Italy

Mylius Yachts 

The <a href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Portofino Regate di Primavera - 2022">Portofino Regate di Primavera</a> concluded on Monday and marked the start of the Mediterranean Maxi racing season. The four day long weekend that started on 21 April, saw some of the best racing yachts sail 26-miles around the picturesque Ligurian hamlet of Portofino for the Mylius Cup.<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/225203/image/large-015e8402905916f85e8833bda94a9770.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/225203">This year saw the Maxi yacht entries affected by weather conditions on the Gulf of Tigullio, that were more like winter than the spring months the event takes place in. But despite the best efforts of the race committee, including the International Maxi Association’s PRO Alfredo Ricci, racing was cancelled on the opening day due to no wind. After a gusty Saturday night, the race was also cancelled on Sunday due to strong south-westerly wind. In the end, just three of the scheduled four races were held.<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/225204/image/large-2dc50ed0538ab9a5e850954f8d4b23a6.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/225204">The competing Maxi yachts ranged in size from Francesco De Santis’ <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/151" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Southern Wind (Company)">Southern Wind</a> 100 <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/7745" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Morgana30.5m (100'1&quot;)Southern Wind2020">Morgana</a> down to several 60 footers such as the two <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/5930" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Mylius Yachts (Company)">Mylius</a> 60s Antonio Romeo's Jecalu and Franz Wilhelm Baruffaldi Preis's Manticore.Before the strong gusty Saturday night winds, the southwesterly onshore wind was building during the day from 14-18 knots at start time which caused an increase in the wave state. The waves rose to two-metres which resulted in three boats being forced to retire from the race. Dario Castiglia's Hanse 630e Remax One, Jürg Schneider's <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/313" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Nautor's Swan (Company)">Swan</a> 65 Saida and the Grand Soleil 65 Indomabile Pensiero belonging to the YCI’s Beppe Croce Sea School all made the decision to drop out early from the proceeding.<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/225206/image/large-f485d79fe3a35baef2f24ce1544da934.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/225206">The weather wasn’t the only drama of the season, as a pecking order for the remainder of the regatta was quickly established for the 26-mile race. The 30.5-metre <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/7745" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Morgana30.5m (100'1&quot;)Southern Wind2020">Morgana</a> led the fleet home on the water, but it was the all-black <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/5930" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Mylius Yachts (Company)">Mylius</a> 80, <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/12006" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Twin Soul B25.25m (82'10&quot;)Mylius Yachts 2018">Twin Soul B</a> that won under IRC corrected time.As only one race had taken place, the committee made the decision to lay on two shorter coastal races on this final day. The race took place with a light southeasterly wind of around 10-12 knots. These two races were both won again by <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/12006" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Twin Soul B25.25m (82'10&quot;)Mylius Yachts 2018">Twin Soul B</a> whose owner, the President of <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/5930" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Mylius Yachts (Company)">Mylius Yachts</a>, celebrated the perfect finishes. <img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/225207/image/large-0b44c99e540a5362b0e6bf921a3d0a45.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/225207">The owner of <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/12006" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Twin Soul B25.25m (82'10&quot;)Mylius Yachts 2018">Twin Soul B</a>, Gandini Luciano was awarded not just the overall winners trophy but the plaque for the top International Maxi Association member competing, as well as another for leading the five boat fleet competing for the Mylius Cup.“My hope is, for next year, to have more boats here,” said a delighted Gandini. “The organisation was really excellent in every aspect. Thanks also to perfect collaboration between Portofino and nearby Santa Margherita Ligure, where all our <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/5930" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Mylius Yachts (Company)">Mylius</a> boats yachts were moored. I am very happy with the good job done by my crew.” <img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/225201/image/large-94570d30020aa07dfc61bdf8a6e6d069.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/225201">Finishing in second was last year's Rolex Giraglia winner Adriano Calvini's FY61 Itacentodue and the <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/5930" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Mylius Yachts (Company)">Mylius</a> 65 Oscar 3 of Aldo Parisotto which followed in third place, separated by just one point.“I love racing on the Gulf of Tigullio,” said Parisotto. “The weather was not its best this week, but that’s life. This was the very first race for Oscar 3 this year, so we could have done better, but it's fine.”<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/225202/image/large-86edd1d1a645d29f051455da970446ee.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/225202">This was the first regatta the November 2020 launched <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/7745" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Morgana30.5m (100'1&quot;)Southern Wind2020">Morgana</a> had competed in. The Brazilian five Olympic medallist, Torben Grael, was onboard calling tactics; "It was a bit cold and rainy and there were a lot of waves, but it was a fun regatta," he said. "We managed to do three of the four scheduled races. It was spring weather but it changed very fast. It is good to be back on the race course doing some normal calendar regattas which have been few in the last couple of years."<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/225205/image/large-c83f2b1482628b5a545b8a93cd3e1a80.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/225205">The Secretary General of the International Maxi Association, Andrew McIrvine, summarised the weekend’s events in Portofino; “A great location, perfect organisation, outstanding and stylish social events, but sadly let down by the one thing regatta organisers and sponsors can never control - the weather. Racing on two out of four days is not ideal, but well done all to achieve that against the odds.”The International Maxi Association’s racing will continue with the Mediterranean Maxi Offshore Challenge offshore race, La Larga in Palmavela on 30 April. As well as this the Antigua Sailing Week will take place in the Caribbean, the final event of the IMA’s inaugural Caribbean Maxi Challenge.

Portofino Regate di Primavera 2022

The Portofino Regate di Primavera concluded on Monday and marked the start of the Mediterranean Maxi racing season.