This proved to be a race where calculated risks yielded significant returns. Weather forecasts had anticipated an area of light winds along the direct course from Palermo to the Bonifacio Strait. Consequently, the fleet split into two factions, each searching for stronger winds, either above or below the primary course. However, Team Alemaro placed its faith in their boat's capacity to navigate smoothly in the lighter winds and chose to adhere to the most direct route. This strategy yielded fruit when we were the first to reach the Bonifacio gate in our class. We held onto the lead nearly up until the finish line. The final 30 miles were fraught with tension as the Alemaro navigated a region of stagnant air, while the trailing fleet capitalized on substantially stronger winds. Despite these challenges, the team secured a strong second place finish in the ORC A group.

Congratulations to everyone on a great season opening. In the Roma per Tutti regatta, AleMaro confidently secured 3rd place in all categories. Physically, without recalculation, we came in third in both ORC and IRC. So, we grabbed three trophies at once.

A regatta that initially seemed simple turned out to be tougher than the Rolex this time. The 580 miles were hard and intense. We experienced calm winds, 30 knots upwind, and 23 knots with the gennaker. We often had to change sails. No foresail stayed up for more than 3 hours, and sometimes we changed them every half hour. The weather forecasts from three different sources did not match at all, so wind predictions based on tracking or programs were unreliable.

There was a lot of local tactical maneuvering. In the last 2 days, the team worked on endurance. Ahead of us were two boats, Farr 45 and Neo 430. Their boats are respectively larger, faster, and with excellent professional crews. At the end of the regatta, these first two boats filed protests against each other because one passed through a forbidden zone, and the other used a sail that was not listed in the certificate, giving it a better handicap. The violations were serious. In the end, they shook hands and withdrew their protests. We did not file protests against them because we encounter them at all regattas. So, in good conscience and deep down, we can easily imagine ourselves a couple of positions higher.

I am grateful to all the fighters who competed for this honorable trophy in this prestigious race, as well as to those who supported us. A thousand thanks!!!

This was the race where we were unfortunate enough to be slightly late at certain moments. We barely missed the night breeze on the Sardinia coast and struggled with weak winds. We reached Bonifacio Strait just as the favorable easterly wind switched to a challenging westerly direction. Even more frustratingly, we encountered a dead calm right at the finish line, spending 3 hours to cover the last half-mile. Nevertheless, the team's spirit remained high, and even broken equipment didn't prevent us from securing a strong third place in the ORC Group 1.