2023 Argentario Sailing Week at Yacht Club Santo Stefano - Day 1
by Tessa Wiechmann 16 Jun 2023 06:18 PDT
14-18 June 2023
Weather conditions for the first day of racing in Tuscany at the 22nd edition of Argentario Sailing Week, kept the tacticians of the Classic and Vintage yachts on their toes from start to finish.
The day started off with hazy skies and a northerly 7-8 knot breeze as the vintage gaff cutters crossed the starting line a little before 12 p.m. By the time the Big Boats put with bow down towards Porto Santo Stefano, the Classic and Classic IOR "Girls" were running towards Giannella beach with a nice 10-11 knot breeze.
Halfway through the course, however, prankster Zephirus temporarily closed the breeze bag to 1-2 knots, and the fleet was left hanging - almost in irons - as the crews waited for the thermal breeze to fill out and veer. Which it certainly did! Gusts up to 23 knots from the west north-west, a good amount of wave and whitecaps were the conditions up the final beat and on the finish line.
The 115 years of sailing history are facing off on the pristine waters of the Tyrrhenian Sea with the Argentario, the islands of Giglio, Montecristo and Elba, and the ancient Roman harbor of Talamone as a stunning backdrop. Racing continues until Sunday, 18 June 2023 with one race per day.
Yesterday evening, owners and crew members attended the welcome cocktail at the Yacht Club Santo Stefano clubhouse overlooking the Gulf, enjoying local delicacies and toasting to the much loved event in Porto Santo Stefano. On Thursday morning, before the Skippers' briefing the Mayor of Monte Argentario officially welcomed participants.
As always, the Grandes Dames of the Sea are moored in Pilarella, the ancient port of Porto S. Stefano, where tourists and enthusiasts can admire the yachts up close from the pier promenade.
Day 1 - Big Boats:
1. Viveka (1929-Paine), Keith Mills
2. Hallowe'en (1926-Fife), Inigo Strez
3. Mariella (1938-Mylne), Carlo Falcone
Day 1 - Vintage:
1. Comet (1946-Sparkman & Stephens) Woodward - Fisher
2. Stormy Weather Of Cowes (1934-Sparkman & Stephens), Christopher Spray
3. Baruna of 1938 (1938-Sparkman & Stephens) Tara Getty
Day 1 - Vintage Gaff Cutters:
1. Spartan (1913-Herreshoff) NGH Restoration
2. Chinook (1916-Herreshoff) Paolo Zannoni
3. Viola (1908-Fife) Kostin Belkin
Day 1 - Classics:
1. Crivizza (1966-Buchanan) Ariella Cattai & Luigi Rolandi
2. Voscia'-(1959-Sparkman & Stephens) Giancarlo Lodigiani
3: St Christopher (1968-Sparkman & Stephens) Valentin Martin
Day 1 - Classics IOR:
1. Gemini (1983-Valicelli), Italian Navy-Marina Militare Italiana - Marina Militare
2. Ojala' II (1973-Sparkman & Stephens) Susan Carol Holland
3. Vanessa (1974-Carcano) owned by Patrizio Bertelli
Day 1 - Spirit of Tradition:
1. Albelimar III-(1977-Sciarrelli) Marco Claudio Corneli
2. Dream (1976-Sparkman & Stephens) Francesco Pennisi Persio
3. Toi e Moi (2018-Dykstra Naval Architects) Alessandro Rinaldi (YCSS)