Giorgio Armani Superyacht Regatta, the perfect balance of sport and lifestyle

As forecast, a light north-easterly wind characterised day two of the Giorgio Armani Superyacht Regatta, organised by the Yacht Club Costa Smeralda with the support of title sponsor Giorgio Armani.

The starting line was positioned inside the Passo delle Bisce strait to take advantage of the slightly stronger breeze of around 6-8 knots there. At 12.45 p.m. the Superyacht division set off downwind, unfurling gennakers of over 600 square metres to sail along the channel between the islands of the La Maddalena archipelago and Sardinia itself, leaving the island of Spargi to starboard and finishing, in light air, at the lighthouse on the island of Barrettinelli di Fuori, where the archipelago opens onto the Bocche di Bonifacio off Corsica. Victory in both real and corrected time went to YCCS member Juan Ball's Swan 115 Moat, with Guillermo Parada on tactics and Pablo Difazio at the helm. “Today the air was very light,’ explained Parada, “we got a good start and made the right decisions at some difficult points on the course, with sudden drops in the breeze or changes in direction, so today we claimed our first, and hopefully not last, victory of the day.”

Next up were the yachts taking part in the Southern Wind Rendezvous, whose course was contained within the La Maddalena channel, rounding a mark off Spargi before returning to the starting point. As this was a friendly competition, the crews, with family and friends on board, were able to fully enjoy sailing among the unique rock formations that characterise this part of Sardinia, including the famous bear-shaped Roccia dell'Orso in Palau, which appeared to observe the superyachts from on high as they paraded past. The well-known competitive streak between any two similar yachts was sparked for the two Southern Wind 96 models, Nyumba and Liberty, who reached the finish line almost simultaneously.

Yves Montanari, tactician on Liberty: “The Giorgio Armani Superyacht Regatta is one of the most iconic events of the first part of the year, bringing together superyachts and owners in a truly fantastic atmosphere. The programme for this event is perfect for sailing in a friendly spirit and, afterwards, having fun with your family at anchor. Today was a light air day and, to be honest, although this is far from a competitive event, there is always a hint of competition. Owners and crews like to challenge each other on the water to see who gets to the finish line first.”

Massimo Galassini, owner of Kiboko: “I think Sardinia and the Costa Smeralda are unique places, it is fantastic to be here, especially with the Southern Wind family. We all know Giorgio Armani, an excellence in the world of fashion at an international level. This partnership with the sailing world is a great opportunity, both for the brand and for us yacht owners. These first two days have been wonderful, but not only for us, for all the people attending the event I think. We came first again today, we have a great crew.”

On arrival at the dock in Porto Cervo there were big smiles all-round after a great day spent on the water, while tonight the “Night in Blue” dinner organised by the Southern Wind shipyard will take place in the village of San Pantaleo.

The forecast for tomorrow indicates very light breeze from the north-east.