saturday 24: Anticyclonic promontory will provide stable weather, slightly decreasing pressure (1017 to 1015 hPa), and dynamic northwesterly breeze rotating to the west.

Sunday 25: The baric gradient will tend to strengthen with a slight isobar ripple off Corsica, but on the Tuscan coast the influence will be marginal, with a still anticyclonic and stable environment.

No disturbance front expected in the area. The two days will be good for sailing, with different characteristics: livelier and more regimented on Saturday, more relaxed and laid back on Sunday.

Saturday, May 24 – Regatta Day – Forecast reliability Saturday: 90-92%.

Morning (08:00-12:00):

• Initial wind from NE 9-10 knots, tends to drop and rotate to ONO by 11 a.m.
• Pressure 1015 hPa, clear sky, excellent visibility
• Wave from OSO 0.4 m, long and smooth
• Temperature: 18-20°C

Afternoon (12:00-5:00 pm):

• Wind west/northwest strengthening: 12-14 knots average, gusts to 16-18 knots
• Sea shallow → trending to rough under gust
• Wave from growing OSO: 0.5-0.6 m
• Excellent full sun and visibility conditions

What does it mean for the regatta? Ideal conditions for light sails in carrying gaits. Interesting tacking on the west side of the course. Start with care: the morning change of direction will require careful reading

Sunday, May 25 – Free sailing and returns – Forecast reliability Sunday: 95 percent

Morning (08:00-12:00)

• Wind weak and variable, initially ENE, then turning W
• Intensity 4-6 knots, calm sea
• Pressure rising to 1018 hPa
• Temperature: 19-21°C, clear sky

Afternoon (12:00-6:00 p.m.)

• Moderate westerly wind: 7-9 knots
• Slightly rough sea, OSO wave 0.3-0.4 m
• Stable and dry climate, excellent visibility
• What to expect?
• A perfect day for leisurely sailing, relaxing at the roadstead or sailing to the home port
• Also ideal for families or less experienced crews

By evening, the latest official Meteomed bulletin will reach all regatta entrants via email

What to expect from the VELA Cup Tuscany

The long weekend of the GdV’s VELA Cup Special Edition 50 starts on Friday, May 23, with the opening of the VELA Cup Point where it will be possible to finalize registrations, the delivery of gift bags will take place and, only for the Cala de’ Medici leg, all the crew will be dressed in the GdV’s VELA Cup Special Edition 50 polo shirts / t-shirts.

Only on this occasion will also be provided the unique and unrepeatable(they will never be produced again!) celebratory polo shirts with the 50th anniversary logo of the Newspaper of Sailing, colored“SAIL red” that has identified our newspaper since 1975, when the famous designer Bob Noorda created the SAIL logo.

Classic Boat Owners: the VELA Cup Toscana is worth more to you!

If you have a Classic Boat (boat more than 25 years old manufactured since 1967) and you are registered for the VELA Cup Toscana, you can register for free(at no additional cost, only for this VELA Cup) at the Register of Official Classic Boats.. On Friday afternoon, Saturday after the regatta and Sunday morning, experienced verifiers from the Giornale della Vela will board your boat-if you book at this email-for the necessary checks and subsequent entry in the official registry.

There is the Mylius Rendez Vous…

This year’s VELA Cup Toscana also features the Mylius Rendez Vous, the regatta reserved for boats from the prestigious Italian boatyard. Do you have a Mylius? There will be a special ranking for you with dedicated prizes. On the entry list you can already find some of the shipyard’s most beautiful boats, such as the Mylius 65 FD “Oscar 3,” the Mylius 76 “O2” and the Mylius 80 “Twin Soul B.”

• • LAST CALL: sign up for VELA Cup Toscana at Cala de’ Medici

The program of the Great Sailing Festival

Where: Marina Cala de’ Medici. Via Agostino Straulino, 1, 57016 Rosignano Marittimo (LI)
Who is invited: everyone
Admission: free

Friday, May 23

3:30-7:30pm: We have just opened the VELA Cup Point to finalize registrations for the VELA Cup Special Edition 50 years GdV, gift bag and T-shirt delivery. We are waiting for you to sign up (or to formalize your registration).

Saturday, May 24

9-11 a.m.: Finalization of last entries VELA Cup Special Edition 50 years GdV, crew briefing, race start.
11 a.m.-3 p.m.: SAIL Cup at sea. Don’t have a boat? Look for a place to board on the dedicated Facebook page Seeking/Offering Boarding
3-6 p.m.: Relax and “chill” on the dock and plaza at Marina Cala de’ Medici.
6-7 pm: VELA Cup awards ceremony and raffle prizes, “food&beverage” refreshment, music in the square at Marina Cala de’ Medici.

Come meet the strongest sailors

The VELA Cup, however, does not end with the awards ceremony and cocktails: in fact, on Saturday evening there is the awarding of the Sailor of the Year 2025 Special Edition 50 years GdV, where you can find out who all the winners of this year’s “Sailing Oscars” are, and see, meet and talk to dozens of Italy’s greatest sailors

7-8 p.m.: Awarding of the Sailor Sailor of the Year 2025 Special Edition 50 years GdV(there is time until May 10 to vote for your favorite!) in the plaza at Marina Cala de’ Medici.

And after the Oscars of Sailing…

Do you think once again that everything is over? Absolutely not! In fact, you can attend a screening of the biggest sailing film of the year (according to the Giornale della Vela). the story of Andrea Romanelli, a sailor who died in 1998 while aboard the Open 60 Fila, told by his son (and director) Tommaso Romanelli.

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.

• LAST CALL: sign up for VELA Cup Toscana at Cala de’ Medici

It’s really over, but only for Saturday!

On Sunday 25 it’s back to the sea with the Triton Cup, the second edition of the regatta to promote marine and coastal sites, protected areas for the protection and conservation of marine biodiversity of the Natura 2000 Ecological Network, promoted by the LIFE-A-MAR NATURA 2000 project. Different name, same spirit as VELA Cup. Handing over of Triton Cup gift bags and flags at 8:30/9:00. Briefing at 9:30 am, regatta at 11 am, awards ceremony in the afternoon, with lots of prizes for all participants.

Sunday, May 25

8:30 a.m.: Triton Cup gift bag and flags delivery.
9:30 a.m.: Crew briefing and regatta start.
11 a.m.-3 p.m.: SAIL Cup Triton at sea.
4 p.m.: VELA Cup Triton awards ceremony at sea, “food&beverage” refreshment

The LIFE A-MAR NATURA2000 project was created with the aim of enhancing the marine areas of the Natura 2000 Network, and around Cala de’ Medici there are quite a few!

First among themis Capraia Island, which is volcanic in origin, with seafloors rich in Posidonia oceanica meadows and coralligenous habitats rich in Poriferae. Surface stands are dominated by Cystoseira sp., a seaweed that indicates a high-quality marine environment. Some of the more distinctive species that can be encountered include the loggerhead turtle, bottlenose dolphin, lesser spotted dolphin, greater spotted dolphin, and sea jay.

Then there isGorgona Island, which with its rocky seabed up to 40-50 meters deep hosts five underwater cavities, including the Sea Ox Cave. Posidonia oceanica meadows surround the island, while coralligenous stands are particularly developed in the northern part of the island. In terms of fauna, caretta turtle, bottlenose dolphin, bottlenose dolphin, minke whale, Pinna nobilis (rare specimens) and corvina can be encountered in addition to marine and terrestrial birds such as lesser shearwater, Queen’s hawk, hen harrier and Corsican gull.

To explore the geographical location of the sites you can download theAMAR Sea LIFE app for Android or iOS and learn about their flora and fauna, and stay constantly updated on the LIFE A-MAR NATURA2000 project.

• • LAST CALL to register for VELA Cup Toscana in Cala de’ Medici

Free check-up for your boat

Message to all VELA Cup Toscana members at Marina Cala de’ Medici: there is a chance for you to have a free check-up on your boat! You can request a free check-up of your mast, rigging and lines from the experts at CD Sails sailmaker, who will come aboard your boat and give you valuable advice on rigging optimization (state of rigging/rigging and lines/basic mast adjustment).

You can book the service via email by writing to info@cdsails.it or via WhatsApp at +39 351 792 3579, or directly at the VELA Cup Toscana “desk” at Marina Cala de’ Medici starting today, Friday, May 23 at 3:30 pm. Check-ups can be booked for the afternoon-evening of Friday, May 23, and for the afternoon after the regatta on Saturday.

• • LAST CALL: sign up for VELA Cup Toscana at Cala de’ Medici