Imperia kicks off Vele d'epoca, regattas for the old ladies of the sea

The Imperia international sailing week, better known among enthusiasts as the Vele d'epoca di Imperia, is underway. Until Sunday, the old ladies of the sea with their hulls built in the first half of the last century will ply the waters of the Ligurian town, competing in two regattas: the Vele d'epoca 2024, reserved for precious vintage and classic boats, spirits of tradition, replicas, big boats, and Ior classics, and the Coppa Imperia 2024, dedicated to the legendary 8m R, the international eight-metre class, the Olympic class in the thirty years between the London 1908 Games and Berlin 1936. Regattas where competitive spirit gives way to the gentlemen spirit that unites owners and crews. The hulls are not only prestigious but built with classic materials such as wood or metal before 1950.

Among the most prestigious yachts is Marga, Tcye's first racing yacht conforming to the International 10-metre Rule. She is 51 feet long, 15.6 metres, and was built in 1910 by renowned Swedish naval architect C.O. Liljegren, a pupil of the famous Nathaniel Herreshoff, for Swedish diplomat Fredrik Forsberg to compete in the 1912 Olympic Games in Gothenburg. Marga embodies the essence of the classic racing yacht and in every competition in which she participates she wins new awards, with a reputation that precedes her as one of the most formidable opponents. In the 8 Metre class stands out Anne Sophie, built in 1938 for Norwegian Olympic bronze medallist Nordahl Wallem by the Bjarna Aas yard in Norway. Her intentions were to compete in the 1940 Olympic Games, which were later cancelled. During the trials, Anne Sophie came second, just behind Sira, the King of Norway's boat. After a long stay in Scandinavia, Anne Sophie was restored in 2004 and successfully competed in classic regattas in Europe, winning prestigious titles such as the Neptune Trophy, the Régates Royales, the Voiles de St. Tropez, and the Cowes Classic Week. Its races are run according to the Neptune Trophy Rules, which reward the originality of historic boats. Aria is an 8-metre international tonnage designed in 1934 in the Costaguta Shipyards in Genoa and built for the Bruzzo Brothers. Launched on 2 January 1935, for a brief period she also belonged to the Spinola family. Moved to Naples after the Second World War, she lived for a long time at the city's Reale Yacht Club Canottieri Savoia. After years in disrepair, she was purchased by the current owner who started restoration work. In her second youth Aria collected many awards, including the one for 'Best Restoration' during the Barcolana Classic. In 2008, the 'Old Fashion Trophy' was dedicated to her by the Confindustria (Confederation of Italian Industry) of Latina, and in 2010 Coni (Italian National Olympic Committee) gave her an award as an 'Example of safeguarding seafaring heritage'.

Emilia was commissioned in 1929 by Senator Giovanni Agnelli who intended to respond to his friend-rival the Marquis Spinola, who had recently launched La Spina, Italy's first 12 m S.I.. When the recipient of the boat, his son-in-law Carlo Nasi, had to leave for America, Emilia was bought by Attilio Bruzzone from Genoa, who chose to rig the boat as a Marconi schooner, so that it could also be used for cruising. Between the seventies and eighties she sailed in Venetian waters and in 1988 she was restored at the Beconcini yard in La Spezia, to a design by Ugo Faggioni. The new owners restored Emilia to her original 12 m rig, making her the flagship of The Yachting Heritage Society. In 2009 and 2010 she won the Portofino Rolex Trophy. Formerly a school ship of Savona's Istituto Nautico Ferraris Pancaldo Leon Pancaldo, since 2017 she has belonged to the voluntary association Il Barattolone, which is her owner and is responsible, among other activities, for organising outings at sea with patients housed in the therapeutic communities of the Redancia Group or followed by the health services of Asl 2 Savona. This 60-foot ketch was designed by Luca Brenta, one of the world's greatest Italian designers of high performance cruising boats. In 1992 Leon Pancaldo took part in the Colombian to Atlantic regatta, in 1996 in the Cutty Sark to Palma de Mallorca, in 2002 he won the Mediterranea Odyssey and in 2020 he competed in the first Capraia Sail Rally finishing third.

After racing in Barcelona alongside the spectacular America's Cup AC75s, she arrived at the Barbara Imperia gathering, combining tradition and innovation, elegance and respect for the environment. Built in teak planking and pitch pine on a white oak frame in England in 1923 by the legendary Camper & Nicholsons shipyard, this 19-metre-long Bermudan yawl was designed to sail with a small crew and has spanned more than a century of seafaring history. The vessel is also a symbol of sustainability, operated with technologies that minimise emissions and include a desalination plant to reduce the use of plastic. After the rally, Barbara will take part in initiatives such as 'Alassio in the blue', which will involve local school children in guided tours on board. Entrusted to the care of the Sibma shipyards for the winter refit, the 6-metre international Valentina has just returned to the water restored to her original splendour, ready to race and to be admired on the quay during the event. Launched in 1975 by the Sangermani yard to a design by Gary Mull, Valentina is a thoroughbred racing yacht in the prestigious 6-metre class. Her victories include the Régates Royales in Cannes, the Grand Hotel Villa Serbelloni Trophy and the Portofino Rolex Trophy.

The event was strongly supported by the municipal administration and is supported by the Ministry of Tourism, the Carige Foundation, the Liguria Region, and the Riviere di Liguria Chamber of Commerce, all partners committed not only to enhancing the territory, but also to expanding the tourist and cultural offer. Yesterday, at the end of the inauguration ceremony, there was the launch of the Navy's Operational Incursors Group and the Presidium Fanfare of the Northern Maritime Interregional Command. Side events include sports activities open to all with three tournaments: 'Giochi e follie alle vele', a series of aquatic team challenges, there will also be 'Tiro alla cima alle vele', a competition of strength and strategy, and 'Basket and beer alle vele', a 3-on-3 basketball tournament with a goliardic touch. On the sustainability front, there will be the BlueRegatta - Plastic free for classic yachts, promoted by the schooner Puritan as part of its PuritanInitiatives project, dedicated to the protection and conservation of the marine environment to raise awareness among owners and crews on protecting the sea by encouraging more sustainable practices. For the youngest children there will be a creative lesson by Davide Besana to learn how to draw the sea and its protagonists.