Vaquita takes RAN 630 Line Honours by just one minute over Lunatika
by Giuliano Luzzatto 30 Apr 13:42 PDT
30 April 2024
RAN 630 - Vaquita © RAN 630 / Cecilia Biagi
The Class40 Vaquita crossed the finish line positioned in front of the Naval Academy in Livorno first, followed by just one minute by the SunFast 3600 Lunatika, winner overall and Double Handed under both, ORC and IRC corrected time.
Exactly one minute, just one minute after 5 days, 7 hours and 39 minutes of racing, this was the final gap between the first two boats to finish the seventh edition of the RAN 630 - Regatta of the Naval Academy, at 1:40 a.m. on April 29.
Vaquita, strong in her bigger length dominated all the way to the Porto Cervo mark, thus winning the One Ocean Trophy but, on the second waypoint of the RAN 630 set in front of the Faraglioni of Capri, it was Lunatika that was ahead by only 6 minutes. On the upward passage to Livorno, it was a game of tactics and coverage that saw the two boats swap position several times. With less than three miles to go, Vaquita was caught in a wind hole that Lunatika was able to avoid, taking the lead in very light, choppy air. A subsequent strengthening of the night breeze, about 8-9 knots, allowed Vaquita of skipper Alessio Bernabò to win a tension-filled final sprint. Liberating was the shout of joy after the finish of the Livorno skipper and his crew, composed of Flavia Onore, Marco Marmegg and Gabriele Migami.
Great smiles also aboard Lunatika, for the overall win on ORC handicap time that allows the crew formed by Guido Baroni and Alessandro Miglietti to defend the Naval Academy Regatta Trophy, won in the past edition, as well as win the Double Handed category.
In the early hours of the afternoon, Luca Bettiati's Figaro 3 Muttley - BDM Audit heeled by Gherardo Maviglia's Amapola II finished in order in the ORC A class as well. In the evening the First 47.7 Audace, led in Double Handed by 'Beppe' Agliardi and Pasquale Volpe, crossed the finish line first in the Grand Cruiser class. The rest of the fleet is expected by tomorrow evening, May 1.
Livorno Yacht Club President, Professor Gian Luca Conti said, "It was an extremely technical regatta played on strategy like a naval battle in Nelson's time. Vaquita and Lunatika, Muttley - BDM Audit and Amapola II, in the top positions, crossed each other from the start to the finish which was decided by a single minute in the early hours of the morning. The support of the Academy and its commanding admiral was never lacking and was the real driving force of the regatta, as always. Thank you to each and every one of us for making these days unforgettable."
The RAN 630 is part of the International Sailing Week Naval Academy - City of Livorno and organized by the Livorno Yacht Club in collaboration with the Naval Academy and the Livorno MM Sailing Section "Riccardo Gorla," is held under the aegis of FIV and UVAI and is a valid race for the Italian Offshore Championship with coefficient 3.
Since the first edition in 2018, the RAN 630 has adhered to the ethical principles for the protection of the sea promoted by One Ocean Foundation's Charta Smeralda, the regatta's Sustainability partner. In the last edition, competitors were offered the Responsible Ecological Officer on Board (RECO) initiative, a new crew figure responsible for good practices in sustainability and protection of the sea, which this year became an integral part of the FIV Regulations for offshore racing.
Officine Gullo, Italian excellence in the production of high-end kitchens, is also the main sponsor for the 2024 edition of the RAN 630. Official Timekeeper is Elba island-based watchmaker Locman, which will offer some of its timepieces to the winners.