There has been a lot of J/24 sailing taking place across Italy, as J/24s were sailing their winter series in Sardinia, Rome, Genoa and Portofino. Here are quick summaries of the activity taking place in each region. Porto Rotondo, Sardinia: After the long summer break, the Sardinian J/24 Fleet got busy again. The fleet sailed their XXIII Regatta of the Legionaries. Twelve boats sailed three races on Saturday, and on Sunday enjoyed their traditional coastal race—a random leg event that goes around various government buoys offshore along the coastline of Sardinia. Saturday’s racing started off with very little breeze. However, by the second and third races, the winds got much stronger and the fleet enjoyed a warm, dry 10-14 knots of wind for the final race of the day. Sunday’s racing for the Legionnaires trophy saw good breeze, with the J/24s all finishing after one and a half hours of sailing. After the four races were tallied, ITA 405 SURRAU VIGNE from Club Nautico Arzachena is leading, followed by ITA 241 LIBARIUM sailed by Roberto Dessy and in third is ITA 431 LNI CARLISLE owned and sailed by David Gorgerino. Cervia, Rome: This was the beginning of the Winter Championship for the Roman J/24 fleet. The first regatta was racing for the IX Stefano Pirini Memorial Trophy, organized by Circolo Nautico Cervia. The racing took place offshore in front of the Milano Marittima beach. “On Sunday, we were able to have only one race characterized by light winds from offshore. There were considerable changes in the leadership of the race,” explained the Rome’s J/24 Fleet Captain. Ten crews took to the water for this first regatta. The victory went to Marco Maccaferri (CNAdVCervia) sailing ITA 402 KERMESSE. Second was ITA 424 KISMET owned by Francesca Focardi Antonelli (CNAdVCervia) and skippered by Luciani Antonelli. Third place was ITA 382 sailed by Mauro Martelli (CV Ravenna). Fourth place was ENG 473 MAGICAL FAIRY co-owned by Viscardo Brusori and helmsman Massimo Frigerio. Sitting in fifth place was ITA 400 CAPTAIN NEMO sailed by Domenico Brighi. Genova (Genoa Portofino Fleet): The Club Nautico Marina Genova Aeroporto hosted the first winter series event that was held over three weekends for 50 boats in ORC Handicap and J/24 one-designs. The final day was marked by a north wind around 15 knots, overcast with drizzle and scattered sea only slightly ruffled by the wind. The race course was positioned brilliantly by the CNMGA race committee, which was once again started with a high-degree of punctuality and great technical and tactical execution. It was a close fight from the first day of the championship between ITA 303 JUST A JOKE (co-owned by M.Buffa and T. Costa- LNI Sestri Ponente) and ITA 235 JAWS (co-owned by M.Mori and L.Varini- CV Elbano). The racing was quite close between these two, and the results were not settled until the final day and the final race of the championship—the outcome coming right down to the wire on the last leg. In the end, JAWS beat JUST A JOKE by winning the last race to secure the championship on a tie-breaker with a 2-2-1-1 record for 6 points. JUST A JOKE had to settle for the silver because their record of 1-1-2-2 for 6 points meant they lost the last race to JAWS. Taking third for the regatta was ITA 357 LANDFALL sailed by Simone Moretti, fourth was ITA 307 FINALLY sailed by Olga Finollo, and fifth place was taken by ITA 483 X5 skippered by Antonio Criscuolo. For more Italian J/24 fleet sailing information, visit http://www.j24.it/web/.
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