Nastro Rosa Tour 2026 Napoli - Overall
by Marina Militare Nastro Rosa Tour 4 Jul 11:09 BST
Nastro Rosa Tour 2026 Napoli © Filippo Federici
The natural stage of the Gulf of Naples provided another day of intense excitement and meteorological twists.
Today, July 3rd, the spotlight was on the final act of the InShore regattas of the Naples leg, undoubtedly one of the most anticipated and spectacular events of the renowned Marina Militare Nastro Rosa Tour.
The waters of Campania transformed into a technologically advanced and competitive arena, where the speed and skill of the sailors, intent on mastering the forces of nature, reigned supreme.
The challenge against the weather: the Waszp boats challenge the Grecale wind
The first to break the deadlock and take to the race course were the athletes of the Waszp and WingFoil classes. The fleet assembly began promptly at 11:00 a.m., greeted by a north-easterly wind that initially gusted around 11 knots, with stronger gusts reaching 13 knots. These conditions seemed ideal for the foiling one-design boats to soar above the water, and they immediately crossed the starting line with great aggressiveness.
However, the gulf's weather can be unpredictable: as has happened in other events on the circuit, the wind suddenly lost strength, forcing the race committee to make the difficult but inevitable decision to cancel the race in progress.
The thermal shift and the redemption of the acrobatic dinghies
But sailing is also the art of waiting for the right moment. After the calm, the atmosphere changed radically: the air rotated 210 degrees, settling into the typical thermal breeze that traditionally characterizes the Neapolitan basin. With the return of generous pressure, the spectacular acrobatic dinghies were able to battle it out again.
The change of scenery allowed them to win three consecutive trials, characterized by intense competition and constant reversals of power at the top of the rankings, leaving the Waszp crews visibly enthusiastic and satisfied upon their return to the dock.
The WingFoils' partial flight
In the early afternoon, around 2:20 PM, it was time to unleash the WingFoils' energy. The spectacular flying boards managed to complete a first impressive trial, despite a new and progressive weakening of the wind. Unfortunately, despite weather forecasts that promised much greater stability, the wind continued to decline inexorably.
After an exhausting wait in the middle of the sea in the hope of a new burst of thermals, at 3 PM the judges had to declare the end of hostilities, sending the athletes back to shore.
Heading for Elba: Anticipation mounts for the offshore
With the spectacular close-quarters skirmishes behind us, the Marina Militare Nastro Rosa Tour now turns its attention to offshore sailing. Tomorrow morning, at 11:00 a.m., the long-awaited Offshore race will begin. All eyes will be on the fast Figaro 3s, the high-performance Bénéteau boats, which will compete on the route from Naples to Portoferraio, against the splendid backdrop of Elba.
According to weather models developed by navigators in the last few hours, the fleet should complete this grueling yet captivating offshore marathon in an estimated time of between 48 and 52 hours.
A dream gulf: the America's Cup giants make their appearance
Making today even more memorable and internationally acclaimed was an unscheduled event that left spectators and crew alike speechless. Just a short distance from the buoys of the InShore race course, the AC75s, the majestic and futuristic boats that will be the protagonists of the America's Cup, appeared.
The various teams competing for the world's oldest sporting trophy chose the waters of Naples for an intense testing and training session ahead of the upcoming official challenges. This crossroads of sails and generations of foils has confirmed the city of Naples as the undisputed world sailing capital this scorching summer.