Sardinia RS Aero & OpenSkiff Team Race World Championship - Day 2
by Elena Giolai 9 Nov 2025 05:11 AEDT
13-16 November 2025
The second day of the Sardinia Team Race, first weekend dedicated to the RS Aero Under 25 fleet, once again opened under unstable weather conditions, with a storm system circling around Cagliari throughout the morning.
As on Friday, patience paid off: by early afternoon the wind settled, allowing the rapid succession of the scheduled matches, and from that moment on the show was non-stop.
With the teams now significantly more coordinated and increasingly comfortable with the tactical dynamics of team racing, the level on the water rose sharply. Spectators witnessed intense action, with tight crossings, textbook covers, accelerations and dramatic lead changes up to the final mark. It was particularly exciting to see very young sailors, some at their first international team-racing experience, winning key matches, a clear reflection of the technical development and adaptability this format encourages.
With today's full programme completed, the round robin concluded with each of the nine teams racing eight matches. Italy 1 (Filippo Vincis & Alice Sussarello) leads the provisional standings with seven wins out of eight, their only defeat coming in the derby against Italy 2. Close behind, Belgium 2 (Riccardo Serra & Emma Vanhooff), Monaco (Riccardo Hai Gessa & Chiara Sussarello) and Italy 2 (Andrea De Matteis & Lidia Farci) are all tied on six wins from eight, after a strong and tactically sharp day on the water. Sweden follows with four wins, Romania with three, and Belgium 1 with two. Ukraine and Argentina close the table.
The official round robin ranking sets up the semifinal pairings, ahead of the final showdown:
- Italy 1 vs Italy 2
- Belgium 2 vs Monaco
Tomorrow brings the decisive day: the top four teams will battle in the semifinals and finals, while the remaining five will compete in the King of the Castle, a ladder-format series where each match allows the winning team to climb one step, aiming for the fifth overall position.
Forecasts indicate strong Mistral winds easing later in the morning. The racing venue, inside the sheltered basin off Su Siccu, offers partial protection and will allow the Race Committee to take advantage of the most favourable windows to complete the programme, with the first warning signal scheduled for 11:00. This opening stage of the Sardinia Team Race World Championship, dedicated to the RS Aero 5 class, is heading into its final phase with growing anticipation for Sunday's title-deciding matches. Next weekend the spotlight will shift to the young sailors of the OpenSkiff class for the second half of this lively and highly entertaining world team-racing event.
The regatta is organised by Lega Navale Italiana Sulcis, under the authority of the Italian Sailing Federation, with the support of the Tourism Department of the Sardinia Region, and hosted by Società Canottieri Ichnusa, offering direct access to the Su Siccu basin, between the Marina di Bonaria and the Luna Rossa base, an ideal venue for fast, tactical team-racing courses.
Teams in the semifinals:
- Italy 1 - Filippo Vincis & Alice Sussarello (white bibs, reigning European Champions)
- Belgium 2 - Riccardo Serra & Emma Vanhooff (pink bibs)
- Monaco - Riccardo Hai Gessa & Chiara Sussarello (red bibs)
- Italy 2 - Andrea De Matteis & Lidia Farci (light blue bibs)
Photo gallery
Results & programme
Event website