RAN 630, Vaquita takes Line Honours by just one minute over Lunatika

Livorno, Italy—30 April 2024 — The Class40 Vaquita crossed the finish line positioned in front of the Naval Academy in Livorno first, followed by just one minute by the SunFast 3600 Lunatika, winner overall and Double-Handed under both ORC and IRC corrected time.

After an intense five days, seven hours, and 39 minutes of racing, the seventh edition of the RAN 630—Regatta of the Naval Academy concluded for two first boats with a thrilling finish at 1:40 a.m. on April 29, with just one minute separating them.

Vaquita, boasting a larger length, dominated the race up to the Porto Cervo mark, securing the One Ocean Trophy. However, at the second waypoint in front of the Faraglioni of Capri, Lunatika surged ahead by a mere 6 minutes. The journey to Livorno saw a strategic battle between the two vessels, with positions constantly shifting. In the final stretch, Vaquita encountered a wind hole with less than three miles remaining while Lunatika navigated through, seizing the lead in light, choppy conditions. A subsequent increase in nighttime breeze, reaching about 8-9 knots, allowed Vaquita, skippered by Alessio Bernabò, to clinch a tense final sprint. Cheers erupted as the Livorno skipper and crew—Flavia Onore, Marco Marmegg, and Gabriele Migami—crossed the finish line.

Lunatika's crew, guided by Guido Baroni and Alessandro Miglietti, celebrated their overall victory on ORC handicap time, defending the Naval Academy Regatta Trophy from the previous edition and securing victory in the Double-Handed category.

In the afternoon hours, Luca Bettiati's Figaro 3 Muttley - BDM Audit, accompanied by Gherardo Maviglia's Amapola II, finished in sequence in the ORC A class. Later in the evening, the First 47.7 Audace, helmed in Double-Handed by 'Beppe' Agliardi and Pasquale Volpe, claimed victory in the Grand Cruiser class. 

The remainder of the fleet is expected to arrive by the evening of May 1.

Livorno Yacht Club President, Professor Gian Luca Conti said, “It was an extremely technical regatta played on strategy like a naval battle in Nelson's time. Vaquita and Lunatika, Muttley - BDM Audit, and Amapola II, in the top positions, crossed each other from the start to the finish, which was decided by a single minute in the early morning hours. The support of the Academy and its commanding admiral was never lacking and was the real driving force of the regatta, as always. Thank you to every one of us for making these days unforgettable.”