X2 and XTutti sails parade on the Caorle waterfront
A splendid spring day, with a clear sky, calm sea and a light “borino” around seven knots, was the setting for the start of the fifth edition of La Ottanta, organized by the Circolo Nautico Santa Margherita in collaboration with Antal, Astra Yacht and Cantina Colli del Soligo.
A crowded edition, with eighty registered boats, that will fight each other along the Caorle-Grado-Pirano (SLO) route, for the first round of the Caorle X2 XTutti Trophy, which brings together the four offshore races of the Caorle association.
At the start, regularly given at 10.00 on Saturday 6 April by the President of the Race Committee Davide dalla Rosa, the stretch of sea between Porto Santa Margherita to the disengagement gate in front of the Church of the Madonna dell'Angelo, was colored with sails , enthusiasm and healthy competitive spirit.
At the first buoy pass, clearly ahead in the X category, all with a good pace Vittorio XXX's X50 Victor-X, followed by Dara 3, Sly 42 by Tiziano Bisetto Trevisin, Aurele, by Piero Santin's Millenium 40 absent for some seasons , appeared in great shape and Mr. Hyde, Jocker of the Forlì Marco Rusticali.
A few lengths later, they pursued Nixing, IMX40 by Giorgio Maddalena, Selene Alifax Swan 42 by Massimo De Campo with the good Tree Leghissa to tactics, Columbia Solaris 36 by Natale Camerotto and Jack Sparrow by Franco Bressan.
The first step in the X2 category was that of the father-son couple Mauro and Giovanni Trevisan on their First 36.7 Hauraki, chased by their ever-rival friends, Demon-X by Nicola Borgatello / Silvio Sambo.
In the Multihulls category, first at the Mosquito gate, Diam 24 by Stefano Beltrando.
Among the Mini 650, he took the lead Antigua by Franco Deganutti with Walter Zugno, followed by Pepper by Marco Balboni / Massimo Zerbinati and Satanas, the Proto by Cesare Bressan / Roberta Fazzana, who chose a departure closer to the coast.
Shortly after the disengagement gate at Bibione, the fleet was divided according to the characteristics of the boats and helmsmen and tacticians moved in search of the most favorable mark on the Grado route, before heading towards the Slovenian coast.
According to weather forecasts, illustrated in the crew briefing by Andrea Boscolo of Trim-Translate into Meaning, the winds should remain moderate, with some reinforcement in the evening hours along the coast. The choice of the route, the race strategy and the knowledge of the coast to hook up the precious thermals, could therefore make the difference on the final result.
The first boats are expected at the finish line in Caorle late in the evening and on Saturday night 6 April. The time limit to complete the route is within the 19.00 hours of tomorrow, Sunday 7 April.