At 5:00 PM today, well over 48 hours after the start of the race, the yachts that had completed the Giraglia and arrived in the port of Genoa were just over thirty out of a fleet of 209.
Yesterday evening at 9:39 PM Momo crossed the finish line with a time of 32 hours, 52 minutes and 4 seconds. She arrived after a long duel with Caol Ila, just ten minutes behind after 241nm. Other yachts as still tricked in in the sticky heat. The rest of the fleet has either called in DNF or is still sitting on the calm, flat water. “It was an interesting race for us,” says Marco Ivaldi, helmsman and tactician aboard Momo. “This weather was no surprise thanks to Francesco Mongelli’s predictions. Caol Ila was always close on our heels and we couldn’t lower our guard for a minute, but in the end we prevailed. It’s a real pleasure to win in real time, especially since this is my first Giraglia.” Momo’s team counted many Italian sailors: Mongelli, Ivaldi, Matteo Auguadro and Cristina Griggio.
Kito de Pavant, the famous French ocean sailor was at the Giraglia on his IMOCA 60 Bastide Otio. “I saw whales and dolphins and I managed to keep the boat moving even in this dead calm. This regatta was a trial run for us because I’ve only had the boat for about a month. I have to say I’m happy with her.” This said by a veteran ocean sailor who did Cape Horn the first time when he was just 20.
It was an excellent race for Nicola Paoleshi and his Corinthian crew aboard Pendragon IV, third in real time. “My boat was built to go fast and these were not optimal conditions for us, but I’m happy with our placement. Placing third in real time when you’re racing against professional teams and at an event that as import and the Giraglia Rolex Cup is always something good to brag about.”
At this point it’s hard to make predictions for top placers in corrected time. The cut off time is 11:00AM tomorrow morning. Sailors arriving at the Yacht Club Italiano’s clubhouse in Porticciolo Duca degli Abruzzi can enjoy traditional Genoese focaccia and cheese for all and there will be a crew party on Friday evening followed by the prize giving ceremony at noon on Saturday June 17th.
