Barcolana 41 win to Jena of Mitja Kosmina

by Event media on 12 Oct 2009
Slovenian yacht Maxi Jena of Mitja Kosmina won Trieste's Barcolana 41, the most popular regatta in the Mediterranean. This year 1789 sail boats of all types and sizes, form 5 to 30 metres long signed up for the race.

At 10am the exciting and breathtaking start of 1789 entrants all at the same time on the start line between Barcola and the castle of Miramare, took place under a blue sky and a warm shiny sun. A difficult beginning due to a very light and shifty wind, sailing tactics and strategies were decisive among the favourites. Tuttatrieste Vitrani of Gabriele Benussi took the lead but was overtaken by Maxi Jena of Slovenia's Mitja Kosmina before the first mark. The second leg was windward and the wind rose and became constant, a nice 10-11 knots Mistral started to blow. Maxi Jena flew ahead and left a big gap behind. Only Amori kept its pace, helmed by Furio Benussi with Federico Moccia and his actors on board. Also Idea Estel with helmsman Alberto Leghissa caught up.

The finale was really exciting with Maxi Jena and Mitja Kosmina who victoriously crossed the finish line at 12,06, winning Barcolana 2009, after 7 second places in the past years, ahead of Idea Estel and Tuttatrieste Vitrani. But the great spectacle was the huge fleet taking part in the Barcolana: owing to a constant wind, it is a record edition also for the number of competitors who finished the race regularly. And along the waterfront, in the city, the party continues, with over 350thousand people who came to watch the race.

Everybody expected a Bora wind, but in the end, Barcolana 41 was swept by a Mistral. A breathtaking show as usual at 10am with 1789 boats on the start line between Barcola and Miramare, under a blue sky and wonderful sunshine. A difficult start due to a very light wind in the first half-hour of race: a Borino wind under 5 knots, with irregular gusts and wind shifts of even 100 degrees. Tactic and strategic choices at the start made the difference, those that make you win or loose the Barcolana. The prize for the best start goes to Tuttatrieste Vitrani of Gabriele Benussi, who picked the right side on the start line and the right time to take the lead, taking advantage of its agility in very light wind conditions. Most of the first leg is a TuttaTrieste Vitrani show, able to gain a good advantage. Behind, the fleet slowly spreads out. On the lee side Maxi Jena (Mitja Kosmina) Amori, with Furio Benussi and Federico Moccia's actors), Idrusa (Paolo Montefusco and Roberto Ferrarese), Fanatic (Enrico Biaggini), Idea Estel (Alberto Leghissa), Esimit Europa (Alberto Bolzan and Flavio Favini). The boats who picked the windward side lag behind and one of the favourites is struggling VOR70 Intermatica Calvi Network (Lorenzo Bodini), victim of a bad start. Maxi Jena jibes at the right moment, attacks and overtakes TuttaTrieste Vitrani 300 metres from the first mark. After rounding the first mark of Barcolana 41 Maxi Jena holds the lead, ahead of Tuttatrieste Vitrani, Fanatic third, Amori fourth, Idrusa fifth, Shining sixth and the others behind. Among the top ten also Vasco 40 the TP52 of Vasco Vascotto. Behind them the show is really exciting, with 1700 boats which slowly sail with a light breeze. After the first mark the fleet spreads out.

The second is a windward leg in which the wind becomes constant, a nice 10-11 knots Mistral. Maxi Jena catches up easily thanks to its power and length on the windward side, while only Amori seems to keep the pace together with Idea Estel. Tacking is reduced to minimum and the boats reach the second mark. The final leg starts with Maxi Jena hoisting the gennaker and flying towards the finish line, 3 minutes ahead of the second, Amori, and 6 minutes of Tuttatrieste Vitrani. Near the coast the Mistral wind calms down and becomes a little irregular, all crews have to do several manoeuvres. Mitja Kosmina's team sails perfectly and after jibing twice it takes the lay-line to the finish. At 12,06 after 2 hours of race he wins the Barcolana. After 7 second places Maxi Jena and Mitja Kosmina finally place their name on the roll of honour of the Barcolana. Behind them, an exciting duel between Idea Estel with Alberto Leghissa and Tuttatrieste Vitrani with Gabriele Benussi which, as the wind calms down, gets closer. On the finish line Idea is second, Tuttatrieste third. Further back coming in fourth Idrusa Calvi Network with Roberto Ferrarese, fifth Amori with Furio Benussi. Shining is disqualified for an early start, excellent 6th place for Esimit Europa, seventh Vasco 40 and eighth Intermatica Calvi Network. Then: 9th Fanatic, 10th the other Tuttatrieste IG Markets with Roberto Distefano, 11th the small and competitive Miss Slovenia with Isao Mita, 12th Austria's Sonic Astro of Robert Rauhofer. The two 80-foot boats Campione del Garda came in 17th (Guglielmo Danelon) and 21st (Mauro Pelaschier) respectively. Placing of other protagonists are: 22nd Il Moro di Venezia of Marino Suban, 26th Atalanta II of Carlo Puri Negri with Elio Petracchi, 52nd Le Stelle Olimpiche with Larissa Nevierov. Thanks to the Mistral and to the wonderful day, this 41st Barcolana will set the record of arrivals of the entire fleet: behind the winners, the show continued. The Barcolana festival met all expectations.

MITJA KOSMINA: 'This is a victory for the whole team.' Smiles, shakes hands, signs autographs, hugs fiends and answers to journalists. The winner of Barcolana 41, Mitja Kosmina who perfectly sailed on Maxi Jena was welcomed by a huge crowd: 'It is the victory of the whole team and I dedicate it to them and to my friend Gianfranco Fantinel. We strongly wanted this success and we did our best, with both our sailing skill and our heart. The Barcolana is a great festival and it's a race no skipper can miss.'

ALBERTO LEGHISSA: 'On the regatta's eve, I would have never thought I would clinch a second place in Barcolana' commented helmsman of Idea Estel, Alberto Leghissa as soon as he got off the boat. 'It's an excellent result, the start was not easy with such a light breeze. Since the yacht is quite big, it has not been easy to get our hundreds of boats surrounding us. When the wind was blowing at around 10 knots we were able to catch up. The Barcolana - concluded Leghissa - gives you unique emotions'.

GABRIELE BENUSSI: 'At a certain point it was like David against Goliath'. Gabrielle Benussi, helmsman of TuttaTrieste Vitrani third overall and first of class, smiles. For a moment he thought he could make it. 'We hoped to round the first mark ahead, but towards the end of the leg giant Maxi Jena overtook to windward. It was nevertheless exciting to hold the lead at the start. Almost dead calm at the beginning enabled us to take a good advantage, but when the north-westerly wind started to blow it was just a question of time. I'm happy Mitja has won this Barcolana. He did a great job with the team and finally achieved a result they really deserve'.

LORENZO BODINI: Intermatica - Calvi Network at the start picked the side towards Miramare on the long starting line, but due to a very light wind, it could not get out of the group and struggles to reach the usual speeds of the Volvo 70. Lorenzo Bodini, skipper and helmsman of Intermatica - Calvi Network said: 'It has been a difficult race, with a light wind, not the ideal conditions for a boat like ours. At the start it was very difficult to find some space'.

VASCO VASCOTTO: 'Certainly it will be one of the Barcolana's that will stay in my heart'. Said Vasco Vascotto from Muggia, who in the eve of the race turned 40, he went out at sea almost by chance crossing the finish line seventh and first of class. 'Until Saturday - smiles Vasco - I did not know if I would race and I was walking around the waterfront. Then a surprise, my friends moored up with the boat Vasco 40. In a second I found boat and crew. A spe