Palermo-Montecarlo 2024 Prizegiving
by Palermo-Montecarlo 27 Aug 20:48 NZST
20-25 August 2024
The prize-giving ceremony of an offshore regatta is always a celebration, memories of sailing, small great feats, waves and wind for days and nights intersect, all to be shared with friends and competitors, in pure sailing spirit. The 19th edition of Palermo-Montecarlo, organized by the Circolo della Vela Sicilia (the club that flanks Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli in its challenge to the America's Cup), together with the Yacht Club Costa Smeralda and the Yacht Club de Monaco, is no exception. Indeed, the final party is always a moment not to be missed, on the main "deck" of the Yacht Club de Monaco, with the evening that, with awards, prizes, trophies, buffet, music and dancing, continues beyond sunset.
Thus ended another splendid edition of the Palermo-Montecarlo, which confirms the growth of the regatta in the consideration of shipowners, sailors and sailing champions. And which will turn twenty in 2025. We will start again with the 51 registered and 45 starters of this edition, from the new record of the regatta set by Black Jack, lowering the previous one by three hours, from 47 to 44 hours. From the 12 nations represented, with half of the international fleet, of many great names in sailing present, from Bouwe Bekking, Stu Ballantyne, Simon Doubney to Pietro D'Alì, Marc Bradford, Dean Phipps, from Alberto Riva, Luca Rosetti, Matteo Sericano, Alessandro Torresani to Michele Regolo, Enrico Zennaro, Gaetano Figlia di Granara, Edoardo Bonanno, Roberto Spata, Andrea Caracci and many others. From Race Director Giancarlo Crevatin and a high-level regatta management staff, like all the collaborators and volunteers of the three organizing clubs.
The collaboration between the Club and the Fondazione Sicilia will also be remembered, to promote the ROSALIA400 project during the regatta, a series of initiatives for the 400th anniversary of the discovery of the remains of the city's patron saint, created with the support of the European project CHANGES: Cultural Heritage Active Innovation for Next-Gen Sustainable Society PNRR, with the artistic direction of Laura Barreca.
The evening of the awards ceremony saw the stage light up with the images and names of the winners, who are many including in addition to the two main trophies also the podiums regarding the passages at the gate of Porto Cervo and the various categories in Monte Carlo. The awards were presented among others by Bernard D'Alessandri, General Secretary of the YC de Monaco, and Ninni Majolino, sports director of CV Sicilia. Below we summarize all the winners.
Giuseppe Tasca d'Almerita Trophy to Black Jack 100, owner Remon Vos, which holds the new official record of the Palermo-Monte Carlo set in 2024 with 44 hours, 34 minutes and 14 seconds. The award was presented to the skipper Tristan Le Brun by Alberto Tasca d'Almerita.
Angelo Randazzo Perpetual Challenge Trophy, in memory of the founder of the regatta and former president of the Circolo della Vela Sicilia, to the first classified in corrected time in the largest fleet, this year the IRC, is the Swan 42 Be Wild of the owner Renzo Grottesi (Circolo Velico Portocivitanova). The award was presented to Renzo Grottesi by Marina Semilia Randazzo.
The IRC podium, behind Be Wild, sees in second place Sagola Lauria, Farr 45 of Fornich, Battiston and Sorrentino (CC Roggero di Lauria), in third place the German Neo 430 Neomind of Sasha Shrieder (VSW Berlin).
The ORC podium behind the usual Be Wild sees in second place Selene, Swan 42 of the Circolo della Vela Sicilia, skipper Edoardo Bonanno, and in third place again the German Neo 430 Neomind of Sasha Shrieder (VSW Berlin).
The first of the "Per Due" classification (two-person crew) is the JPK 1080 Colombre, with Massimo Juris and Paolo Cavezzan. The first Class40 boat is Tyrolit of Matteo Sericano and Luca Rosetti. In the Maxi category, in corrected time the winner is Lucky, of the owner Byron Erharth (New York Yacht Club).
For the Porto Cervo gate passages in corrected time: first maxi Balthasar, Mills 72 (Royal Brighton YC), first both IRC and ORC Be Wild, first ORC group 2 Scricca, Comet 38S by Mario Rosso (YC Italiano). Scricca himself was also awarded as first ORC group 2 at the finish in Montecarlo.
The first maxi in corrected time at the finish in Montecarlo was Lucky, 27 meters by Juan K, owner Byron Ehrarth (New York Yacht Club).
The Emanuele Bruno Trophy, named after the honorary consul of the Principality of Monaco in Palermo, went to the first Sicilian boat in real time at the finish in Montecarlo: Selene, Swan 42 of the Circolo della Vela Sicilia, skipper Edoardo Bonanno. The award was presented by Silvia and Carla Bruno.
See you at the XX Palermo-Montecarlo 2025
In the final greetings everyone remembered the appointment of next year with the twentieth edition. The will of the Circolo della Vela Sicilia and the other clubs that cooperate to the success of the regatta is to think of an edition worthy of the twentieth anniversary, with some surprises, special invitations and interesting news. The approach to August 2025 begins today.