Arca SGR 100ft wins Barcolana58

Furio Benussi’s Arca has won the Barcolana in Trieste for the fourth consecutive year, with 1,858 sailing boats on the starting line. After several days of uncertain weather forecasts, a splendid easterly wind blowing from 110 degrees welcomed the crews. More than 15,000 sailors who had chosen to take part in the world's largest and most beautiful sailing race were greeted by a magnificent scene, with sunshine and excellent wind conditions for everyone.

“An extraordinary Barcolana, which has once again exceeded expectations,” said Mitja Gialuz, President of the Società Velica di Barcola e Grignano. “We enjoyed exceptional weather conditions, with an unusual Bora blowing from a particularly easterly direction, making the race technically demanding. Furio Benussi interpreted these conditions brilliantly to secure a magnificent victory. We also witnessed a fantastic match race between Prosecco DOC Schockwave3 and Marta 07. My congratulations go to Mitja Kosmina and tactician Lorenzo Bressani, as well as to Marta Benussi, who has won the Generali Women in Sailing Trophy. But Barcolana is, above all, a celebration for everyone: while we were celebrating the first boats to finish, hundreds upon hundreds of others were still racing. That is the strength of our event: its ability to bring together great champions and sailing enthusiasts in one extraordinary occasion. Trieste continues to consolidate its position as a capital of sailing and is already looking ahead to 2027, when it will stand alongside Naples for the America's Cup.”

The great champions were ready to fight for victory, while enthusiasts were there to enjoy themselves: all sharing the same starting line and the same wind, setting off on a close reach towards the first mark. Arca SGR made a clever start, overcoming an electrical system failure that left her stationary for two minutes before getting under way from the middle of the line, ready to take advantage of a potential wind shift towards the open sea that ultimately never materialised. Meanwhile, Marta Benussi and Mitja Kosmina, at the helms of Marta 07 and Prosecco DOC Schockwave3 respectively, immediately began a duel that would last throughout the race. Their battle started further to windward, towards Barcola, where the challenge was for the brave-hearted, determined to hold their ground and try to prevail against the larger boat.

It took the three leading contenders just a few minutes to line up along the first leg, sailing on a progressively broader point of sail that allowed Arca to take the lead and round the first mark 18 minutes after the start. Prosecco DOC Schockwave3 executed a textbook manoeuvre and, after an initial head-to-head battle, claimed her starboard-tack right of way over Marta Benussi to move into second place after 20 minutes. Marta 07 followed closely, losing ground but refusing to give up. The subsequent mark roundings began to establish the standings, with Arca SGR followed by Prosecco DOC Schockwave3, Marta 07, Manticore-Edilimpianti Trieste, Woodpecker Cube - Generali, Big Sky, Fiamme Gialle Nice, Grillo Parlante, Corsara, Fincantieri-Doers On Board, Anemos II Allianz Spa, Shining Marina Portoroz, Anywave Safilens, Il Moro di Venezia and Medlog-MVN Ancilla Domini. Given the wind conditions and the course, opportunities to recover positions would be limited.

As the three leaders forged ahead, the race and the celebration unfolding behind them created a magnificent spectacle at sea. In less than half an hour, the wind allowed the entire fleet to clear the starting line and head towards the Muggia mark, where countless sailing stories were unfolding together. The wind would later ease and shift perfectly to a light north-westerly breeze, allowing much of the fleet to finish before dying away at around 4 pm.

Arca SGR was first to round the mark at the end of the short leg, followed by Prosecco DOC Schockwave3 and Marta 07. From that point onwards, the leading boat extended her advantage and sailed the remaining legs alone, while the battle for second place intensified behind her. Prosecco DOC held on to second place until the third mark, with Marta 07 constantly on her heels. The contest continued along the stretch from Miramare towards Barcola, where Marta 07 sought a clearer course to escape her rival's control, but Prosecco DOC Schockwave3 held firm. Meanwhile, the leading section of the fleet reached the Miramare mark.

On the final leg, Arca left nothing to chance, heading up into the wind and preparing to approach the finish line at the correct angle. Prosecco DOC Schockwave3 was chasing some 800 metres behind, still followed by Marta 07. Arca crossed the finish line at 11:35:09, completing the race in one hour, five minutes and nine seconds.

Prosecco DOC Schockwave3 finished approximately three and a half minutes later, securing second place. Helmsman Mitja Kosmina and tactician Lorenzo Bressani would describe their performance as an attempt to pull off an upset, doing everything possible to beat the larger boat. Marta 07 finished a further minute and a half later, approximately seven minutes ahead of Big Sky, and won the Generali Women in Sailing Trophy for the second time, awarded to the first female skipper to bring her boat across the finish line.

Fifth place went to Manticore-Edilimpianti Trieste, owned by Franz Wilhelm Baruffaldi Preis, Director of the Burns and Reconstructive Plastic Surgery Centre and Head of the Emergency Department at Milan's Grande Ospedale Metropolitano Niguarda, competing in his first Barcolana with Gabriele Bruni at the helm. Fiamme Gialle Nice finished sixth, followed by Woodpecker Cube - Generali in seventh. Fincantieri Doers On Board, Grillo Parlante and MEDLOG-MVN Ancilla Domini completed the top ten.

Andrea Sironi, Chairman of Generali, commented: “It has been an extraordinary Barcolana. A true celebration of the sea, which Generali has supported for more than forty years. Barcolana continues to be an outstanding symbol of participation, inclusion and community spirit. We are proud to be part of it and to support a movement that demonstrates, through sport, how collaboration can turn individual talent into shared success. I would like to congratulate Marta Benussi, winner of the Women in Sailing Trophy, and her team. Through this award, we aim to recognise not only sporting excellence but also the contribution of women to innovation, leadership and the development of more inclusive communities. The sea teaches us that every step forward comes from striking a balance between experience and innovation, individual preparation and collective commitment.”

At 5 pm, Barcolana's boat owners gathered in Piazza Unità for one of the event's new traditions: the Honda prize draw dedicated to the owners of registered boats. The first prize, a Honda WN7 YM2026, went to boat number 322 (Bijou), while the Honda SH125 Vetro scooter was awarded to boat number 1510 (Nulla è scritto).

In Trieste, the celebrations continued into the evening as the rest of the fleet arrived, bringing an exceptional Barcolana to a close after ten days of events. The edition also paid tribute to Carlo Borlenghi, whose memory was honoured in the opening sequence of the live television broadcast.

Statements

FRANCESCO ETTORRE

President of the Italian Sailing Federation

“A magnificent Barcolana, which had already provided us with an incredible setting from Friday and today offered perfect conditions for such a large fleet to race. It has also been a success in terms of participation, but what strikes me most is the enthusiasm this event generates every year. Barcolana has an extraordinary ability to reinvent itself, grow and introduce new initiatives, becoming a fantastic showcase for Italian sailing. It is not simply the world's largest sailing race, but also an opportunity to promote important projects, such as Women in Sailing, and to build an ever-stronger connection between sailing and the local community. It is an invaluable asset for the entire Italian sailing community. I would like to thank Mitja Gialuz and all the staff of the Società Velica di Barcola e Grignano for the tremendous work that makes this extraordinary event possible every year.”

FURIO BENUSSI

Helmsman of Arca SGR, winner of Barcolana58 presented by Generali

“It was a wonderful Barcolana, with some truly unusual conditions. Our tactical decision was to start from the section of the line closest to the first mark: on a starting line almost three and a half kilometres long, that position allows you to sail around 300 metres less. The wind was very unstable, constantly shifting between 90 and 120 degrees, and we expected it to veer to the right. So we decided to start from there and try to keep the fleet under control. It wasn't straightforward, because just as we were starting, we had a problem with the electronic system controlling the boat's onboard functions. The boat came to a standstill and it took us around two minutes to restore everything. Fortunately, we managed to get going again and from that moment onwards we sailed a great race. I can hardly remember ever sailing a course from Miramare to Trieste entirely upwind, tacking in 12 knots of breeze. Despite the forecasts over the previous days, it turned out to be a spectacular day, one that truly fills your heart.”

“This was my fiftieth Barcolana, a milestone that makes this victory even more special. I grew up with this race, taking part from childhood alongside my father, who built boats and was always coming up with new ideas to improve them. I still remember one of the most emotional editions, when we all raced together as a family on a boat he had found on the Karst plateau. It was covered in flowers, so I used to call it ‘the flower vase’. We finished around 42nd out of more than a thousand boats and also won our class. Those are memories I will always treasure. This year, too, Barcolana was a family affair, with a little rivalry between my daughters Marta and Margherita. For Margherita, it was her first race and her first Barcolana, and she did brilliantly. It's wonderful to see this passion being passed down from one generation to the next.”

MITJA KOSMINA

Skipper and helmsman of Prosecco DOC

“We came into this Barcolana with tremendous determination and fighting spirit. The entire crew was prepared, focused and motivated to give their very best. We made the right decisions and, both technically and mentally, we were in the best possible shape to tackle the race. We made a good start and from the very first metres we tried to get everything we could out of the boat. We were to windward and were also hoping the wind might ease before the first mark, which could have worked in our favour. But when we saw the wind filling in and the bigger boats beginning to accelerate, we realised it would be difficult to make up any more ground. Nevertheless, we sailed a very competitive race, gave it everything we had and are pleased with our performance.”

MARTA BENUSSI

Skipper and helmswoman of Marta 07

“It was a very demanding Barcolana, particularly at the start, with an exceptionally crowded racecourse, perhaps even more so than in previous years. Despite this, we managed to remain remarkably calm on board, which allowed us to handle every stage of the race as well as possible. We battled with Prosecco DOC right to the end, fighting for position over the first three legs of the course. We're a little frustrated because, in the end, they sailed better than we did, but that's part of sport. Our strategy was to start to windward of both Arca and Prosecco, but we ended up to leeward of Prosecco, between the two boats, in a situation that was far from easy to manage. Nevertheless, I'm very pleased, especially with the atmosphere on board: everyone was focused, calm and united. On a boat with eighteen men and two women, that is not something to take for granted. Giulia and I have always shared this experience, and I'm really happy with what we managed to achieve together with the whole crew.”

PAOLO CIAN

Helmsman of Fiamme Gialle Nice

“It was a different Barcolana from the one we had expected. Several weather models were forecasting a possible wind shift towards the south, and we had based our strategy on that scenario. The shift did happen, but it was less pronounced than expected, changing the conditions we had anticipated. The race was also much faster than we had imagined, in conditions that do not allow our boat to perform at its full potential. That makes us particularly pleased with what we managed to achieve on the water and with the result we secured.”

GABRIELE BRUNI

Skipper of Manticore-Edilimpianti Trieste

“We had more wind than expected, which made the race particularly enjoyable. We made a very good start: the boat responded perfectly when we unfurled the Code Zero, and we managed to pull away from the pack straight away. We rounded the first mark in fourth place, then a faster boat overtook us and we held on to fifth until the finish. For us, that's an excellent result, considering that before the race we thought we might finish around seventh or eighth. Manticore is a Judel/Vrolijk 62 owned by Franz Baruffaldi. She arrived in Italy last year and we're still working on optimising her performance. She's a beautiful boat, very responsive and competitive. This is my fifth Barcolana, having also competed a couple of times with the Fiamme Gialle. Every edition is different, but one thing never changes: Barcolana is an incredible celebration, and we'll certainly be back.”

FRANZ BARUFFALDI

Owner and helmsman of Manticore-Edilimpianti Trieste

“For us, taking part in Barcolana requires a considerable commitment, both organisationally and financially. We come from the other side of Italy and the journey alone takes four days. But when you witness a spectacle like today's, you realise it is absolutely worth it. I had no idea there were so many people passionate about sailing, and seeing this level of participation moved me deeply. It shows that the efforts made by people like us, who try to bring more and more people closer to the sea and sailing, are paying off. From a sporting perspective, we're a boat of around 60 feet competing against 100-foot yachts: it's a bit like a mouse taking on an elephant. Being able to compete with them and even leave some behind is enormously satisfying. I have a particularly strong bond with this boat. She came into my life at a difficult time and helped me rediscover my energy, enthusiasm and motivation. Today she has given me another wonderful experience.”

TOMAZ COPI

Tactician of Arca SGR

“It was a wonderful day, perhaps even more special than previous editions. Beautiful weather conditions, huge crowds along the waterfront and an extraordinary fleet on the starting line. For us, the race began with an unexpected setback: we had a technical problem with the hydraulic system and were left without the engine or hydraulics for around 30 to 45 seconds. Fortunately, we managed to resolve the issue and from that moment onwards everything worked perfectly. Furio was outstanding at the helm, the crew gave their all and every manoeuvre was executed flawlessly. For me, as tactician, the quality and teamwork of the entire crew made my job much easier. I would also like to thank the Barcolana staff, because I know just how much work goes into organising an event of this scale. Bringing so many boats and so many people to Trieste is a truly extraordinary achievement.”

JAMES SPITHILL

CEO of the Red Bull Italy SailGP Team

“Being here at Barcolana today has been a wonderful experience, with an incredible atmosphere that has made it truly unforgettable. I already can't wait for next year!

As for the SailGP circuit, we still have two events to go before the end of the season, culminating in the Grand Final in Abu Dhabi.

But what we're really excited about next season is our first event in Rome/Ostia, which is going to be fantastic. It will take place in September, and we've already signed a three-year agreement. It's an exciting development and something we're really looking forward to.”

JANA GERMANI

Olympic sailor and SailGP athlete

“For me, it was a Barcolana at a slightly slower pace, but that made it particularly enjoyable. We had a bit of wind at the beginning, then a light breeze came in and allowed us to finish the race in ideal conditions. Sometimes it's nice to slow down, enjoy sailing and spend a day at sea with friends. Above all, that's what Barcolana is about: a great celebration, an incredible event for Trieste, bringing together sailors, enthusiasts and people who don't necessarily sail themselves. It's a special opportunity to get together and share a passion for the sea. Now I'll be returning to training in the 49er and to my SailGP commitments, with the next events scheduled for Abu Dhabi and Dubai at the end of November.”

ANDREA TESEI

Sailor with the British America's Cup team and SailGP athlete

“It was a spectacular day, with a lovely Bora breeze at the start and an enormous fleet which, as always, made the opening stages of the race particularly hectic. We managed to get off to a very good start, although our cruising yacht didn't have the speed needed to stay with the leaders. Nevertheless, we had a fantastic time. The subsequent wind shift created favourable conditions for the slower boats as well, allowing a great many crews to reach the finish line. And that's precisely what makes Barcolana so special: it's a celebration where everyone, from first to last, can enjoy a wonderful day at sea. As for me, I'll now have a couple of weeks off before we start working on the America's Cup boat with the British team in Naples. That will be followed by the SailGP events in Abu Dhabi and Dubai, before returning to focus full-time on the America's Cup until July next year.”