25 Maxi yachts compete in the Regata dei Tre Golfi

A strong turn-out of 25 maxi yachts competed in the Regata dei Tre Golfi, the 67^th edition of Italy’s second oldest offshore race which set sail on Saturday 14 May.

The two MOD70 trimarans Giovanni Soldini’s Maserati and Riccardo Pavoncelli’s Mana were the scratch boats and started 30 minutes prior to the maxis.

But even they struggled in the light and in a scenario that would never normally happen, Furio Benussi’s 100ft long scratch monohull ARCA SGR managed to beat Maserati’s elapsed time by 13 minutes, with Peter Dubens’ former Maxi 72 North Star (ex Rán 2) only taking 13 minutes longer than the Italian trimaran.

The two former Maxi 72s, Sir Peter Ogden’s Judel/Vrolijk 77 Jethou and Peter Dubens 72ft North Star enjoyed their own intense race with the lead frequently changing between them, mostly to the benefit of the lower rated North Star which ultimately won the Maxi division overall by 1 hour 45 minutes under IRC.

Separating the two former Maxi 72s on the podium was the immaculate 1995 vintage IMS maxi Capricorno campaigned by Alessandro del Bono and numerous Italian sailing legends many of whom were once part of the Capricorno 1995 Admiral’s Cup winning team led by Alessandro’s father Rinaldo.

Capricorno won Class 2 from Terry Hui’s usually all-conquering Wally 77 Lyra by a significant three hours and 12 minutes under IRC.

Also sailing a spectacular race was IMA President Benoît de Froidmont’s Wally 60 Wallyño, which finished fourth overall, winning Class 3 also by more than three hours under IRC from Yacht Club Gaeta President Vincenzo Addessi’s Mylius 18E35 Fra’ Diavolo.

The Regata dei Tre Golfi was the third event in the IMA’s Mediterranean Maxi Inshore Challenge, which began with the Rolex Middle Sea race last autumn and finishes with the Palermo-Montecarlo in August.

The IMA Maxi European Championship now continues this week from Tuesday 17th to Friday 20th May with the Maxi Yacht Sorrento Trophy. According to PRO Alfredo Ricci, this will comprise one day of windward-leewards and otherwise coastal courses in the Bay of Naples and, if conditions allow, around Capri.