One month to the 20th edition of Palermo-Montecarlo Regatta
by Palermo-Montecarlo 20 Jul 2025 09:26 BST
19-24 August 2025
19th Palermo-Montecarlo Regatta day 1 © Circolo della Vela Sicilia / Studio Borlenghi
The Palermo-Montecarlo regatta is approaching its twentieth anniversary, a prestigious milestone that seems to have arrived in a flash, since that distant August 2005, the year with the debut victory of a legendary yacht, the Steinlager II oceanic ketch.
One month before the August 19th start from Gulf of Mondello in Palermo, entries for the regatta continue to pour in at the Circolo della Vela Sicilia, reaching 36 boats, with others announced and imminent.
Among the latest entries, an iconic boat stands out, a vessel that has already been winner along the 500-mile Palermo-Monte Carlo race: the 100-foot Maxi Black Jack, owned by Remon Vos and skippered by Tristan Le Brun, of the Yacht Club de Monaco. The yacht won line honors last year and holds the new official record, set in 2024 with a time of 44 hours, 34 minutes, and 14 seconds, shaving more than three hours off the previous record.
Black Jack will be the boat to beat in the race after a spectacular start, set against the backdrop of the Palinuro, a symbolic sailing vessel of the Italian Navy, which came to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Palermo-Monte Carlo.
Excellent entries and a fleet of 40% boats from 10 nations, a figure that confirms the international feeling of the race, which links Sicily to the Principality of Monaco along a fascinating route. It also offers sailors organizational attention and great hospitality, thanks to the joint collaboration between the Circolo della Vela Sicilia, the Yacht Club de Monaco, and the Yacht Club Costa Smeralda.
The largest boat after Black Jack for now is the French Mini-Maxi 69 Intuition, Reichel-Pugh design owned by French owner Vincent Beuvry and skippered by Yann Delplace, both from Nice, with a crew of 16 sailors. Among the largest boats from other nations are the Austrian VO65 (formerly the Volvo Ocean Race) Sisi, skippered by Oliver Kobale; the TP52 Blue Moon Arkas, owned by Turkish owner Bernard Arkas, both boat and crew, skippered by Serat Altay; The Swan 56 Azahar, owned by French owner Hervé Grunig.
The Italian boats feature several names capable of making a strong showing: in addition to Matteo Uliassi's foiling catamaran Falcon, skippered by Francesco Cerina, which, in favorable weather conditions, could challenge Black Jack for a real time victory, the starting line will include Ernesto Folli's brand new Grand Soleil 52 Race Black Pekoe III; Alberto Magnani's Swan 45 Tengher, from the Yacht Club Italiano, which is racing in a double-handed race with crew lining at the top positions in the Italian Offshore Championship; Franz Baruffaldi Preis's Mylius 60 Manticore, flying the pennant of the Circolo Velico Sferracavallo; Massimo Sabatini's Nab 12.50 Superkalimera; and Elo II, a YCI prototype entrusted to the experience of Pietro D'Alì. And let's not forget the legendary Duffy, Enrico Calvi's small Dufour 34, one of the most mileage-covered Italian boats in the last ten years!
As is tradition, the Circolo della Vela Sicilia will participate with one of its own boats: skipper Edoardo Bonanno has chosen the ICE 52 No Regret, winner of the 151 Miglia 2025 in IRC and great contender in offshore racing. Among those on board are tactician Gaetano Figlia di Granara, along with his sons Federico and Riccardo. The long-distance competition between Palermo clubs will also feature Peppe Fornich's Farr 45 Sagola Lauria, while lovers of pure beauty will be able to admire Angelica II, the 15-meter Sciarrelli owned by Antonio Centrone.
Other Palermo sailing clubs are also taking up the challenge: the Lega Navale Italiana of Palermo will be competing with Starfly, Andrea Alaimo's Rimar 44.3; the Società Canottieri Palermo with Felix III, Cristiano Lombardo's Oceanis 46.1; and Palermo Sport, along with Velaclub Palermo, with I am Bad, Luciano Speciale's Bad 37.
Among the other international boats, the San Marino Farr 45 Favorit is also worth keeping an eye on; two other Monegasque boats: Eric Muller's J99 K'Mena and the Grand Soleil 48 Joy, skippered by Thierry Leret of the Yacht Club de Monaco; and Anders Kaehler's English X46 Lady Jane X Rated.
PARTNERS
The twentieth Palermo-Montecarlo is supported by the Municipality of Palermo, the 400th + 1st Festino di Santa Rosalia, with the participation of the Metropolitan City of Palermo and the support of: Fondazione Sicilia, Tasca Conti d'Almerita, Premiati Oleifici Barbera.