XVI Viareggio Historic Sails Meeting - Preview
by Paolo Maccione 30 Jul 2021 03:21 NZST
14-17 October 2021
Club Nautico Versilia © P. Maccione
To confirm a gradual return to normality, after the 2020 season understandably was cancelled by the pandemic, registrations are officially open for the XVI Viareggio Historic Sails Meeting.
The two organizing associations of the event, Vele Storiche Viareggio and Club Nautico Versilia, are preparing to welcome the fleet of vintage, classic and traditional boats from 14 to 17 October 2021 which, in addition to competing in exciting regattas at sea, will give life along the quays of Viareggio to the first floating museum of Versilia.
The boats can be admired for free by the public, who will have the opportunity to find out about their history and characteristics indicated on special panels placed in front of each hull.
The fleet will be divided into a series of groupings based on their characteristics, which will also include fiberglass boats according to a criterion recognized by Vele Storiche.
All entries will compete for the Viareggio Historic Sails Trophy, while the hulls built by the well-known Ligurian shipyard Sangermani will compete for the prestigious Challenge Trophy reserved for them. The awards ceremony will take place on Sunday afternoon.
As in the last past editions, also this year the presence of a fleet of the historic 5.5 Meter class is confirmed, which will race separately on a course and with a jury dedicated to them.
But the absolute novelty of 2021 will be the presence, albeit limited to a few hulls, of the classic 12 dinghies, dating from 1913. The boats, towed by the nearby Torre del Lago, will arrive in Viareggio through the channel that connects the lake of Massaciuccoli.
The event, considered the last appointment in the Mediterranean dedicated to boats of this type, is now chosen by many owners as the event to end the season in style before the winter break.
The event is sponsored by AIVE, the Italian Vintage Sails Association founded in 1982 and by FIV, the Italian Sailing Federation.
Yacht club websites: www.velestoricheviareggio.org / www.clubnauticoversilia.it