I love the Giorgio Armani Superyacht Regatta. I love it because the venue—the Yacht Club Costa Smeralda, in the ultra-exclusive, sailing-mad town of Porto Cervo—is magnificent, and the YCCS is renowned for its excellent regatta organization. I love it because the competing yachts are powerful and elegant. I love it because Giorgio Armani has been the main sponsor for the past five years. I love it because it’s one of the few special events that marks the start of the summer superyacht season in the Mediterranean. And, of course, I also love competitive regattas.
But I’m sure the owners and crews of the Swan 115 Moat and the Southern Wind 96 Liberty Squared love this regatta even more than I do, because after four days of high-octane racing, the names of both winning boats have been engraved on the Silver Jubilee Cup.
The Moat, owned by YCCS member Juan Ball and with Cole Parada as tactician, was virtually unbeatable in the Blue class. Juan Ball said: “This is our third consecutive victory in the Giorgio Armani Superyacht Regatta, but it is the result of constant work to improve the boat throughout the year. I would like to thank Giorgio Armani for his support of the regatta, and the YCCS—of which I am a member and which I deeply appreciate—for the organization, as well as all the participants who return every year regardless of who wins. This is a unique regatta, thanks to the spirit that sets it apart and the extraordinary location where it is held.”
In the White Class, the SW 96 Liberty Squared, with Bouwe Bekking at the helm, secured a clear victory. Second place in the overall standings went to the Nostromo, followed by Giorgio Armani’s Sørvind, with tactician Tommaso Chieffi.
“It’s been a fantastic week,” said Carlo Pirzio Biroli, owner of Liberty Squared. “This is my fifth time participating in the Giorgio Armani Superyacht Regatta, and it’s always a wonderful week. We were lucky with the weather and were able to race all four days. The Race Committee did an excellent job of keeping the fleet together throughout the course. Sailing alongside the other boats, so close to one another, was truly exciting and fun at the same time.”
The season has just begun. Don’t miss it.