Barcolana57 presented by Generali - Overall
by Barcolana 12 Oct 11:16 PDT
1-12 October 2025
More than 400,000 people on land and at sea, victory for Arca SGR skippered by Furio Benussi (who handed the helm to his wife Elisa at the finish line), second place for daughter Marta Benussi and third for Prosecco Doc Shockwave": in Trieste, the world's greatest sailing celebration delivered sporting excellence, festivities and tremendous entertainment.
The 1,865 entries - the highest figure since the post-pandemic era, with approximately 15,000 people aboard sailing boats on a sunny day with moderate winds initially from the east, then from the west - and 1,341 finishers, amongst the highest figures in the regatta's history, confirm the event's unique character: racing to win, racing for fun and racing to express, all together, a shared passion for the sea. At the finish, at 17:30, countless sailors crossed the line thanks to winds that never ceased throughout what was practically a summer's day, with the Rive, Piazza dell'Unità, Borgo Cavana and the hills packed with spectators.
The start of Barcolana57 presented by Generali saw winds from 80 degrees: the morning breeze proved sufficient for an exceptional start with a unique spectacle, leading the crews towards the first mark. Arca SGR gained the fleet's lead, followed by Marta O7 - the boat helmed by Furio Benussi's daughter, eighteen-year-old Marta supported tactically by her uncle Gabriele - with the regatta's other Maxis in hot pursuit.
The leg between Mark 1 and Mark 2 has traditionally been a passage without particular drama: in this edition it became the race's defining moment. With impeccable tactics, Furio Benussi, followed by daughter Marta, found the correct side to remain consistently in the wind, which began shifting until reaching 210 degrees. The transition from easterly to westerly winds allowed father and daughter to establish an enormous lead over their rivals, who instead became trapped in the transitional calm between the two wind systems, effectively deciding the race.
The third leg towards Miramare thus became entirely a "family affair" between the two Benussi crews, magnificently sailed: the particular wind conditions meant that the two boats heading for the finish line crossed through the rear of the fleet, being cheered and celebrated by those participating in the regatta purely for enjoyment, creating a unique atmosphere that unites and encapsulates all the passion for sailing. At the height of mark 3, Arca SGR began its winning charge in front of Miramare Castle, passed beneath the Victory Lighthouse at 12 knots and prepared for Trieste's great embrace after 1 hour, 43 minutes and 42 seconds of racing.
For Arca SGR and Furio Benussi, this marks their third consecutive victory of the trophy, presented by President Gialuz on the Audace pier. Marta 07's second place earned victory in the Generali Women in Sailing Trophy, awarded to the boat's skipper, Giulia Ascione, who collected the prize alongside helmswoman Marta Benussi, a symbol of excellence and the growing female presence in the sailing world.
Aboard the Marta 07 crew, which also included students from Trieste's Nautical Institute, was an exceptional athlete: the incredible Luca Da Prato, Italian Paralympic swimming champion, experiencing his first time aboard a sailing boat.
"A Barcolana like this" - declared President of the Società Velica di Barcola e Grignano Mitja Gialuz - "had truly never been seen before: exceptional attendance on land and at sea, a celebration involving hundreds of thousands of people who share one thing in common: passion for the sea. We have returned to pre-pandemic levels for crew participation and I want to thank all the boat owners who brought their vessels and crews to Trieste to build this great sailing celebration with us, which every year transforms Trieste into the capital of our sport". President Gialuz thanked all the thousand volunteers who worked side by side with the Società Velica di Barcola e Grignano and the Security Forces, on land and at sea: "I must truly thank the Security Forces, who did extraordinary work this year: at the first mark there was sufficient water to manoeuvre and everything went well, despite the impressive number of participants".
Third place went to Prosecco Doc Shockwave": the maxi yacht owned by Claudio Demartis and Pompeo Tria with Mitja Kosmina at the helm. Following in the top ten were Fiamme Gialle Nice with Paolo Cian, Federico Bressan's small Blue, and the long-standing Shining Marina Portorož of Željko Perovic Huck. Seventh place went to Anemos II/Allianz Spa owned by Marco Bono with Tommaso Chieffi at the helm, followed by sister ship Ancilla Domini of Andrea Illy. Ninth and tenth positions went to two boats that have written important pages in Barcolana history: TuttaTrieste 2 with Andrea Nevierov and his son Michele, and Adriatic Europa, with Dušan Puh.
Generali President Andrea Sironi commented: "Barcolana delivered an exciting experience that combines sport, participation and entertainment. The success of this edition demonstrates how sailing can generate positive and lasting impact, attracting thousands of people from Italy and abroad to Trieste and its Gulf to celebrate together a true festival of the sea.
Generali, which has been alongside for over forty years, congratulates skipper Giulia Ascione, helmswoman Marta Benussi and the mixed crew of Marta 07 for winning the Generali Women in Sailing Trophy. Initiatives such as the Women in Sailing by Generali and Barcolana project to spread mixed sailing amongst young people strengthen our commitment to a more equitable society, where talent and passion find space and voice. To all those who made this extraordinary event possible, primarily Barcolana, goes our gratitude".
Among the notable faces in the regatta was the return to Barcolana of America's Cup champion Dean Barker, who at the helm of the RC44 Tangaroa finished 17th overall and second in his category, whilst Wendy Schmidt - who chose to participate at the helm of a 24-foot monohull, after being the 2022 winner aboard Deep Blue and racing last year aboard the 52-metre Elfje - achieved first place among the Melges24 one-designs.
At 17:30 in Piazza Unità, the eagerly awaited draw took place among those registered for Barcolana events: up for grabs was a Honda Jazz Elegance Full Hybrid, which was won by Giovanni Gabassi, owner and helmsman of Lucky Jack. Gabassi, from Yacht Club Adriaco, is an international OSCE official, the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe: "Nothing like this has ever happened to me in my life, it's extraordinary, something incredible. When Mitja called me I couldn't believe it. Our boat is called Lucky Jack, and indeed this edition has been truly fortunate, certainly for winning this Honda, but also because we achieved our best ever result with 257th place. Jack comes from my brother's nickname - he lives in Ferrara, I live in Montenegro, we're a bit scattered but every year for Barcolana we return to Trieste to race with a crew composed of family and friends from Tuscany and Emilia Romagna. An opportunity to reunite and spend time together".