20th Palermo-Montecarlo Regatta Preview
by Palermo-Montecarlo 18 Aug 15:23 BST
19-24 August 2025
20th Palermo-Montecarlo Regatta © Circolo della Vela Sicilia / Studio Borlenghi
The days of the Palermo-Montecarlo are back, the offshore sailing regatta that unites Sicily and the Monaco Principality and represents an ever-changing challenge for all sailors, from renowned navigators to amateur crews.
The traditional pre-race press conference took place at the Circolo della Vela Sicilia, with the unique and prestigious setting of the Palinuro, the Italian Navy's training vessel, moored yesterday in the waters of the Gulf of Mondello. This new development is fitting for a special edition, as the Palermo-Montecarlo Race turns twenty; a long blue ribbon connects 2005, the year of its debut, with this August 2025. Twenty editions with great boats and great names in sailing, stories to tell, records broken, all always with that special spirit from the start in Mondello to the finish in the port of Montecarlo after 500 miles of unforgettable sailing.
Organized by the Circolo della Vela Sicilia in collaboration with the Yacht Club de Monaco and the Yacht Club Costa Smeralda, the 20th Palermo-Montecarlo race nearly breaks a record number of participants and features a fleet of 45 boats ranging from 9.50 to 30 meters, representing seven nations: Italy, with 28 crews, Monaco (6), France (4), Austria, Germany, Great Britain, San Marino, and Turkey (1).
The presence of the Italian navy ship Palinuro in Palermo
For the 20th anniversary of the race, the Palermo-Montecarlo is enriched with two new additions. The first is the presence of the training ship Palinuro, one of the most iconic historic sailing ships in the Italian seas, the brigantine that accompanies the Amerigo Vespucci in training activities as one of the symbols of our navy.
Thanks to the Italian Navy, the Palinuro, which arrived saturday and was greeted by the young CVS sailors, will remain moored in the Gulf of Mondello until tuesday, when it will witness the start and follow the fleet for the first few miles of the course. The sailing ship will then move to the port of Palermo, where it will remain until August 21st, welcoming visitors aboard.
Built in 1931, purchased by Italy in 1951, and renamed Palinuro in homage to the mythical figure of the helmsman who accompanies Aeneas in Virgil's Aeneid, with its three masts, black-and-white striped hull, and striking lines, the ship is unmistakable to see at sea or in port: it will be the unforgettable backdrop for the start of the twentieth edition.
The Palermo-Montecarlo on virtual regatta!
Another new feature is the launch of the digital version of the Palermo-Monte Carlo on the Virtual Regatta platform, like The Ocean Race, the Vendée Globe, and other major offshore and ocean sailing regattas. The virtual regatta is open to all, and registration opened on August 10th on the Virtual Regatta website, and has already surpassed 2,700 participants! Prizes will be awarded to the top three overall, the top three in the Interclub Challenge between the two organizing clubs, and the top under-18 finisher. A video conference with the overall winner is also planned during the awards ceremony in Monte Carlo.
Weather, boats, favorites, and expected protagonists
The weather forecast suggests a fast-paced edition: 10-12 knot easterly winds are expected at the start, followed by a climb toward the Sardinian coast favored by southerly air, and finally westerly winds after Corsica, with gusts exceeding 20 knots. The clear favorite for the real-time Line Honors is the 100-foot Maxi Black Jack, owned by Remon Vos and skippered by Tristan Le Brun, flying the Yacht Club de Monaco burgee, winner of the 2024 real-time line honors and holder of the new official record with 44 hours, 34 minutes, and 14 seconds.
The second largest boat is the French Mini-Maxi Intuition, a Reichel-Pugh 69 owned by French Vincent Beuvry and skippered by Yann Delplace, arriving from Nice. 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, boat and crew, skippered by Serat Altay; and the Swan 56 Azahar, owned by French owner Hervé Grunig. Also on the radar is the Monegasque Grand Soleil 48 Joy, skippered by Thierry Leret. Also flying the YC Monaco flag is the Comet 45 Gorilla Gang XL, owned by Italian owner Andrea Statari.
Among the Italian boats, all eyes are on Matteo Uliassi's foiling catamaran Falcon, skippered by Francesco Cerinam, who is hoping for suitable weather conditions to fly the multihull. Also worth watching on the dock and following the race are Franz Baruffaldi Preis's Mylius 60 Manticore Circolo Velico Sferracavallo, with Ganga Bruni at the helm, and Ernesto Folli's brand new Grand Soleil 52 Race Black Pekoe III.
A heated duel is expected between similarly sized boats, with Alberto Magnani's Swan 45 Tengher of the Yacht Club Italiano, racing in a double-handed race (with just two crew members) to defend its lead in the Italian Offshore Championship standings; Andrea Zaoli's sister ship Change Transparent; and Peppe Fornich's Farr 45 Sagola Lauria, racing under the pennant of the Club Canottieri Roggero di Lauria.
Also of interest are Alberto Chiappino's Notte di Stelle, Alberto Chiappino's Italia Yachts 12.98, Massimo Sabatini's Nab 12.50 Superkalimera; and the Italian Navy's IMX 40 Antares, commanded by Francesco Maria Gigante.
As is tradition, the Circolo della Vela Sicilia will participate with its own boat: skipper Edoardo Bonanno has chosen the ICE 52 No Regret, winner of the 151 Miglia 2025 IRC race and particularly competitive in offshore racing. Among the others on board: tactician Gaetano Figlia di Granara, along with his sons Federico and Riccardo, and Antonio Saporito.
Among the small and medium-sized boats, the interesting Cellissima, a Sun Fast 30 skippered by Francesco Farci, a former Mini Transat sailor; Bora Fast (Tommaso Bardazzi's Sun Fast 3600), another boat bearing the Circolo della Vela Sicilia's insignia; Dagobah, an Elan 310 owned by Lorenzo Micheli, racing double-handed; and the legendary Duffy, Enrico Calvi's small Dufour 34, among the most sailed Italian boats of the last ten years! Also worthy of note is Angelica II, the 15-meter Sciarrelli owned by Antonio Centrone.
Other Palermo sailing clubs are taking up the challenge: the Italian Naval League of Palermo will compete with Starfly, Andrea Alaimo's Rimar 44.3; the Società Canottieri Palermo will compete with Felix III, an Oceanis 46.1 skippered by Cristiano Lombardo; and Palermo Sport, along with Velaclub Palermo, will compete with I am Bad, a Bad 37 skippered by Luciano Speciale.
Conference and statements
The presentation conference, opened with greetings from Giovannella Lanza di Scalea, Secretary General of the Circolo della Vela Sicilia, was attended by: Alessandro Anello, Councilor for Sport for the City of Palermo; Nicola Vernuccio, Director General of the Metropolitan City of Palermo; Francesco Ettorre, President of the Italian Sailing Federation; Captain Filippo Parisi of the Palermo Harbour Office; Fabrizio Escheri, the new Honorary Consul of the Principality of Monaco in Palermo; and Olivier Campana, representing the Yacht Club de Monaco.
This was followed by speeches from guests and celebrities, including: Stefano Santoro, former sports councilor, one of the original creators of the regatta along with the president of the Circolo della Vela in 2005, Angelo Randazzo; Grazia Alia, who recalled her victory in the very first edition with the boat Fata Turchina; Ganga Bruni, helmsman with experience in many editions of the regatta; the skipper of Black Jack, Tristan Le Brun; the President of the Circolo Canottieri Roggero di Lauria, Andrea Vitale; and Edoardo Bonanno, skipper of the Circolo della Vela Sicilia boat No Regret, with some of the sailors of the crew.
Palermo Mayor Roberto Lagalla sent this greeting: "Celebrating the twentieth anniversary of the Palermo-Montecarlo Regatta means paying homage to an event that, year after year, has earned a prominent place in the international sailing scene. This regatta is not just an extraordinary sporting competition: it is a prestigious showcase that shows the world the best side of our city. Palermo, with its sea, its thousand-year history, its culture, and its human warmth, once again confirms itself as a Mediterranean capital capable of combining tradition and innovation. The regatta represents an extraordinary opportunity to promote tourism and culture: it welcomes athletes, enthusiasts, and visitors from all over the world, contributing significantly to the international image of our city. Over these twenty years, the Palermo-Montecarlo has grown, becoming a symbol of sporting excellence and cooperation between territories, ideally linking two great cities through a fascinating and challenging route. I thank everyone who, with commitment and passion, starting with the Circolo della Vela Sicilia, makes this event possible: from the institutions to the sponsors, from the clubs sailing to the crews. May this twentieth edition once again be a moment of celebration, sport, and pride for Palermo."
Nicola Vernuccio, General Director of the Metropolitan City of Palermo: "The Palermo-Monte Carlo Regatta reaches its twentieth edition this year, confirming itself not only as one of the most fascinating sailing competitions in the Mediterranean, but also as an event of great value for the promotion of the metropolitan area as a whole. The Metropolitan City of Palermo recognizes this event as a concrete opportunity to project a dynamic, welcoming, and strategic image of our area. It is an event that combines sport, tourism, sustainability, and cooperation, generating positive impacts for local communities, both economically and in terms of identity and belonging. Heartfelt thanks go to the organizers and all those who make this great event possible every year. The Metropolitan City of Palermo offers its enthusiastic support to an initiative that looks to the future without forgetting its roots."
Francesco Ettorre, President of the Italian Sailing Federation and member of the CONI Board of Directors: "Coming to Palermo for the start of this regatta has become more than a symbolic habit: the hospitality and organization of the Circolo della Vela Sicilia and its president, Agostino Randazzo, are key to the success of this event, now in its twentieth edition. Deep-sea sailing is experiencing a veritable boom in regattas and interest around Italy, and the Palermo-Montecarlo, with its history and the international level of the fleet it attracts every year, is one of the finest examples of this."
Partners
The twentieth Palermo-Montecarlo is supported by the Municipality of Palermo, 400th + 1st Festino di Santa Rosalia, with the participation of the Metropolitan City of Palermo, the support of Fondazione Sicilia, UniCredit, Tasca Conti d'Almerita, and the partnership with Centro Porsche Palermo, Premiati Oleifici Barbera, Famila, and Immedia.