Olympic bronze medallist Jo Richards returns for the 76th CentoMiglia Internazionale del Garda
by Elena Giolai 22 Aug 03:21 PDT
5-6 September 2026
Full Pelt, with Jo Richards and Leo Larcher aboard, during the 2009 CentoMiglia, which they went on to win © Elena Giolai
Entries continue to come in for the 5-6 September race organised by Circolo Vela Gargnano, bringing boats and names closely linked to the history of the event back to Lake Garda.
Seventeen years after winning aboard Full Pelt, Olympic bronze medallist Jo Richards (Flying Dutchman, Los Angeles 1984) will return to the starting line alongside Leo Larcher aboard TIGGER, a modified RS21 prepared for ORC racing.
With less than three weeks to go until the 76th CentoMiglia Internazionale del Garda, new entries continue to add interest to the fleet, bringing back to Lake Garda some well-known names from the sailing world and from the history of the race. Among them is Jo Richards, the British yacht designer and sailor who returns to the CentoMiglia seventeen years after taking overall victory in 2009 aboard Full Pelt, a boat extensively modified and developed by Richards himself. That success also marked the first CentoMiglia victory by a British boat. Also aboard Full Pelt was Leonardo "Leo" Larcher, a member of Circolo Vela Gargnano, who will race alongside Richards once again in 2026. This time the pair will be aboard TIGGER, GBR 2614, a modified RS21, adapted from its original one-design configuration and prepared to compete under ORC.
The choice is particularly interesting as Richards is also one of the designers behind the RS21, one of today's most popular one-design keelboats. His relationship with the CentoMiglia also includes another boat well remembered on Lake Garda, Stravaganza, a distinctive project featuring an unusual canting keel. Full Pelt, Stravaganza and now TIGGER therefore represent three different chapters in the relationship between Richards, yacht design and the CentoMiglia.
Richards' career also includes an Olympic bronze medal in the Flying Dutchman class at the Los Angeles 1984 Olympic Games, won together with Peter Allam. The return of Richards and Larcher adds another notable name to the fleet of the 76th CentoMiglia, with further boats and crews set to emerge as entries continue to arrive over the coming days. The 76th CentoMiglia Internazionale del Garda will start from Gargnano on 5 September and, over two days, will take the fleet across virtually the entire length of Lake Garda. The first day will head towards the southern part of the lake, along the Lombardy and Veneto shores, with a course mark near Desenzano, positioned slightly further north than originally planned to allow for the flypast of the Frecce Tricolori, the Italian Air Force aerobatic team.
On 6 September, the race will head north towards Garda Trentino, with two marks near Torbole, before returning south along the Veneto shore. A new course mark at Navene will make its debut this year, before the fleet heads back to Gargnano in Lombardy. The course will therefore embrace the whole of Lake Garda and the territories of the three Italian regions bordering it.
Organised by Circolo Vela Gargnano under the authority of the Italian Sailing Federation, the event is made possible thanks to the contribution of the Municipality of Gargnano, its Departments for Commerce, Sport and Tourism and for Culture, Pro Loco Gargnano and This is Gargnano, together with the support of the event's official partners. Fineco, one of Europe's leading fintech banks, is the Main Sponsor of the 76th CentoMiglia del Garda. Alongside Fineco, Cantieri del Pardo will play an active role on the water. One motorboat will be used on the starting line as a "rabbit", with the racing boats required to cross the line astern of it, while a second boat will be dedicated to hospitality, offering the opportunity to follow some of the most exciting moments of the race at close quarters.
Among this year's new partners is Heineken, which will accompany the three days of the event with beer offered to the sailors. Wyler Vetta will be the race's Official Timekeeper, while Hotel Eala, with a course mark located near the hotel during Sunday's race, Turboden, A2A Life Company and Euroimmobiliare continue their support. The involvement of Consorzio Lago di Garda Lombardia further strengthens the connection between the CentoMiglia and its territory, highlighting the event as an opportunity to promote Lake Garda, its communities and its distinctive qualities. This commitment is also shared by Fonte Tavina and Consorzio Valtenesi, authentic expressions of a region that supports one of Lake Garda's most representative sailing events.