Transat Jacques Vabre: Alberto Bona third, it’s the Italian ocean wave

The Transat Jacques Vabre confirmed Italy at the top of contemporary ocean sailing: after Ambrogio Beccaria ‘s victory on Allagrande Pirelli , comes the third place of Alberto Bona on IBSA, paired with Pablo Santurde in 18 days 21 hours 22 minutes and 47 seconds . Bona was one of the favorites on the eve of the race, and he played his race to the end in the leading group, finishing fourth at the finish line of the second leg but finishing on the podium thanks to the sum of the times of the two legs, considering the Le Havre-Lorient mini leg where he had finished eighth. In second place behind Beccaria-Andrieu, however, was the Nebout-Mahé pair.

Transat Jacques Vabre – Alberto Bona on the podium

“An important result in one of the most difficult regattas I have ever done ,” saidAlbertoBona upon arrival. – we had all weather conditions, helmed for hours and hours, gybed and moved two hundred pounds each time for an endless series of times. Third place is a goal achieved and standing on this podium is important for us, we had a good race, this is the minimum I wanted to achieve. Thanks to IBSA who welcomed us here with uncommon enthusiasm, congratulations to Ambrogio on a victory: today together we have lit a great beacon on Italian ocean sailing.”

A result the child of steady growth on the part of the Piedmontese skipper, culminating in this sought-after and desired podium finish by holding out on the south course even when the Trade Wind became light and IBSA was no longer in its ideal condition. Si this is a top result, in the largest category, at the culmination of a year that, from Route du Rhum onwards, has seen Alberto Bona always in the top 5 in the regattas in which he has participated with his Class 40.

Chewing more bitterly, on the other hand, is Andrea Fornaro, who has long been in the hunt for the podium and an important result, but on this last day of Transat Jacques Vabre he threaded a trajectory too low on the approach to the islands that caused him to lose some positions. He will finish the stage eighth, his final position with the sum of the two times to be evaluated but he will remain in the top 10, still a positive result considering that he launched his Musa 40 only a few months ago, and he was among the outsiders.

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Winning a world championship in your own land is a crazy thrill. Right Magdalena?

Transat Jacques Vabre – The Ocean Wave

The Transat Jacques Vabre definitely crowns the italian oceanic movement as one of the most vital and growing at the moment, numerically we are still far behind our French cousins, but the Italian projects are all solid and credible, sportingly and for sponsors, and can act as a driving force for the whole movement, bringing not only results but also enthusiasm.

For 2024, in fact, more Class 40s are expected to have the tricolor on their sterns, with Mini Transat winner Luca Rosetti pawing the category jump.

The path is set, Beccaria and Bona teach, winning is possible, with talent and clear ideas, and with the desire not to simply participate but to amaze. Until a few years ago, with a few exceptions, Italian sailing in the Ocean was more about adventures, now the music has changed, they are solid realities.

Mauro Giuffrè