Barcolana - A Week To Go, 611 Competitors

Trieste, 5th october - Wind and waves on the Gulf of Trieste made this Sunday before the Barcolana difficult and demanding (the Barcolana is the most crowded sailing race in the world with approximately two thousand boats at the starting line which will be held in Trieste on October 12); a Sunday dedicated to the Bernetti sailing race, then suspended due to strong wind (up to 50 knots) and almost four- metre-high waves. The rehearsal of the Barcolana will take place on Novembre 1st and most of the boats which traditionally participate in this event as their last test before the Barcolana had a hard time sailing back into the ports. Several damages occurred – three boats dismasted – which will have to be fixed in record time to be able to participate in the Barcolana. The first weather forecasts for next week have just been announced: today’s bad weather conditions should last only a few more days and on Wednesday the weather should get better just in time to enable the boats coming from other ports of the Adriatic to reach Trieste.

As to entries, yesterday 611 competitors signed up for the Barcolana, confirming a slightly growing trend compared to last year’s. From tomorrow registration for the Barcolana will be open both in the morning and in the afternoon as usual in the offices on the Barcola embankment. The opening hours until next Saturday are: from 10am to 1pm and from 4pm to 8pm.

YOUNG BARCOLANA
Yesterday no wind, today too much. The Young Barcolana 2003, organised by Promo Sail and by Società Velica of Barcola and Grignano with the partnership of Fondazione CRTrieste and Unicredit Banca, this year sent the young sailors back home without being able to compete a single race. The sense of responsibility prevailed among the organisers: in the morning Juniors were led to the sailing race area (the Cadets, too young, no); but then, when almost all the boats were in the water, they had to go back in due to the bad weather conditions. The south-west wind was blowing at a speed of 13 knots and the sea was force-4. Too much for the numerous fleet of Optimists, with competitors from 8 to 15 years old.
Support boats (about sixty rubber dinghies, ten boats and three motorboats) made available by the organisers ‘surveyed’ the berthing of the sailors who did not seem too worried. The last ones to berth were 5 Greek boys who had to ‘fight’ a little against the strong gusts blowing along the waterfront.

What a pity for the 472 Optimists coming from Italy, Greece, Turkey, Slovenia, Switzerland, Austria, Croatia and Poland! But it was nevertheless a great feast for them with a final draw of precious prizes such as Optimist boats, masts, sails and carts. Trieste’s Ottavia Balducci has been very lucky, besides winning an Optimist, she will also be one of the three sailors to help the Genoa skipper Andrea Casale next Sunday in the Barcolana. Ottavia will share this experience on a Solaris 36OD provided by Promo Sail together with Luca Baroni from Cattolica (RN) and Elisa Laiza from San Giorgio di Nogaro (UD).

TROFEO UNIFLAIR
The sailing races of Barcolana Sailing Week will continue tomorrow with the Uniflair Super Open Triphy. At the start Class 0 boats of the Barcolana and Garda Open Class spectacular boats. Among the Class 0 the most awaited is MagicJena of Domenico Cilenti, Maxi 80 hyper technological; then Anywaytrue with Mauro Pelaschier and Amer Sport 2 with Lorenzo Bodini; the Open in pole position are Clan des Team (recent winner in the Hundered miles of the Garda) and Principessa. The first start is at 12.00, organised by Promo Sail, the Società Velica di Barcola e Grignano and the Yacht Club Adriaco.