Platu 25 Alpen Cup victory for Nanuk

by Sabrina Bonaiti on 3 May 2011 The First Act of the Platu 25 Alpen Cup, day three was the final day and valid also as the first Leg of the Platu 25 Italian Circuit. The Italian boat 'Nanuk', helmed by Luigi Ravioli and owned by Gianrocco Catalano finished on the highest step of the podium.

That confirms, one more time, the Italian leadership of this team from Rome (Luigi Ravioli is the Platu 25 Italian Champion) and also its International good level, considering that they had just conquered the 2011 Primo Cup in Monaco.

So the Platu 25 Italian Champion confirmed his grace condition. After a not very brilliant beginning during the first two races (a seventh, and an OCS), today he recovered with a three of a kind of first places..

After six races (three on Saturday and three today), the ranking list changed completely today after the discard. Until the last race there was an exciting challenge between two Italian teams, 'Nanuk' and the Fasoli brothers’ 'Sail Brain Pirillina'. At the end 'Pirillina' had to be content with a third place. The Swiss team 'Superbüsi' – that won yesterday – concluded with a great second place, confirming their competitiveness.

'Fiordiluna' helmed by Mauizio Galanti concluded with a fourth place (third of the Italians) and the favourite Austrian boat 'La Burra' helmed by Thomas Laherstorfer finished at the fifth position.

The missing of the wind on the 29th of April didn’t allow to compete the races scheduled for the first day, while a strong wind from North (22 knots in the first race ) permitted to compete three races on Saturday. Today, the ranking list suffered a deep shake with other three races and a wind of about 18 knots, going down until five knots during the last race.

Twenty one crews took part to the first Act of the Alpen Cup. Eleven crews came from the Alpen Area lakes (Lake of Como, Switzerland and Austria), and the remaining ten from the rest of Italy. The perfect organization and the warm hospitality of the 'Fraglia Vela Malcesine' Yacht Club permitted to race in perfect conditions, despite the difficult weather and the unlucky first day in which it wasn’t possible to compete.

Malcesine was the official opening regatta for the Platu 25 International class and it was also the first appointment for the Italian Circuit. As Roberto Puccetti, the Platu 25 Italian Secretary underlined:

'For this fifth edition of the Alpen Cup there are two Acts out of four in Italy. That confirms that the Italian crews are more and more involved in this International event. For us it was also the beginning of our Italian Circuit. There were 10 boats from all over Italy, especially from Tuscany. It was the occasion for us to test the changeable wind conditions on a lake that are completely different from the ones on the sea. For the most of the Italian crews it was the right occasion to test a different regatta field, getting prepared for the appointment with the Worlds on the Traunsee Lake!'.

Some Italian boats will be parked near Malcesine, ready to leave to Austria for the next Platu 25 International regatta in Ebensee on the Traunsee Lake (21-22 May) and, one week lter, for the 2011 Platu 25 World Championship in Gmunden (28 May-3 June).

Fraglia Vela website