RocketNikka: new challenge, unchanged passion
by Emanuel Richelmy 14 Apr 21:28 PDT
RocketNikka is launched © @FabioTaccola
A new challenge driven by the same relentless passion. RocketNikka is the yacht that marks Roberto Lacorte's return to offshore handicap racing. An entrepreneur, sailor, and racing driver, Lacorte is already known as the owner and helmsman of the groundbreaking FlyingNikka.
Launched yesterday at the Costa Etrusca shipyard in Punta Ala, Tuscany—home base of the team—RocketNikka is a sleek, sub-16-metre monohull of the wallyrocket51 class, built by Wally Yachts with a clear ambition: to be the fastest racing yacht in the world on corrected time.
A pure, modern racer, RocketNikka will be campaigned by the Nikka Racing Team, led by Lacorte, following on from the successful Mini Maxi SuperNikka project and alongside the ongoing FlyingNikka foiling programme.
The team is set to compete in three major international events in 2026: the ORC World Championship in Sorrento (May 5-14), the Range Rover Sardinia Cup in Porto Cervo (June 1-7), and the Rolex Middle Sea Race (Malta, October 17).
At the Sardinia Cup, RocketNikka will be one of two boats representing the Yacht Club Repubblica Marinara di Pisa, chaired by Lacorte, in the much-anticipated return of this historic team regatta.
The crew brings together top international talent, with Lacorte at the helm alongside Team Manager Alessio Razeto and a line-up including Lorenzo Bressani, Enrico Zennaro, Silvio Arrivabene, Diego Negri, Lorenzo De Felice, Matteo Celon, Giulio Desiderato, Marco Carpinello, Filippo Vulcanile, Nikolay Kornev, Federico Giovannelli and Emilia Cortesi. Andrea Fornaro joins as coach.
"We've built a strong, ambitious team, exactly what a boat like RocketNikka demands", said Lacorte. "She has huge potential, but it needs to be pushed to the limit to deliver results. Returning to handicap racing around the buoys with a cutting-edge platform like the wallyrocket51 is a natural next step for us. The goal is clear: to compete in the great team events that have shaped offshore sailing, the Sardinia Cup this year and the Admiral's Cup in the UK next season. Our first days training in Punta Ala have only confirmed we made the right choice. She's a fantastic boat".
The wallyrocket51 design is the result of a collaboration between Botin Partners, responsible for naval architecture and structural engineering, the Wally Design Team, and Studio Santa Maria Magnolfi, with input from renowned sailors Vasco Vascotto and Guillermo Parada.
"We're very encouraged by the growth of the Wally Rocket class", said Vittorio Blengini, Custom Business Sales Director at Ferretti Group. "With RocketNikka joining the fleet, three wallyrocket51 yachts will line up at the ORC Worlds in Sorrento before competing across the Mediterranean's majors events. 2026 marks an important consolidation phase for the class, and we wish all owners and crews fair winds".
Alongside representing the Yacht Club Repubblica Marinara di Pisa, RocketNikka will also race under the burgee of Yacht Club Punta Ala, Yacht Club Italiano and the New York Yacht Club, with support from North Sails for sails and team apparel.