Sorrento – Three intense days of racing, five challenging races, and two Italia Yachts 11.98 crews taking center stage: To Be, skippered by Stefano Rusconi, and Guardamago 3, helmed by Massimo Romeo Piparo, came away with impressive results at the opening event of the Tre Golfi Sailing Week, which awarded the titles for the Campionato Nazionale del Basso Tirreno , valid as scoring event for the ORC Mediterranean Championship.
To Be shone brightest: 1st in ORC Class B, 2nd overall in the Mediterranean Championship, and 3rd overall in the Lower and Central Tyrrhenian standings. Guardamago 3 followed with a solid 2nd in Class B and 4th overall slightly marred by a tough first day that kept them off the podium.
Also flying the Italia Yachts flag was Giulia, the IY 9.98 skippered by Rudolf Vrestal and crewed by a skilled and cheerful team from the Czech Republic. Their effort earned them a brilliant 2nd place in ORC C/R, further proving the competitiveness of the model across classes.
“We were boxed in between TP52s, GP42s and much bigger, faster boats but that only made the challenge more thrilling and our results even more rewarding,” said Daniele De Tullio, reflecting on the performance of the IY 11.98, now in its fifth evolution. “It’s clear this boat is a real contender.”
Stefano Rusconi was equally pleased: “Sorrento always delivers, both for the beauty of the location and the quality of the racing. After the regattas, we celebrated in Nerano now it's time to focus on the Tre Golfi offshore leg. For us, it's an important training ground ahead of the European Championship in Palma.”
A mix of satisfaction and ambition also came from Massimo Romeo Piparo: “It was a fantastic event, very well run. It’s a pity about the first day and a few issues in how the fleet was grouped by size, but we came here to test ourselves in Class B, and we’re happy with the outcome. Gaeta, Sorrento, and the winter series gave us a solid foundation, and despite a few crew changes, we remain a strong and competitive team.”
Next stop: Thursday, May 16, when the iconic 70th Regata dei Tre Golfi sets sail from Naples. The offshore race is a key component of the Mediterranean Championship, with Confluence currently leading the standings just two points ahead of To Be, and Giulia will be racing too.The fight is still wide open.
