Sferracavallo welcomes international sailing elite for the Nacra 17 Europeans

Sferracavallo welcomes international sailing elite for the Nacra 17 Europeans

by Alexia Lahoud, 49er and Nacra 17 Sailing 4 Nov 09:05 PST
5-10 November 2024

The picturesque Gulf of Sferracavallo is set to host the Nacra 17 European Championships, welcoming 18 teams and 36 elite sailors from 13 nations for a week of thrilling competition.

The event, running from November 5 to November 10, promises intense racing among the world’s top Nacra 17 sailors, showcasing their skills in this breathtaking Mediterranean setting.

Organized by Circolo Velico Sferracavallo in collaboration with the Nacra 17 Class Association and the Palermo Tourism and Sports Department, the event will feature Olympic-class mixed-gender crews competing on high-speed catamarans. Sailors from Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Finland, France, Greece, Italy, Netherlands, Poland, Spain, Switzerland, and the United States will take to the water, making Sferracavallo a global sailing hub for the week.

Several competitors are fresh from the Paris 2024 Olympics, including Finnish team of Sinem Kurtbay and Akseli Keskinen, Australian duo Brin Liddell and Rhiannan Brown and Belgian team Lucas Claeyssens and Eline Verstraelen. Belgian siblings Kwinten and Lieselotte Borghijs bring added prestige, holding the Junior World Championship title from Galicia. Canadian athletes Galen Richardson and Madeline Gillis, who narrowly missed qualifying for Paris, are focused on securing a place at the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles. Joining them from Canada are Caspar Lenz Anderson and Coralie Vittecoq.

A standout French contingent includes Kevin Fischer and Mathilde Lovadina, a couple who usually compete in the 49er class — Kevin with Clement Pequin, with whom he recently claimed the 2024 49er World Championship in Lanzarote, and Mathilde with Aude Compan in the 49erFX. Having only recently started sailing together in the Nacra 17, this will be their first event in this class. Fellow French teams include Thomas Proust with Eloise Clabon and Margaux Billy sailing with Noah Chauvin.

The competition also includes Greek team Iordanis Paschalidis and Maria Tsaousidou, a Dutch team represented by Willemijn Offerman — fresh from competing in the Women’s America’s Cup — and Scipio Houtman, as well as a Polish team with Aleksander Michalski and Karolina Zurek. Switzerland will also be represented by two teams: Marie Mazuay and Clément Guignard, and Andrea Aschieri with Tine Rossel, Andrea also bringing America’s Cup experience to the regatta.

Italy’s own Gianluigi Ugolini and Maria Giubilei, a celebrated duo from the Italian Air Force Sports Group, will also be on the starting line. They bring an impressive track record, including multiple Under-24 World Championships and European medals. Both competed in the 37th America’s Cup, with Ugolini securing victory in the Youth America’s Cup and Giubilei as a trimmer with Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli, where she contributed to the Puig Women’s America’s Cup win.

Making their debut in Sferracavallo, Nicolas Martin and Carolina Zager will represent the United States in this newly-formed team. Other standout teams include Ruben and Rita Booth from Australia, Laura Farese and Matthäus Zöchling from Austria, Daniel De La Casa and Nora Garçia from Spain.

“This 2024 European Championship at Circolo Velico Sferracavallo is an exciting step on the road to the Los Angeles Olympics,” said Santiago Lange, President of the Nacra 17 Class Association. “We are thrilled to see our young sailors race here and to test new formats that will shape the future of sailing.”

Circolo Velico Sferracavallo’s President, Giuseppe Giunchiglia, expressed pride in hosting such a prestigious regatta: “It is an honor to welcome an event of this magnitude. We thank the Nacra 17 Class Association for their trust in us, and we acknowledge the impact of Ruggero Tita and Caterina Banti’s recent Olympic win in Paris under Coach Gabriele Bruni. Their success shines a spotlight on Italian sailing, and we appreciate Coach Bruni’s support in organizing this international event. The strong presence of foreign athletes reaffirms our position on both the national and international stage, and we are committed to promoting Sferracavallo and Palermo as premier destinations. Our gratitude goes to the City of Palermo and particularly to Councilor Alessandro Anello for his continuous support in elevating our region’s profile through sports.”

The Nacra 17 European Championships commence tomorrow with registration and the Competitors’ Meeting, followed by the Opening Ceremony at 5:00 PM. Racing begins Wednesday at 11:00 AM, conditions permitting, with five days of high-stakes competition leading to the final standings on Sunday, when the overall and Junior champions will be crowned.

Find out more at nacra17.org/event/2024-european-championship