Please select your home edition
Edition
Zhik 2024 December

Victory for Maxi Jena at enlarged Venice Hospitality Challenge

by James Boyd / International Maxi Association 16 Oct 2021 14:42 PDT

The annual Venice Hospitality Challenge grew a scale larger this year with an increased fleet of 16 maxi yachts. As usual the race course was set in the magnificent, unique setting of the San Marco and Guidecca canals, with Venice's famous Piazza San Marco (St Mark's Square), its Basilica and the Palazzo Ducale as its backdrop.

This was the eighth edition of the event, organised by the Yacht Club Venezia with the support of the International Maxi Association, the officially-recognised body that oversees and promotes maxi yacht racing globally. The Venice Hospitality Challenge ties together maxi yacht racing with many of Venice's world-famous hotels, such as the Gritti Palace, Cipriani and Hotel Danieli.

This year it formed part of the celebrations marking the 1600th birthday of the water-born city.

The event started with a parade of sail between Saint 'Elena to just off Piazza San Marco before the race itself set sail at 1355 CEST in 6-8 knots of wind from 335 degrees. With a Race Committee led by Alfredo Ricci and assisted by Gianfranco Frizzarin, Emilia Barbieri and Alina Dix, the course took the boats from the start off Punta della Dogana at the entrance of the Canal Grande to a mark near Saint 'Elena, back to two marks off Piazza San Marco, then to an offset mark off the Guardia di Finanza before returning to the start line, onto another mark off the Hilton Hotel and from there to the finish.

On the congested start line, it was Maxi Jena - Sina Centurion Palace led by Slovenian skipper Milos Radonjic, that got away cleanest. From here the 80ft Andrej Justin design hung on, despite competition from longer potentially faster entries, such as the Furio Benussi-skippered 100ft Arca SGR, to maintain her lead to the finish line which she crossed afer roughly one hour of racing.

Top International Maxi Association yacht to finish was the Slovenian Reichel/Pugh 87, Way of Life (ex Morning Glory), skippered by two time Finn Olympian Gašper Vincec, which came home second behind Maxi Jena. Way of Life was once again representing the Gritti Palace - The Luxury Collection and the hotel's manager, Paolo Lorenzoni, competing on board.

Vincec admitted that they had lost out at the start. "Our approach was not perfect, because there was pressure from all the other maxis, so it was a little bit of a mess. But when we started to sail alone we slowly caught the other boats one by one. It felt romantic, as it always does in Venice!"

The 16 maxis were divided into two classes with the class of smaller maxis won by the Farr 80 Anemos, skippered by Gughi Danelon.

At the prize-giving held at the Zattere, President of the Yacht Club Venezia, Mirko Sguario and the Councilor for Tourism Simone Venturini presented the winners with their trophies in the shape of the Doge's hat, crafted specially by the historic Ars Cenedese glass factory in Murano.

This year's Venice Hospitality Challenge was attended by International Maxi Association President Benoît de Froidmont. At the prize-giving Mirko Sguario appointed de Froidmont as an Ambassador for the Venice Hospitality Challenge, along with double Olympic 49erFX gold medallist Martine Grael and Italian Ruggero Tita, the Nacra 17 gold medallist from Tokyo 2020.

A gala dinner for the Venice Hospitality Challenge is due to take place tonight hosted by the Hilton Molino Stucky.

Among the 16 entries were the America's Cup challenge Il Moro di Venezia and the 1993 Whitbread Round the World Race winner New Zealand Endeavor representing the City of Venice and the Francesco Morosini Military Naval School respectively.

Venice Hospitality Challenge 2021 - Final podia:

Class 1
1 Maxi Jena - Sina Centurion Palace
2 Way of Life - The Gritti Palace
3 Arca SGR - Ca 'Sagredo

Class 2
1 Anemos - JW Marriott
2 Bamar Ancilla - Hotel Excelsior
3 Kiwi - Londra Palace

Hotels participating in the Venice Hospitality Challenge 2021: Bauer Palazzo, Ca 'di Dio VRetreats, Ca' Sagredo Hôtel, SINA Centurion Palace, Hôtel Cipriani, Hôtel Danieli a Luxury Collection Hotel, Hôtel Excelsior Venice Lido Resort, The Gritti Palace a Luxury Collection Hotel Venice, Hilton Molino Stucky Venice, Hotel Londra Palace, JW Marriott Venice Resort & Spa, Palazzina and The St. Regis Venice and Alajmo Ristorante Quadri.

Related Articles

Switch Class Captivates Foiling Week 2025
Dickinson and Schultheis Edge Out Narrow Victories The Switch Class brought the fireworks to Foiling Week 2025 — and it came down to the wire. After four days of sun, speed, and suspense on Lake Garda, the newest class on the foiling scene delivered a debut to remember. Posted today at 9:20 am
First-ever ORC North American champions crowned
Fox, Zammermoos and Teamwork win at Block Island Race Week 2025 After completing the full schedule of races - 9 in the ORC 1 class and 10 in the ORC 2 and 3 classes - three new ORC North American Champion teams have been crowned on Friday at the Storm Trysail Club's 31st biennial Block Island Race Week. Posted today at 6:11 am
Vaikobi Launches V-DRY-X
The New Standard in Grand Prix Sailing Dry Gear Vaikobi, a global leader in high-performance ocean sports apparel, is proud to unveil V-DRY-X: a breakthrough range of sailing dry gear engineered for Grand Prix racing and coastal yachting. Posted on 27 Jun
Rolex Fastnet Race at 100 – the making of a giant
At present 469 yachts have entered this special edition - a far cry from its humble origins in 1925 One month remains until the 26 July start of the Rolex Fastnet Race, this year celebrating both its centenary as well as that of the club it spawned: the Royal Ocean Racing Club. Posted on 27 Jun
America's Cup: Confidential settlement reached
A confidential settlement reached over five year Cup legal claims. New Zealand website, Newsroom has obtained the confidential settlement reached between the America's Cup team Emirates Team New Zealand and their formerly contracted Event Managers, Mayo & Calder, and others associated with the company. Posted on 27 Jun
Crew dynamics will be decisive in Course des Caps
Just two days to go before the start of the first race of the eagerly-awaited 2025 IMOCA season With just two days to go before the start of the first race of the eagerly-awaited 2025 IMOCA season, all eyes are on Boulogne-Sur-Mer as 11 crews prepare to race around the British Isles in the Course des Caps-Boulogne sur Mer-Banque Populaire du Nord. Posted on 27 Jun
2025 Marion to Bermuda Race concludes
Celebrating the remarkable seamanship and sportsmanship of every team After days of strategic sailing, shifting winds, and open-ocean challenges, the results are in—and we're proud to celebrate the remarkable seamanship and sportsmanship of every team that took part. Posted on 27 Jun
29th Superyacht Cup Palma day 2
Linnea Aurora turns the tables as it gets tight at the top A bigger and better breeze welcomed the racing fleet on the second day of the Superyacht Cup Palma 2025, resulting in full-tilt sailing around the 23nm five-leg racecourse. Posted on 27 Jun
CYCS 2025 Tiedemann Classics Regatta preview
Bringing together some of the most beautiful yachts on the water The Classic Yacht Owners Association's annual Classic Yacht Challenge Series (CYCS) kicks off a summer of stunning northeastern sailing with the 2025 Tiedemann Classics Regatta this weekend. Posted on 27 Jun
Kieler Woche Day 8
Mourniac & Retornaz take the lead in the Nacra 17 class A dream day ahead of the second weekend at the Kieler Woche regatta off Schilksee: Moderate to fresh westerly winds with strong gusts, alternating sun and clouds, provided ideal sailing conditions for all participants on Friday. Posted on 27 Jun
Henri-Lloyd Dynamic RangeLloyd Stevenson - AC INEOS 1456x180px BOTTOMHyde Sails 2024 - One Design