Marina Militare Nastro Rosa Tour 2026 Taranto Day 1
by Marina Militare Nastro Rosa Tour 15 Jun 20:14 BST
Marina Militare Nastro Rosa Tour 2026 Taranto Day 1 © Filippo Federici
The waters of the Ionian Sea are tinged with silver and filled with sails for the official debut of the inshore regattas in Taranto.
The first day of racing provided pure spectacle, offering ideal sea and weather conditions that highlighted the talent of the competing athletes and kept the spectators on the shoreline in suspense. The stars of the show were the spectacular and adrenaline-fueled Waszp and WingFoil classes, the new frontiers of acrobatic and lightweight sailing, capable of literally "flying" on the surface of the water.
Four high-intensity races: the day's report
The race committee made the most of an impeccable time window. The games officially opened at 1:30 PM, when the first cannon shot marked the start of the parade of racers. From that moment on, it was a succession of thrills and turns at the limit of the millimeter. The schedule was extremely demanding: four races were completed for each category, testing the physical endurance and tactical readiness of the participants. The intense session concluded only in the late afternoon, at 5:25 PM, with the boats returning to port after nearly four hours of pure adrenaline.
The Taranto wind did not disappoint: ideal conditions in the Gulf
What made the competition memorable was above all the generous and accomplice weather. The Gulf of Taranto offered its best profile, providing constant and robust winds, with speeds ranging steadily between 12 and 15 knots. The wind, coming from a 150-degree direction—a warm and strong breeze, almost a full south wind—allowed the foils to lift rapidly, ensuring high speeds and extremely close engagements. The athletes battled relentlessly, crossing trajectories and battling meter after meter to secure the top spot in the provisional rankings.
Anticipation for the giants of the sea: the horizon turns to the Vieste-Taranto
While the first day's results are largely positive, fans' eyes are already focused on tomorrow's busy schedule. There's great anticipation for the early hours of the morning, when the Figaro 3s will appear on the Taranto horizon. The ocean-going vessels are about to conclude the grueling third leg of the competition, which saw them sail up the Adriatic from Vieste and then round the heel of Italy. Their arrival in the Ionian port will mark a highly prestigious moment for the event. But the spectacle won't stop there: as soon as the giants have docked, the spotlight will turn once again on the lightning-fast Waszp and WingFoil, ready to battle it out again between the buoys for another afternoon of top-level sport.