Day 1

8 Metre World Championship
Genoa – August 28th / September 2nd

With the opening ceremony at the headquarters of the Yacht Club Italiano in Genoa, the World Championship of the 8 Metre Class officially started today at 18:00. This championship will see 20 yachts from 9 nations racing from Monday, August 28th, to Saturday, September 2nd.

The challenging weather conditions of the past few days did not prevent the boats from going out to sea yesterday for a tune-up regatta. The official start of the races – with the first race scheduled to start at 10:30 tomorrow, Monday, August 28th – is subject to weather conditions, which currently show an orange alert for the area. The fleet present in Genoa is incredibly diverse, with the boats having a considerable age difference. The oldest yacht, the Swiss Silhouette owned by Daniel C. Heine, dates back to 1910, while the most recent, Mirabelle from 2013, is owned by Australian Peter Harburg – who is also the owner of the 100′ Black Jack, the line honours winner of the 2023 Giraglia and Palermo-Montecarlo.
Within the fleet, there are 3 Italian yachts: Serena Seragnoli Galvani’s Aria (1936) representing the Yacht Club Italiano, Vera Mogna’s Bona (1934) and Paolo Manzoni’s Vision (1930).

The inaugural ceremony was attended by the Mayor of Genoa, Marco Bucci, who greeted and thanked all the sailors, along with the President of the International 8 Metre Class, Werner Deuring, and Yacht Club Italiano’s President, Gerolamo Bianchi.
“It is an honor for our region to host the 8 Metre World Championship. Greetings to all the participants: I am sure they will be enchanted by our sea as well as our land. Kudos go to the Yacht Club Italiano for bringing a sports event to Genoa that will be exciting in its technical aspects but will also carry the scent of sailing history,” said Simona Ferro, the Sports Assessor of the Liguria Region, who is always at the forefront of supporting the club’s sports activities.

The 8 Metre S.I., a long history and a great tradition
In 1906, in London, the International Yacht Racing Association (IYRA) established the International Rule for Yacht Measurement and Rating, which definitively abandoned the ‘tonnage’ formula in favor of the “metric” distinction. This was done to overcome the long-standing problem that arose in international sailing events where each nation followed its own measurement and racing rules. Italy was represented by the Regio Yacht Club Italiano with Count Eugenio Brunetta di Usseax.

The new rule, promoted by Mr. Heckstall-Smith, who influenced the measurement formulas and contributed to the evolution of the modern yacht, was approved by the federal representatives of eleven nations. This led to the creation of a new regulation that transformed the previous English measurement formulas. It was extended to sailing classes of 5, 6, 7, 8, 10, 12, 15, 19, and 23 meters and the “Class A” for yachts over 23 meters.
Among the most enthusiastic organizations was the Yacht Club Italiano: in 1908, the YCI approved the award of the Coppa Italia to the ‘new’ vessels of the 8 Metre S.I. Class.
With an 8 Metre, we also witnessed a major sailing innovation with the new genoa jib, which was conceptually conceived and experimented for the first time on Cheta, owned by club member Francesco Giovanelli, during the 1925 Coppa Italia. Another 8 Metre from the Yacht Club Italiano, Italia, won the first Olympic gold medal in Kiel in 1936.

Today, the 8 Metre Class, with its long history, has seen the involvement of the most important naval architects of all time (Johan Anker, William Fife, Charles Nicholson, Beltrami, Alfred Mylne, Olin Stephens, Costaguta, Starling Burgess, Clinton Crane, Francois Camatte, Baglietto, Bjarne Aas, Frank Paine, Tore Holm, Gustav Estlander, Max Oertz, Henry Rasmussen, Jacques Fauroux, Ed Dubois, Pelle Peterson, Ian Howlett, Doug Peterson… to name a few). The Class is widely spread in Northern Europe and boasts over 100 perfectly restored boats around the world.

Day 2

8 Metre World Championship
Second day of races in the Gulf of Genoa

For the second day of races, Genoa has provided a perfect day again, with short waves and an initial 8-knot breeze from the Southeast, which later increased to around 14 knots towards the end of the day. The Race Committee managed to start two races today as well, bringing the total valid races for the world championship to 4; in order to validate the championship, 5 races are required, and from the sixth race onwards, the discard will come into play, allowing everyone to eliminate their worst result from the score.
Out at sea today, the first race started at noon, after all the boats were towed out of the Porticciolo Duca degli Abruzzi in Genoa – the 8 Metres do not have auxiliary engines and require assistance for all mooring and leaving operations from the port. The first start was regular, with the fleet splitting to the two extremes of the racecourse for the first leg, with the left side proving to be the most advantageous and enabling the frontrunners to consolidate an advantage that they maintained until the finish line. For the second race, the wind increased above 10 knots and the Committee, after an initial attempt, started with the black flag. With the fleet spread across the entire course and the gaps among these boats truly minimal, the final results then provided some surprises – apart from the Swiss team on Yquem II who firmly remain in the lead after four races (1, 1, 1, 3) and shine for the consistency in their placements, the Australians on Peter Harburg’s Mirabelle by had an excellent second race of the day, placing second, following the Swiss at just 3 points. The series of excellent races continues for Bona, the 1934 Baglietto owned by Vera Mogna – the top two are modern yachts – maintaining the third position (first among the Italians), and a strong ranking for Vision, the glorious 1930 Nicholson skippered by Paolo Manzoni – who, for the occasion, also has Tommaso Chieffi, Flavio Grassi, and Vittorio Zaoli on board, securing the fourth position.

Day 3

8 Metre World Championship

With two more valid races, after 6 regattas, the Swiss team of Yquem II solidifies their lead in the provisional rankings

With another day blessed by perfect weather conditions, the series of races in the 8 Metre World Championship continues with two more races today: a southerly wind between 10 and 13 knots, choppy sea and sunshine.

On the scoreboard, the Swiss yacht Yquem II skippered by Jean Fabrecontinues its pursuit, interpreting the racecourse effectively. Today, it secured second place in the first race and clinched victory in the second. Following closely is the other modern yacht, Conquistador, owned by Austrian Werner Deuring, who has been trading the top position in the rankings with Yquem II. In contrast to Yquem, Conquistador won the first race and secured second place in the last event today.

“We are very happy with the series of races we have had up until now,” commented Deuring upon arrival. “Champagne sailing in the Gulf of Genoa, which has gifted us magnificent weather. There are still two days left in the world championship, and we have a chance to catch up with our opponent who is undoubtedly performing excellently.”

While for the modern yachts, it’s a contest between Yquem II and Conquistador, among the classic boats, the rankings continue to bring satisfaction to Bona, the 1934 Baglietto, firmly maintaining the third position. This is partly due to near-perfect races (today they discarded a fourth-place finish in the last race as their worst result). Ahead of Bona is Vision (1930) skippered by Paolo Manzoni, with Tommaso Chieffi as tactician, defending their fourth position, closely trailed by Carron II, a Swiss yacht from 1935, helmed by Angelo Mazzarella, in fifth place.

While these magnificent yachts have transported the waters of Genoa back in time due to their beauty and their role as protagonists in these waters since the early 20th century, the commitment and determination of all the present sailors should be emphasized. They have given life to fiercely competitive races characterized by fair play and sportsmanship. Unfortunately, Serena Galvani’s Aria, the third Italian yacht in the competition, had to forfeit the second race today due a rudder issue.

Similar weather conditions to today are anticipated for tomorrow, with the race committee intending to initiate two more races, bringing the total number of races held to 8. The world championship will conclude on Saturday, with the last day at sea and the awards ceremony at the Yacht Club Italiano.

Day 4

8 Metre World Championship

Another day with the Gulf of Genoa in a state of grace: 2 more races with 15 knots of Scirocco and choppy sea

The World 8 Metre Championship continues this week under exceptional meteorological conditions, with stable winds around 15 knots and, most importantly, a choppy sea that has tested the crews competing on the penultimate day of the 2023 world championship. With today’s two races, the total valid races now stand at 8, and with the current forecasts, the Race Committee is optimistic about concluding the championship with two more races tomorrow, Saturday, September 2nd. The race start procedures at sea began punctually at 11:45, with the starting line located just a few hundred meters from the shores of Quarto dei Mille. It was a spectacle for those at sea and for those who could enjoy the sight of the 8 Metres dancing from the shore. As is now customary, there were very aggressive starts, and on the second attempt, the Committee had to give both starts with a black flag. The consistent wind allowed these magnificent yachts to show their full potential with remarkably fast race times. Almost all of them completed the 4 legs of the course in just over an hour, with the entire fleet arriving within a 10-minute span, except for the two older hulls, Silhouette (1910) and Elfe II (1912), which, with grace and elegance, always struggling to catch up with the fleet but certainly stand out for their timeless beauty and their antique rigs.

The results after 8 races leave little room for serious changes, with the 3 modern boats (Swiss Yquem II, Austrian Conquistador, and Australian Mirabelle) having solidified their positions in the overall standings. The gaps between them are significant, but with two more races to go, the world title will be decided at sea tomorrow. Behind the 3 modern boats, the three yachts from the 1930s, Bona, Vision, and Carron II, are still very close, occupying the fourth, fifth, and sixth positions respectively. There was great excitement on the dock at the end of the races, as evidenced by Mark Bradford, the helmsman on board Mirabelle by Peter Harburg, as well as the skipper of the 100′ Black Jack: “Another beautiful day at sea, very competitive races, and a formed wave. We are very pleased to have come to Genoa and were surprised by these conditions.”
Jean Fabre, the Swiss owner of Yquem II, shares the same opinion: “First time in Genoa, and after 15 years of sailing with this boat, we are very satisfied. Both for the results and for the beauty of the place and the racecourse.”

Join us at sea tomorrow for the final day of this World Championship with the first race starting at 11:00 AM.

Day 5

8 Metre World Championship

The Swiss 8 Metre Yquem II is the 2023 World Champion

On the final day of the 8 Metre World Championship, with the boats waiting in the harbor for the wind to pick up, the rankings from yesterday were confirmed. The Swiss crew of Yquem II, skippered by Jean Fabre and representing the Société Nautique de Geneve, emerged as the winners of the 2023 edition of the Class World Championship. The Swiss demonstrated great skill and showcased their familiarity with this class, as they are true veterans. Jean Fabre had previously won the first world championship with the earlier Yquemin 1998 and then repeated his success in 2015, 2019, and in 2022 with the second boat in the series. The second place went to the Austrian crew of Conquistador, owned by the President of the International 8 Metre Class, Werner Deuring, and the third place was secured by the Australian team on Mirabelle, owned by Peter Harburg, with an exceptional crew of Australians led by Mark Bradford, who is not only the skipper of Mirabelle but also of the impressive 100′ Black Jack.

Yquem II, in addition to the world title, also claimed the Corinthian Trophy and the Coppa d’Italia, an ancient trophy that originated in 1908 at the Yacht Club Italiano and has since been awarded to racing boats in the 8 Metre S.I. class.

“I am very happy with this achievement,” said Jean Fabre, the owner of Yquem II. “It is the result of meticulous preparation. After all, we are all Swiss on board, and we have been sailing together for many years. I have been sailing 8 Metres for over thirty years, and with my crew, we have decades of experience that allows us to know our boat very well. It is a very fast boat and relatively straightforward to set up, especially compared to my first Yquem, which was unbeatable in light airs and with which I won the first world title in 1998 but was very complicated to set up.”

“It was a tremendous thrill to see these beautiful yachts return to the waters of Genoa,” said Gerolamo Bianchi, the President of the Yacht Club Italiano, at the end of the races. “We welcomed the crews in very challenging weather conditions that kept us ashore for the first two days, but we made up for it in the following days by managing to stick to the schedule of two daily races, always with good wind. Hats off to these crews who provided us with a truly rare spectacle and demonstrated great sportsmanship and seamanship.”

At 7:30 PM, the Club held the closing ceremony of the World Championship, followed by the prize-giving ceremony that saw the crews from various categories, based on the year of construction (the oldest in Genoa dating back to 1910, while the newest is from 2013), take the podium.

The ceremony concluded with a farewell to the 2024 World Championship in Clyde, Scotland, and a gala dinner for owners and crews in the race village of the Yacht Club Italiano set up for the occasion.