Venice Hospitality Challenge Preview: Great sailing returns to the heart of Venice
by Venice Hospitality Challenge 3 Oct 2024 17:04 AEST
19 October 2024
Venice Hospitality Challenge © Carlo Borlenghi
The eleventh edition of the Venice Hospitality Challenge is ready to start: on Saturday 19 October at 1.30pm, as per tradition, the spectacular jets of water from the Panfido tugboats will announce the start of the only regatta which runs from start to finish in the internal waters of a city.
A sporting event unrepeatable anywhere else in the world but also a flagship in the calendar of the Venice Yacht Club which, captained by Mirko Sguario, has achieved decades of success by bringing the excellence of sailing to the heart of Venice.
The 11th edition of the regatta sees Ca' Sagredo Hotel, Hotel Danieli, Ca' di Dio VRetreats, Hotel Excelsior, The Gritti Palace, Londra Palace, JW Marriott, Nolinski Venezia, Palazzina, St. Regis, SINA Centurion Palace, Palazzo Venart Luxury Hotel and Alajmo Ristorante Quadri at its side. Each hotel is paired with a vessel, in addition to Il Moro di Venezia and New Zealand Endeavour competing respectively for the Municipality of Venice-Salone Nautico and the "Francesco Morosini" Naval Military School.
An important novelty this year is the first participation of the Coast Guard with the Gipsea boat, seized from organized crime. Led by internationally renowned skippers, there will be seventeen Teams competing on the regatta field for the coveted Doge's hat, which this year was made in the furnaces of the New Murano Gallery glassworks in 18 numbered copies signed by Maestro Mario Furlan.
Venice Hospitality Challenge 2024 - Teams: (Maxi Yacht - Hotel - Skipper)
Idrusa - Alajmo - Ristorante Quadri - Paolo Montefusco
Kiwi - Ca' Di Dio VRetreats-LILT - Andrea Pesaresi
Arca SGR - Ca' Sagredo - Furio Benussi
Pegaso - Sina Centurion Palace - Roberto Zambelli
Adriatic Europa - Hotel Danieli - Dusan Puh
Prosecco Doc Shockwave 3 - Hotel Excelsior - Mitja Kosmina
Anemos II - JW Marriott - Mauro Pelaschier
Only Lu - Londra Palace - Liam Orel
Clean Sport One - Nolinski Venezia - Jure Orel
Flying Dragon - Palazzina - Camillo Galliani
Anywave - St. Regis - Alberto Leghissa
Shining - Palazzo Venart - Zeljko Perovich Huck
Ancilla Domini - The Gritti Palace - Caterina Banti
Il Moro di Venezia - Comune-Salone Nautico - Dudi Coletti
New Zealand Endeavour - Sc. Morosini - Marina Militare - Mauro Magarotto
Phantom - Yacht Club Venezia/LILT - Giorgio Pitter
Gipsea - Guardia Costiera - Marcello Calandrino
Program
Thursday, October 17 at Zattere: arrival of boats and mooring.
Friday, October 18 at Zattere: 18:30 "The city meets the skippers".
Saturday 19 October at 11.00 crew briefing at Palazzo Zattere, departure at approximately 13.30: the public will be able to admire the entire regatta up close and the boats at the mooring thanks to a floating dock over 70 meters long built by the Boscolo Bielo Group and positioned in the Giudecca Canal. The awards ceremony is scheduled for around 17.00 at the VYP dock where for the first time the Barcolana Venice Hospitality Trophy will also be awarded, a Challenge trophy for the best classified boat considering the best tests in the Barcolana Maxi Trofeo Portopiccolo and Venice Hospitality Challenge.
As for the social aspect, Venice Hospitality Challenge and the Yacht Club Venezia are once again alongside the Italian League for the fight against cancer: the maxi yacht Kiwi will also compete for LILT while the Vaporetto Rosa, a hybrid vessel with low environmental impact, will accompany the regatta to spread the importance of breast cancer prevention. The commitment to the environment is realized by providing crews with clothing obtained by recycling plastic bottles from Mureadritta: a choice in line with what the Municipal Administration is aiming for Venice, a unique place in the world where it is impossible to place a border between city and nature with certainty.
Venice Hospitality Challenge is sponsored by the Municipality of Venice and the Northern Adriatic Sea Port System Authority. It benefits from the support of partners Vela Spa, Salone Nautico Venezia, Marina Militare, Capitaneria di Porto, Guardia Costiera and FIV. Gold sponsors Generali Italia and VISA and sponsors Boscolo Bielo, New Murano Gallery, MureaDritta,, Panfido, VYP Venice Yacht Pier, Select, Acqua Dolomia, Alilaguna, Assonautica Venezia, Portodimare. Media Partners: Barche, Excellence Magazine, Venezia Made in Veneto, Venezia Unica, Lagunamare and Wonder Cortina.