Only 11 days left before the start of the 18th Palermo-Montecarlo 2023, a 500-nautical-mile offshore race between Sicily and the Principality of Monaco, organized by the Circolo della Vela Sicilia in collaboration with the Yacht Club de Monaco and the Yacht Club Costa Smeralda.
This edition will bring together a substantial fleet, including five Maxis, such as ARCA SGR from the Fast and Furio Sailing Team led by Furio Benussi. For the team, it’s a real race against time to be ready for the start after months of intense construction work. Other top contenders for victory include Black Jack, owned by Australian yachtsman Peter Harburg, Shockwave Prosecco DOC by Claudio Demartis, representing the Circolo della Vela Sicilia along with YC Monfalcone, with Max Maneschi and Orazio Fatta della Fratta on board. Not to forget the two VO65s from The Ocean Race: I Love Poland and SISI.
Five Class 40 boats will also join the competition: ACI 40, helmed by former Croatian Olympic skiing champion Ivica Kostelic; Imagin’Act Socomec, the former Influence of Andrea Fornaro, now owned by sailor Marco Guerra; Made in Midi, skippered by Frenchman Kito de Pavant, now a regular in the event; OPA, a Tyker Evolution 2 designed by Verdier, previously owned by prestigious skippers such as Yannick Bestaven and Louis Burton, now led by Malouine Marie Goulven, who is aiming for the 2024 Jacques Vabre and the 2026 Route du Rhum; and finally, Vaquita, a 2007 Lombard project featuring Alessio Bernabò and Andrea Pendibene, one of the few Italians who participated in select legs of the last edition of The Ocean Race.
Many offshore racing boats will also gather in the Gulf of Mondello for the start, including ICE Yachts 52RS, skippered by Maltese sailor Aaron Gatt Floridia; the HH42 Artie Jeep, Judel Vrolijk, led by Maltese sailor Lee Satariano; and the J121 Spitfire, skippered by Frederic de Visser. The Elo II prototype from the Yacht Club Italiano, with Mauro Pelaschier, returns for this edition with a young crew. Also present are two Neo Yachts: Alemaro, owned by Roman Puchtev, and Afazik Impulse (formerly Neojovaro), helmed by Frenchman Yves Grosjean.
The Ker 46 Tonnerre de Glen, led by French skipper Dominique Tian and the IRC winner of the 2022 edition, will once again defend its title. It will be followed by its smaller counterpart, the Ker 40 Chenapan 4, owned by Gilles Caminade. Also competing are the Farr 40 Comanche Sagola, owned by Battistoni, Sorrentino, and Fornich, racing under the colors of the Circolo Canottieri Roggero di Lauria; Jacanda 3, owned by Marc Rouanne; Kuka 3, a Cookson 50 helmed by Franco Niggeler; the Figaro 3 of Luca Bettiati; the Azuree 33 Nuestro, skippered by Giulia Farnetani; and the legendary Pistrice, a 1992 Vismara 40 belonging to Carlo Levantino.
The Palermo section of the Italian Naval League, participating for the 14th time, will once again try its luck this year with Starfly, the Rimar 44.3 skippered by Andrea Alaimo, whose crew is entirely composed of non-professional members of the LNI.
The Palermo-Montecarlo is part of the Italian Offshore Championship, organized by the Italian Sailing Federation and the IMA (Mediterranean Maxi Offshore Challenge), as well as the Class40 Mediterranean Trophy. It is also included in the 2023 Mediterranean IRC Inshore and Offshore Championship. The event has become a key fixture on the offshore sailing calendar. The Circolo della Vela Sicilia, the organizing club, is also involved in the 37th America’s Cup, set to take place in Barcelona in 2024, with Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli.
On the occasion of the Palermo-Monte Carlo 2023, and thanks to the twinning agreements between the Circolo della Vela Sicilia and the Yacht Club de Monaco, the Sicilian club will host three artworks by Monegasque artist Jean Boghossian. Entitled “The Language of Fire / Flaming Imaginary. Shapes and Rhythms of Universal Instability,” this exhibition will take place in collaboration with the Sebastiano Tusa Foundation and the Sicilia Foundation.
