Please select your home edition
Edition
Henri-Lloyd Dynamic Range

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

A more sustainable Transat Café L'OR edition
The race aims to be innovative and a driving force for the transitions taking place in ocean racing For the upcoming 17th edition, the TRANSAT CAFÉ L'OR Le Havre Normandie is stepping up its commitments to take better care of the earth's climate and the natural, living planet. Posted today at 10:28 am
Engedinwing 2025 WingFoil Racing World Cup preview
The world's most daring wingfoilers are heading for the heights... literally The world's most daring wingfoilers are heading for the heights - literally - as the Ensis ENGEDINWING 2025 WingFoil Racing World Cup Switzerland descends on lake Silvaplana. Posted today at 9:19 am
Diverse maxi fleet ready for Loro Piana Giraglia
Inshore/coastal racing prior to the event's famous offshore race to Genoa The International Maxi Association's 2025 Mediterranean Maxi Inshore Challenge (MMIC) continues tomorrow, Saturday 7 June with the first of four days of inshore/coastal race of Loro Piana Giraglia, organised by the Yacht Club Italiano Posted today at 9:04 am
Marine Auctions: June online auctions
Bidding to open on Friday 20th June The Bidding for the June Online Auction will commence on Thursday 20th June and will end on Thursday 26th June at 2pm AEST. Posted today at 5:19 am
2025 Santa Maria Cup in Annapolis, USA Day 3
Nicole Breault and Allie Blecher to meet in the final USA's Nicole Breault / Vela Racing and Allie Blecher / Team Baam have both advanced to the final of the Santa Maria Cup in Annapolis, the second stage of the 2025 Women's World Match Racing Tour championship. Posted today at 4:48 am
Scandinavian Gold Cup at Sopot, Poland Day 2
Three boats are now through to the final stage Three boats are now through to the final stage of the Scandinavian Gold Cup in Sopot, Poland. Aspire, Marie-Françoise XXII and Artemis (NOR 57, Kristian Nergaard, Johan Barne Trond, Solli-Sæther) have each won one race each. Posted today at 1:48 am
49er, 49erFX and Nacra 17 Europeans Day 4
Bergmann with Wille keep their nerve to move into FX lead Olympic veterans in the 49erFX Marla Bergmann with Hanna Wille (GER) kept their nerve and used their speed to move into the lead, scoring the fewest points on day 4. Posted on 6 Jun
Windies Multihull Trophy winners announced
Thirty multihulls competed across eighteen events from Barbados to the British Virgin Islands. With the conclusion of the 2025 season, the Caribbean Sailing Association's Budget Marine Windies Multihull Trophy results are in! Posted on 6 Jun
Galicia 52 Super Series Royal Cup Day 4
Hutchinson adding the missing element as American Magic Quantum Racing close in on title Now holding a 13-points lead after today's two races contested at the Galicia 52 Super Series Royal Cup, American Magic Quantum Racing crew are on the cusp of completing their first 52 SUPER SERIES regatta win since victory in Barcelona in September 2022. Posted on 6 Jun
Emirates GBR looking to bounce back
At the Mubadala New York Sail Grand Prix this weekend Emirates GBR Driver Dylan Fletcher said the team was "looking to bounce back" at the Mubadala New York Sail Grand Prix this weekend, following a "tough time" at the back-to-back US events in LA and San Francisco in March. Posted on 6 Jun
Hyde Sails 2024 - One DesignLloyd Stevenson - AC Alinghi 1456x180px BOTTOMC-Tech 2021 SnuffAir 728x90 BOTTOM