The 71st Regata dei Tre Golfi and IMA Maxi European Championship begin

The start of the 71st Regata dei Tre Golfi, the offshore race valid for the IMA Maxi European Championship, took place today at 13:30, after a short postponement caused by a temporary drop in wind pressure. The spectacular start from the Bay of Santa Lucia, in front of the clubhouse of the Circolo del Remo e della Vela Italia and framed by Castel dell’Ovo and Mount Vesuvius, saw 27 Maxi Yachts and the Multihull Trophy fleet set sail.

The event is organized by the Circolo del Remo e della Vela Italia, in conjunction with the International Maxi Association (IMA), in collaboration with the Yacht Club Italiano of Genoa and the Reale Yacht Club Canottieri Savoia, and supported by Rolex and Loro Piana. The Maxi European Championship will continue with the coastal and inshore races in Sorrento over the coming days.

The Maxi fleet got underway in a north-easterly breeze ranging between 16 and 18 knots, unstable in direction and oscillating between 20 and 60 degrees, creating an immediately technical and tactically demanding race for crews and navigators.

The breeze carried the fleet downwind as far as Capo Posillipo, where the weather scenario changed rapidly with the arrival of a north-westerly Mistral breeze. This new airflow is expected to accompany the Maxi fleet on the route towards Ponza, the first key turning point of the historic 150-nautical-mile offshore course, before the yachts return through the Gulf of Naples around Capri and Li Galli and back to the finish in Naples.

“Once again, the start of the Regata dei Tre Golfi delivered an extraordinary spectacle,” declared Roberto Mottola di Amato, President of the Circolo del Remo e della Vela Italia. “Seeing the Maxi Yachts racing across the Gulf of Naples, in front of Castel dell’Ovo and beneath the profile of Mount Vesuvius, is something truly unique in the world. The quality of this year’s fleet confirms the international prestige achieved by the Tre Golfi Sailing Week and the IMA Maxi European Championship, events that continue to attract some of the world’s leading owners and sailors.”

The offshore spectacle in the Gulf of Naples once again proved both exciting and visually stunning, with some of the most beautiful and high-performance yachts on the international scene battling immediately after the start. Among those making particularly strong starts were J1 Vudu 100, featuring legendary New Zealand ocean racer Stu Bannatyne on board, North Star of Peter Dubens and Chris Flowers, Jethou, the 100-footer of Peter Ogden, Caro, and the Wallycento Galateia, with Neapolitan sailing legend Francesco De Angelis calling tactics.

As always, the offshore race remains one of the most iconic moments of the Tre Golfi Sailing Week, an event that combines world-class sailing, sport and the unique scenery of Naples, Ponza, Capri and the Sorrentine Coast.

“Today we experienced another extraordinary start for the 71st Tre Golfi Sailing Week,” commented Maurizio Pavesi, Vice President of the CRV Italia. “The conditions were spectacular and watching this Maxi fleet leave the Gulf of Naples once again highlighted the unique importance of this venue. After the wind shifted to the north-west, the fleet headed towards Ponza. We expect a very fast race and it will be fascinating to see which teams make the right strategic choices.

After the offshore race, the fleet will move to Sorrento for the inshore races of the IMA Maxi Europeans, scheduled from 25 to 28 May in the waters of the Sorrentine Peninsula, including the iconic coastal race around the island of Capri.