A-Class Italy @Circolo Sunset Calambrone 2017: Eugenio Calabria 1st
The “rookies” couldn’t catch the ‘Master’ this time around. Experienced A-Cat sailor Eugenio Calabria showed Vittorio Bissaro & Lorenzo Bianchini (two top notch Italian catsailors who started racing As recently) how to close a regatta with two bullets to grab the top place of the podium at Calambrone. It was too close though.
Great to see ‘Vitto’ and ‘Lolo’ , usually featured here in the F18s, now racing As. Our friend Bissaro also had a great Nacra 17 campaign.
The A Class is renewing its target which is a forced scenario on the new foiling mode but still everyone can enjoy the As and will continue to be the choice for many long time sailors. The A-Class concept and allure is fully maintained also in floating mode.
And what the Class lose from one end is gained from the opposite spectrum. In the past I didn´t saw many sailors participating F18 and A-Cats at same time beyond Ashby & Booth.
My recommendation as always is try to sail both, if possible of course.
Yesterday I went out in the A and exchanged helm on the water with my friend Agustin and his Exploder F18, I had some good spi runs while he experienced smooth rides on the A14 learning how to handle it.
On the racing itself in Italy, few times I’ve seen a triple tie, even on discards, the winner was decided on bullets for Calabria. With Bianchini & Bissaro following behind. Video top mark video below shows great conditions.
To follow news on the Italian fleet check fb group Classe A
30 boats on the water, good fleet numbers for the Italian fleet. Regatta organized by Centro Vela Sunset near Livorno, North Italy.
Top ten below, full results here
| Pos | Sail | Crew | R1 | R2 | R3 | R4 | R5 | R6 | Tot |
| 1 | ITA 2 | Eugenio Calabria | -3 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 9 |
| 2 | ITA 14 | Lorenzo Bianchini | 1 | 1 | -3 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 9 |
| 3 | ITA 13 | Vittorio Bissaro | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | -3 | 2 | 9 |
| 4 | ITA 51 | Stefano Casadei | 4 | 4 | 4 | -8 | 6 | 4 | 22 |
| 5 | ITA 3 | Paolo Penco | 6 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 4 | -7 | 25 |
| 6 | ITA 72 | Giussepe Colombo | 5 | 5 | -7 | 6 | 5 | 5 | 26 |
| 7 | SWE 59 | Alberto Farnesi | 8 | -9 | 6 | 5 | 7 | 9 | 35 |
| 8 | AUS 4 | Stefano Sirri | 9 | 8 | 9 | 9 | -11 | 10 | 45 |
| 9 | ITA 101 | Andrea Ferrari | -19 | 7 | 10 | 7 | 8 | 14 | 46 |
| 10 | ITA 7 | Daniele Menegati | -16 | 11 | 13 | 10 | 10 | 8 | 52 |
