2015 Perini Navi Cup underway

by Yacht Club Costa Smeralda on 3 Sep 2015 Today marks the start of the sixth Perini Navi Cup, welcoming 16 Perini Navi yachts to the docks of Sardinia's Yacht Club Costa Smeralda before the fleet heads out on the open water of Porto Cervo to unleash their sails.

With the first race taking place on Thursday third, the Perini Navi Cup will pit a fleet of seven sailing yachts against one another over three days; with a further nine of the shipyard's iconic yachts shadowing the regatta.

The Perini Navi Cup merges on-water action and private events as races open up to cocktail contests for owners and guests as well as evenings of wine tasting and gala dinners to celebrate the winners, and ultimately the fleet, of the Perini Navi Cup.

The Perini Navi Cup brings together an armada of both classic yachts and high-tech racing machines to celebrate the family of owners and captains behind the fleet.

'I think the most exciting thing for all of us is to see the fleet back out there again two years on.' explains Burak Akgul - Managing Director of Sales, Marketing & Design at Perini Navi. 'Some boats are repeating, some not, but most important to see is the match race between the two 60s, the sloop and the ketch rig.

We have great boats racing, of course not the whole fleet as our motor yacht Exuma would have a bit of difficulty indulging in a regatta, but amongst the 16 we have boats measuring all the way from the Maltese Falcon at 88 metres down to Elettra at 25 metres, going from the very latest of our vessels to boats dating back to the 1980s. So a very exciting opportunity to see our boats, once again, on the water.'

The family of Perini Navi yachts in attendance - from race roster to on-the-water spectators - includes: Bayesian, the 56m sloop - Clan VIII, 45m sloop - Elettra, 25m sloop - Ellen, 40m ketch - Helios, 45m sloop - Jasali II, 52 m ketch - Melek, 56m ketch - P2, 38m sloop - Perseus^3, 60m sloop - Principessa Vai Via 40 m ketch - Rosehearty, 56m ketch - Seahawk, 60m ketch - Silvana 56m ketch - The Maltese Falcon, 88 m clipper - Xnoi, 30m sloop.

The 50m Exuma, the first Picchiotti motor yacht built by Perini Navi, will also return from a five year circumnavigation of the globe to spectate as a special guest during the 2015 Perini Navi Cup as part of the family.

'I think, as in any family, one likes to come together,' concludes Burak Akgul. 'The opportunity to come together, for those of the owners who can come together with us, is a draw which apparently is very important for them. Amongst the owners attending here, we even have some who are here without their yacht which is, again, fantastic.'

The Perini Navi Cup has prestigious partners such as the iconic contemporary Italian jewelry brand Vhernier; Axa Yachting Solutions (at its third event as a sponsor); Marchesi Antinori representing the Italian world excellence of winemaking and Rybovich as Perini Navi's American partner in Yacht Service and Refit. The event is organized in collaboration with the Yacht Club Costa Smeralda and its historical partners such as Rolex and Audi.