Twenty Maxis of incredible beauty and unparalleled performance, around 400 sailors among the best in the world with countless Olympics and America’s Cup in their list of victories, four days of trials between inshore, coastal and one offshore one of the oldest in the Mediterranean, are the numbers of the European Championship Ima Maxi 2024, organized by the Circolo del Remo e della Vela Italia in collaboration with the International Maxi Association, supported by Rolex Official Timepiece and Loro Piana.
This year the Gulf of Naples gave participants, who came from all over the world, splendid and varied conditions, which put even the most renowned sailors to the test. In the end, as always, there is a winner, and this year it is the American Bella Mente, a former Mini Maxi 72 of the owner Hap Fauth, helped in the cockpit by the champions Terry Hutchinson, skipper of the America’s Cup challenger American Magic , and Adrian Stead, British Olympian and fleet racing ace on the world’s major circuits. Also in the crew is the Italian Romolo Ranieri, historic Luna Rossa sailor, winner of the Louis Vuitton Cup in 2001. The Bella Mente crew closed with a victory in today’s race, the third of the Championship.
“A coastal regatta with light winds of 4/5 knots, and a course course, but a very crowded start,” commented Adrian Stead, Bella Mente’s strategist. “It was important for us to have started well and to have followed the wind shifts, being able to stay in front of the biggest Wallycentos and staying there was wonderful, as was finishing first to cross the finish line in real time and winning the Ima Maxi European Championship. It was the first time for me in the Gulf of Naples, it was a wonderful event both for the conditions and for the landscape and the welcome of the organizers and the people!”.
The IMA Maxi European Championship was dominated by the former Mini Maxi 72 class, in fact, behind Bella Mente, there are Peter Odgen’s Jethou, with the English Olympian Ian Walker on tactics and the outgoing IMA Maxi European Champion, Peter Dubens’ North Star , with British double Olympic medalist Nick Rogers and Italian Gabriele Olivo trimming the headsails.
“Wonderful week, the weather assisted us, we only missed one day of racing, Monday, but in sailing it can happen,” said Sir Peter Odgen, owner of Jethou. “The hospitality is always fantastic, everyone looked after us, from the organizers to the city, a regatta we love taking part in and will return to.”
“Started with the offshore test, continued with the inshore ones, we appreciated everything about this race, which offered us multiple conditions,” commented Nick Rogers of North Star. “Today’s last test with light winds, we defended ourselves well and ended the Championship in third place, we are satisfied”.
Of the splendid 100-footers present on the docks of Sorrento, the best was the Czech V, with Ken Read, president of North Sails in charge of tactics, who was fourth overall, and won the Loro Piana Challenge Trophy reserved for the first place in Group 1. Also among the top 10 is the Italian Bullit, owned by Andrea Recordati, a Wally 93, another marvel of the 20 Maxi fleet.
“I would say that we have crossed the finish line too,” commented a satisfied Roberto Mottola di Amato, President of CRV Italia. “Superstitiously I kept putting off the satisfaction that was growing, it was a beautiful week, wonderful weather, beautiful, hard-fought and varied regattas; also the same offshore race as the Tre Golfi Regatta. Our satisfaction comes above all from the enthusiasm of the participants who all appreciated the event very much. There is always room for improvement and we will work towards this in the future.”
The V Fiv Zone handed over the flag of the “City of sailing and the sea” to the mayor of Sorrento who hosted an international event of great importance for 16 days. It is a project of the V Fiv Zone which enhances our coastal realities and puts them in synergy in the sailing calendar and for the promotion of the territory.
“This year too, Sorrento was transformed, for two weeks, into the international capital of sailing, hosting crews from all over the world – declares the enthusiastic mayor of Sorrento, Massimo Coppola -. An opportunity to show them the beautiful landscapes, the high level of accommodation facilities and food and wine offerings, and the proverbial hospitality of our land. An important objective made possible thanks to the great synergy work between the Municipality of Sorrento, the Rowing and Sailing Club of Naples, the associations that operate in our port and the Italian Sailing Federation for the promotion, organization and management of these major sporting events. Also this year the Tre Golfi Sailing Week, one of the most awaited events on the international regatta calendar, as well as one of the most prestigious sailing events in the Mediterranean, was able to renew the successes achieved during the previous editions and to take up the challenge , taking off once again. Good luck to everyone and see you next year.”
The IMA Maxi European Championship will return between Naples and Sorrento next year, from 16 to 22 May 2025.
