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The XIV edition of Palermo-Montecarlo has been presented
Palermo- The magnificent headquarters of the Sicily Sailing Club in Punta Celesi, Mondello, hosted the press conference to present the 14th Palermo-Montecarlo, the regatta that will start on August 21 at 12:00, with the organization of the Palermo club in collaboration with the Yacht Club de Monaco and the Yacht Club Costa Smeralda, the support of the Municipality of Palermo, the Regional Tourism, Sports and Entertainment, and the Foundation Sicily, as well as sponsors.
Among the speakers, coordinated for the occasion by the journalist Fabio Pozzo, the welcome and usual presence of the Mayor of Palermo Leoluca Orlando, the Councillor for Tourism, Sport and Entertainment of the Sicilian Region Sandro Pappalardo, the President of the Italian Sailing Federation Francesco Ettorre, Adalberto Miani representing the YC de Monaco, the Commodore of the YC Costa Smeralda Riccardo Bonadeo and the Captain of Fregata Fabio Citrolo at the Port Authority of Palermo, in addition of course to the host, the President of the Circolo della Vela Sicilia Agostino Randazzo, who announced for tomorrow the presence of His Serene Highness Prince Albert II of Monaco at the start of the race, accompanied by the Vice-President of the Monegasque club Pierre Casiraghi and the Secretary General & CEO Bernard d’Alessandri.
“We are particularly satisfied with the technical level reached and we are happy and honored by the presence of His Serene Highness Prince Albert II of Monaco: this is the first time that such a prestigious figure has decided to follow the start of the regatta so closely”, are the words of President Randazzo. “For the Circolo della Vela Sicilia it is a pride and a direct testimony of how much it has grown and what visibility has reached the sporting event that sees us as protagonists together with the Yacht Club de Monaco. I hope that this edition will give us a new record for the crossing. The current record has stood since 2015, when Esimit Europa 2 travelled 500 miles in just under 48 hours. Our club will participate with two boats: the First 50′ Freedom with the Under 25 crew of the Sailing Youth Offshore Academy on board, the initiative that sees us working side by side with the Yacht Club de Monaco, and the Swan 45 Aphrodite with, among others, skipper Edoardo Bonanno, the offshore veteran Gaetano Figlia di Granara, former Olympians Giuseppe Angilella and Pietro Zucchetti on board. I like to point out that for the first time we will have a 60′ multihull, the oceanic trimaran Ad Maiora by Bruno Cardile”.
“The presence of the Prince of Monaco tomorrow at the start of the race is confirmation of the affirmation of this competition as a moment of increasing importance in the international sailing scene,” said Mayor Leoluca Orlando. “At the same time, it confirms the newfound international visibility and credibility of Palermo as a Capital of Cultures and not only of Culture. Among these certainly the culture of the sea and sport, which brings together values, passion, love for nature and the land. The regatta is therefore confirmed as the pride of the city, for which we are grateful to all the organizers who every year devote passion and professionalism.
According to Adalberto Miani, former Councillor of the YC de Monaco, who was present at the press conference on behalf of the Monegasque club, “Palermo-Montecarlo is an event to which we all attach particular importance and represents the flagship of the YC de Monaco, as Prince Albert II of Monaco himself has had the opportunity to point out on several occasions. It’s a beautiful race, exciting, challenging and at the same time very addictive. This year I wanted to participate, but for technical problems it was not possible, so I decided to do the opposite and with my boat I arrived here in Palermo directly from Monte Carlo, to bring the greeting of our club to the participants, who are clearly waiting for the arrival in Monte Carlo.
“I am doubly pleased to be here, a guest of the Circolo della Vela Sicily. The YCCS has always collaborated for the success of Palermo-Montecarlo that includes a passage to Porto Cervo, but from this year we can
To count both the Circolo della Vela Sicilia and the Yacht Club de Monaco among the top 50 signatories of the Charta Smeralda, the code of ethics promoted by our One Ocean Foundation in favour of the defence and sustainability of this sea that has given us so much and continues to offer us so much”, explained Riccardo Bonadeo, Commodore of the Yacht Club Costa Smeralda. “I would particularly like to thank President Randazzo for his hospitality to Mauro Pelaschier, ambassador of the One Ocean Foundation, who is promoting our sustainability initiative with his circumnavigation of Italy on a wooden sailing yacht. We hope that the competitors of Palermo-Montecarlo want to sign the Charta Smeralda committing themselves to the protection of the sea in daily life as well as during sports activities.
As highlighted during the press conference, tomorrow the fleet will start the XIV Palermo-Montecarlo, stage of the Italian Offshore Championship of the Italian Sailing Federation and the Mediterranean Maxi Offshore Challenge, the circuit of regattas created by the International Maxi Association and reserved for the “giants of the sea”, is made up of 54 boats, including Maxi, racer-cruiser, prototypes and ocean trimarans, which once they leave the Marina of Villa Igea, will be engaged along the approximately 500-mile route that separates the Sicilian capital from the Principality of Monaco, interspersed with the passage through a “gate” located in front of Porto Cervo. An exciting route that will test boats and crews – which can be followed from the ground thanks to the satellite tracking system YB Tracking (from the site and the APP) – and over the years has given more than one twist.
Almost 500 sailors in the water, with known names of national sailing – from Gabriele Bruni, former Olympic and current federal coach of the crew Tita-Banti, fresh conquest of the World Title in the Olympic catamaran Nacra 17, to Gabriele Benussi, Lorenzo Bressani, Alberto Bona, Pierluigi Fornelli, Andrea Ballico, Silvio Arrivabene and Alberto Bolzan – and international, from the New Zealanders Brad Butterworth and Simon Daubney, multiple winners of the America’s Cup, to the Canadian Curtis Blewett, passing through the French Jan Dekker and Nicolas Berenger.
At stake, in addition to the individual class awards, will be the Angelo Randazzo Challenge Trophy, awarded to the winner in time compensated the largest group of the two provided (ORCi and IRC), and the Giuseppe Tasca d’Almerita Trophy, the first hull on the finish line in real time.
On the occasion of the departure of Palermo-Montecarlo, Mauro Pelaschier stopped at the Circolo della Vela Sicilia to circumnavigate the peninsula in the role of Ambassador of the One Ocean Foundation established by the Yacht Club Costa Smeralda to spread the message of the protection of the seas. During the press conference, Pelaschier illustrated the urgency of a greater awareness of the problem, first of all inviting to sign the code of ethics Charta Smeralda, of which the Circolo della Vela Sicilia was one of the first signatories. In Palermo, the initiative will take the form of a collection of waste and plastic in Mondello, together with the youngsters from the sailing school and the competitive teams of the Circolo della Vela Sicilia, a club that, in addition to taking care of the organisation of Palermo-Montecarlo, is involved in the important role of Challenger of Record of the 36th edition of the America’s Cup alongside the Luna Rossa Challenge Team of Patrizio Bertelli.
