Right on schedule, the Mistral swept into the Gulf of Saint-Tropez, starting at 20 knots in the morning and building to over 30 by early afternoon. It was a spectacular Sunday, featuring two races for the Maxi class and a long coastal course for the IRC/ORC fleet.
The weather forecast was spot-on, with the Mistral arriving in the morning and reaching its peak around 3:00 PM. Starting from a steady 20 knots at the starting line, the wind intensified throughout the Gulf, with gusts well over 30 knots. The race committee mandated lifejackets for all sailors and kicked off a thrilling day at sea—challenging, with some breakdowns and retirements, but hugely rewarding for everyone. Among the standouts was FlyingNikka, Roberto Lacorte’s foiler, which hit a breathtaking top speed of 39 knots during the second race of the day.
“We did our best to dial things back and avoid exceeding 40 knots,” said owner-helmsman Roberto Lacorte at the finish. “A memorable day—the boat is proving increasingly reliable in extreme conditions like today, with gusts approaching 35 knots.”
Back on the Maxi course, in Group A (the largest yachts), Wallycento V owned by Karel Komarek held on to the top of the provisional leaderboard with a 6th and a 1st place. In Group B, the Botin 69 Spirit of Lorina skippered by Jean Pierre Barjon continues to dominate.
On the IRC/ORC course, similar conditions played out over a 22-nautical mile route, and the provisional rankings are beginning to take shape. Adrien Follin’s Cape 31 continues to lead IRC1 (with scores of 1 and 6), while Willem Ellemet’s Flying Dolphin is ahead in IRC2. In the ORC division, the German Swan 48 Elan delivered an outstanding performance: not only is it leading the standings, it’s also the oldest boat in the fleet—a magnificent 1973 Sparkman & Stephens design. In ORC2, Farfallina 3, the ItaliaYachts 9.98 helmed by Davide Noli, continued its winning streak by taking the day’s victory.
After racing, the crews gathered at the Loro Piana Giraglia Village for the daily prize-giving ceremony and a lively happy hour that lasted until 8:00 PM. Racing resumes tomorrow at 10:00 AM, with lighter winds forecast.
The Organization
The Giraglia was conceived in 1953 as a 241-nautical-mile offshore race. In 2023, this classic regatta celebrated its 70th anniversary. The Loro Piana Giraglia is organised by the Yacht Club Italiano in collaboration with the Société Nautique de Saint-Tropez, under the patronage of the Yacht Club de France, Yacht Club Sanremo, Yacht Club de Monaco, the Union Nationale pour la Course au Large (UNCL), the International Maxi Association (IMA), and the cities of Saint-Tropez, Genoa, and the Liguria Region.
The Giraglia Race is a valid race for the IRC-UNCL Mediterranean Championship and is part of the 2025 Mediterranean Maxi Offshore Challenge, which IMA organises.
For comprehensive and up-to-date information on the Loro Piana Giraglia 2025, please visit the official website: www.loropianagiraglia.com
@yachtclubitaliano
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