2026 Open Skiff Eurochallenge and RS Aero National Regatta in Porto Rotondo - Overall
by Elena Giolai 6 Apr 03:37 PDT
3-5 April 2026
Three days of racing came to a close in Porto Rotondo, where Yacht Club Porto Rotondo organised the opening round of the Open Skiff Eurochallenge together with the RS Aero National Regatta, under the authority of the Italian Sailing Federation and in collaboration with the Open Skiff and RS Aero classes.
The event once again confirmed Porto Rotondo as a race venue of outstanding beauty and strong technical value.
The Open Skiff regatta brought together sailors aged 9 to 17 in the Under 13 and Under 17 categories, with 72 entries in the older fleet and 45 in the Under 13s. Nine nations were represented on the water, including India and the United States. Conditions changed significantly throughout the event. After an almost wintry opening, the weather improved and delivered bright, sunny days, while the breeze, especially on the final day, proved highly variable in both direction and strength.
From a sporting point of view, the Under 17 fleet completed nine races, enough to bring the second discard into play. The Under 13s finished with seven races, as lighter winds on the second and third days led to the abandonment of some races already under way. Overall, the event was widely appreciated by sailors, coaches and accompanying teams, also thanks to the efficiency of the race management. The Race Committee, chaired by Alessandro De Felice, made the most of every available wind window together with the on-water team.
"I would like to thank everyone who contributed to the success of the event, offering these young sailors three wonderful days of sport and shared experiences. Special thanks go to Marina di Porto Rotondo, which hosted the RIBs used by coaches, umpires and mark-laying teams, and to everyone who worked at this early stage of the season to ensure that sailors, families and support teams could already find hospitality facilities in operation. It was truly a team effort," said Corrado Fara during the prize-giving ceremony. Fara is president of the organising club as well as of the Italian Sailing Federation's III Sardinia Zone.
"Running Open Skiff and RS Aero racing at the same time involves considerable complexity, with many marks on the water and different courses depending on class and category. It was a demanding challenge, but one that was successfully overcome thanks to the cooperation and commitment of everyone involved," added Guido Sirolli, president of the Open Skiff and RS Aero classes, who was also racing in Porto Rotondo.
Open Skiff EuroChallenge
In the Under 13 fleet, the leading positions remained unchanged from the opening day. Poland's Filip Zbyryt secured a clear overall victory ahead of Lorenzo Spagnolo and Gabriele Lizzulli. India's Kumar Bhat finished fourth, tied on points with third place. In the girls' ranking, Poland again came out on top, with Róza Kowalik taking the win and finishing fifth overall. She was followed by Cloe Bellosi, from the club that will host the next Italian national regatta on Elba Island in early May, and Cecilia Parise.
In the Under 17 fleet, overall victory stayed in Sardinia thanks to Fabio Serra, who successfully defended the lead he had taken on day two. Behind him came Poland's Paulina Szczepa, first female, and fellow Polish sailor Jakub Burnus, second among the boys. Third place went to Manuel Albanese. In the Under 17 girls' standings, Szczepa was followed by Aurora Milanese and Germany's Mila Weniger.
RS Aero National Regatta
The RS Aero National Regatta also delivered a strong level of competition, with several local sailors standing out. In RS Aero 5, Riccardo Hai Gessa dominated the fleet, finishing ahead of Andrea Carboni and Chiara Sussarello, who placed third overall and was the top female sailor. Also impressive was Giorgio Nocella, who finished fourth overall, just one point short of the podium.
The RS Aero 6 fleet was more closely contested, with Filippo Vincis taking victory by two points over Enrico Loi. Riccardo Serra finished third, tied on points with second place, while Alice Sussarello was the top female sailor in the fleet. In RS Aero 7, Guido Sirolli claimed victory ahead of Luigi Pintaldi and Aldo Prosperini.
The next national regattas for both the Open Skiff and RS Aero classes will take place from 1 to 3 May on Elba Island. Looking further ahead, anticipation is already building for the Open Skiff World Championship, scheduled for late July in Calasetta, once again in Sardinia.
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