Please select your home edition
Edition
Allen Brothers

2021 Marina Militare Nastro Rosa Tour - Day 17

by World Sailing 23 Sep 2021 18:51 BST
2021 Marina Militare Nastro Rosa Tour, day 17 © MMNRT

Giovanna Valsecchi and Andrea Pendibene have sailed to a resounding victory on Leg 2 of the 2021 Hempel Mixed Two Person Offshore World Championship in Italy.

The crew representing Marina Militare (Italian Navy) crossed the finish line at Marina di Ravenna at 13:19 hours this afternoon, around 15 miles ahead of their nearest rivals. This has been a predominantly light airs, upwind leg, with the fleet of 10 Figaro 3 keelboats racing 300 miles from Bari in the south of Italy.

Of the three Legs in the 2021 Hempel Mixed Two Person Offshore World Championship, this is the most significant in terms of overall points. After the winner's lunch time victory, it looks like the best of the rest will drift across the finish sometime around sunset. Lying in second place on the water is the other Italian entry, Team ENIT, with Claudia Rossi and Pietro D'Alì keeping a close eye on the chasing pack.

Along with Team ENIT, the closest rivals for a podium finish are a group of boats all within a mile of each other, including Team South Africa (Michaela Robinson / Siyanda Vato), Team Belgium (Sophia Faguet & Jonas Gerckens) and Team Sweden (Lennea Floser / Martin Stromberg).

Most experienced offshore racer and winner of Leg 1, Guillermo Altadill, is back in seventh place, an indicator of just how tough and unpredictable this leg has been. If Team ESP are struggling, anyone can struggle. Which is why Andrea Pendebene was so delighted with his unexpected victory alongside his long-time sailing partner Giovanna Valsecchi. "You always have big emotions when you win, but even more when we arrive in front of legends like Altadill and D'Ali; it's not possible!"

"There were two options on this leg. All the other guys sailed towards the land, for the land breeze, or you go the other way for the other wind out to sea. We decided to go for the other wind, sail direct, minimum manoeuvres, keep it simple."

Part of the strength of the Marina Militare duo is the fact that they have been sailing together for nine years. "We are only one person," said Valsecchi. "I know everything about Andrea, he knows everything about me. We know our strengths and what we prefer. In light wind, I like to helm, and he prefers to helm in strong wind. That is why we are a good team."

There are ten teams from eight nations competing in this inaugural World Championships. Part of the 2021 Marina Militare Nastro Rosa Tour,which has already seen the Figaro 3 fleet navigate the western seaboard of Italy, the 2021 Hempel Mixed Two Person Offshore World Championship is an 816nm race that is being played out across three stunning stages along the Adriatic coast:

Leg 1: Brindisi to Bari
Leg 2: Bari to Marina di Ravenna
Leg 3: Marina di Ravenna to Venice

There are teams representing Italy, Belgium, USA, South Africa, Great Britain, Spain, Sweden and Poland.

The event concludes at the end of Leg 3 in Venice on 24 September, when the first ever winners of the 2021 Hempel Mixed Two Person Offshore World Championship will stand on the podium in one of Italy's most beautiful cities.

Related Articles

GKSS Match Cup Sweden & Nordea Women's Trophy D2
A challenging southerly breeze and short three-lap course put teams to task A challenging southerly breeze and short three-lap course put teams to task on the second day of racing at the GKSS Match Cup Sweden and Nordea Women's Trophy in Marstrand, Sweden. Posted on 1 Jul
Dart 15 Southern Championship at Tankerton
Champagne Sailing at Tankerton Bay! A brilliant weekend was had by all on the North Kent coast where TBSC hosted the Southern Championship. With 13 home sailors (12 of whom had never entered a Dart 15 event) and 12 travellers, a fleet of 25 boats looked forward to the promise of sunshine. Posted on 1 Jul
RYA Harken Youth Match Racing Championships 2025
Nine teams duelled for supremacy in glamour conditions at the WPNSA The 2025 RYA Harken Youth Match Racing Championships saw nine teams duelling for supremacy in glamour conditions at Weymouth & Portland National Sailing Academy. Posted on 1 Jul
Europe Masters & Youth Championships Preview
Racing starts tomorrow at Haying Island Sailing Club Sitting in the sunshine at Haying Island Sailing Club - a perfect 13 knot sea breeze kicking in and 130 Europe's getting ready for a week of racing - what more could a sailor want? Posted on 1 Jul
Rolex TP52 Worlds in Cascais - Practice Day
Will Platoon Aviation's big breeze, big pressure experience prove key to their fourth world title? Of the three past and present world championship winning crews which completed their final practice today in typically muscular 25 knot breezes and big waves out of Cascais, Portugal it was Harm Müller-Spreer's Platoon Aviation which showed best today. Posted on 1 Jul
Countdown to the OK Nationals at Dabchicks
It's expected that the fleet will enjoy come close and competitive sailing The OK class are just ten days away from their 2025 National Championships, which are this year being hosted by Dabchicks Sailing Club. Posted on 1 Jul
2000 class Millenium Series at Chichester
A perfect day for sailing! Champagne sailing conditions for the 2000 Millenium Series 4 sponsored by West Country Boat Repairs at Chichester Yacht Club on 29th June. Sixteen boats gathered for the one day open event. Posted on 1 Jul
Salcombe Merlin Rocket Week Day 3
South-Westerly establishes itself after a windless dawn The third day dawned with light cloud and absolutely no wind in the harbour. As often happens at Salcombe, by the time the fleet started to launch a South-Westerly had started to establish itself and by the 10.30 start time there was 4-5 knots. Posted on 1 Jul
The Glastonbury of the UK Sailing Scene
Get your entry in for the RS200 Nationals at Abersoch in August! Move over The 1975, Raye and *checks notes* Rod Stewart (?!) - the countdown for the Glastonbury of the UK sailing scene is on. With 96 entries already locked in, the RS200 fleet are just a few sailors away from hitting the magic 100. Posted on 1 Jul
RS Aero Open at Draycote Water
The 13 strong club entries were bolstered with 4 visitors The 2nd event of 3 on the RS Aero UK Midlands circuit was hosted by Draycote Water SC with 17 RS Aeros arriving to be greeted with champagne sailing conditions that just improved as the day progressed. Posted on 1 Jul