2026 Open Skiff Eurochallenge and RS Aero National Regatta in Porto Rotondo - Day 2
by Elena Giolai 4 Apr 11:44 PDT
3-5 April 2026
A splendid second day in Porto Rotondo for the opening stage of the O'pen Skiff Eurochallenge and the 1st RS Aero National Regatta, organised by Yacht Club Porto Rotondo in collaboration with the Italian Sailing Federation, O'pen Skiff and RS Aero Italia.
After the strong winds of the previous days, today the racecourse delivered brilliant sunshine and a breeze that gradually settled in, allowing all fleets to go out and race. These conditions enabled the race committee to complete three races for all fleets, except for the O'pen Skiff Under 13s, who completed two races after the third race of the day was abandoned due to the increasing time needed to reach the first windward mark, which would have exceeded the time limit set by the rules. With the discard now in effect, the standings are becoming clearer ahead of the final day, and in several classes the battle for the podium is getting exciting.
The international character of the event continues to be especially evident in the O'pen Skiff fleet, with a particularly strong Polish presence. Nine nations are competing: Italy, Poland, India, Hungary, Germany, the United States, the British Virgin Islands, Lithuania and Switzerland.
In the O'pen Skiff Under 13 fleet, Poland's Filip Zbyryt remains in the lead on 10 points, helped by today's 2-1 scoreline. Four points behind him is Lorenzo Spagnolo, who opened the day with a race win followed by a fourth place. Also on 14 points and tied for second is Gabriele Lizzulli, who found the lighter breeze more challenging today, posting an 8-17, with the latter discarded. In fourth place on 19 points is India's Bhat Kumar Gururaja, who instead enjoyed an excellent day in the lighter conditions with a 3-2. Poland's Róza Kowalik is the top female sailor, in fifth overall.
In the O'pen Skiff Under 17 fleet, Sardinia's Fabio Serra moves into the lead after an impressive day built on a 3-2-1 series, enough to put him on top of the leaderboard. Poland's Paulina Szczepa, top female sailor, moves into second place, while Manuel Albanese remains on the provisional podium. Also worth highlighting is the outstanding performance of Poland's Jakub Burnus, who scored two race wins and a fourth today to climb to fourth overall.
In the RS Aero classes, Sardinian sailors continue to play a leading role. In RS Aero 5, Riccardo-Hai Gessa holds a solid lead with 5 points and a clear 12-point advantage over second place. After five wins, today he closed with a second place, later discarded. Behind him is Andrea Carboni, while Giorgio Nocella climbs to third after a strong recovery capped by victory in the final race of the day. In fourth overall and first female is Pavitra Tripaldi, after a positive day marked by 3-2-4 race results.
The RS Aero 6 fleet is extremely close, with Filippo Vincis and Riccardo Serra sharing the lead on 9 points each. Vincis holds provisional first thanks to today's 3-3-1, while Serra replied with a very solid 2-1-2, once again showing remarkable consistency. Just 2 points behind the leaders is Enrico Loi in third, after opening the day with a race win followed by a second and a third. In fourth overall and first female is Alice Sussarello, consistently holding top positions.
In RS Aero 7, Luigi Pintaldi remains in front. After three wins on the opening day, he found today's conditions slightly less favourable but defended well with three consecutive third places. Behind him are Aldo Prosperini and Guido Sirolli.
From an organisational point of view, the on-water team coordinated by Yacht Club Porto Rotondo once again managed the two race areas and the many support boats efficiently, in a day that made the most of the racecourse and the joint work of Italian Sailing Federation race officials and umpires, the O'pen Skiff and RS Aero Italia class representatives, and the entire event staff. After the first day warm-up, the organisation performed at its best today, in a setting that requires not only fleet management but also careful coordination of juries and umpires, especially in the O'pen Skiff races with on-water umpiring.
There is also great satisfaction with the performances of the Sardinian sailors, who are featuring prominently across several fleets and once again confirming how deeply rooted both the O'pen Skiff and RS Aero classes are on the island. Alongside the international participation, sailors from many Italian regions, from north to south, are also racing in Porto Rotondo.
Tomorrow, Easter Sunday, the event will conclude with several categories still wide open. With the discard now in play, many positions have become more stable, but in more than one fleet the final outcome will only be decided on the last day. Tomorrow as well, the first warning signal is scheduled for 11:00.
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