Silver podium finish and Elegance Award for Aria at Vele d'Epoca di Imperia
by Alessandro Bagno 8 Sep 13:00 BST
2-5 September 2026
Vele d'Epoca di Imperia 2026 © Paolo Maccione
Following its victory in the previous edition, Aria - a 1935 yacht owned by Serena Galvani and flying the Heritage Burgee of the Yacht Club Italiano (Genoa) - returned for the 27th edition of the Vele d'Epoca di Imperia.
Held from September 2 to 5, 2026, with over 50 boats competing, the event coincided with the 40th anniversary of the regatta, which was established in 1986 (though it was held biennially between 1992 and 2019).
Aria, the only 8-Metre International Rule yacht (14.30 meters in length) present, raced under a CIM rating certificate in the "Epoca Marconi 2" (Vintage Marconi 2) class. After four hard-fought races—held in winds ranging from 6 to 15 knots on coastal courses of under 10 miles—she secured second place overall, finishing behind the Portuguese yacht Falcon, a 15.80-meter Q-Class vessel launched in the USA in 1930.
Aria's crew, hailing from Genoa, Trieste, and Naples, included veterans such as helmsman Pietro d'Ali—an America's Cup veteran who had recently won the 12-Metre International Rule World Championship (held in Imperia just prior to this gathering) aboard KZ-5 - along with Fabio Montefusco (trimmer for the Fiamme Gialle team) and Giampaolo Vatta (handling the runners). They were joined by young sailors in their twenties with experience in dinghies and offshore racing, to whom Aria offers an opportunity to enter the world of vintage yachting. The crew also included Andrea Cupaioli (skipper and navigator), Lorenzo Donati (mainsail trimmer), Manuel Polo from Monfalcone (head bowman), Valerio Mugnano (second bowman), and Marco Ascoli (shore team). A cohesive, winning crew—the same team behind Aria's double victory in Imperia in 2025, in both the 8-Metre Class and its own CIM category.
During the parade on Saturday, September 5th—which preceded the final sea trial and was narrated by well-known Radio Monte Carlo broadcaster Maurizio Di Maggio—Aria once again dazzled the crowds gathered along the Medaglie d'Oro quay to watch the fleet pass by. The vessel's salute was accompanied by a Puccini aria—a truly evocative choice—performed on board by soprano Angelica Cirillo, an award-winning ambassador of Italian "bel canto". "Un bel dì, vedremo" (One fine day we shall see), from Act II of Madama Butterfly, provided the backdrop for a unique and deeply moving performance that impressed the jury. The panel consisted of Jean-François Cutugno, President of the Yacht Club de Cannes; Lieutenant Commander Antonello Lorusso, Executive Officer of the Italian Navy's Palinuro (which had arrived in Imperia after inaugurating the Mediterranean Games in Taranto); champion sailor Mauro Pelaschier; and communications consultant Federica Betti. Aria was declared the winner, with the prize presented by Marcella Roggero, Imperia's Councillor for Sport and Culture, in the presence of Liguria Region President Marco Bucci. Serena Galvani dedicated the award to all the women present—and, through them, to the depth of their souls and their ability to face life with courage.