Cattolica lacks wind, but the Giro d’Italia Vela doesn’t lose its charm

All the ingredients for a great sporting event were there: sunshine, an enthusiastic crowd, and the splendid backdrop of the Queen of the Adriatic. Yet, the most unpredictable element of all threw a spanner in the works for the sailors: the wind.

The Waszp fleet betrayed by the calm
The spotlight was on the Waszp class, the spectacular and incredibly fast “flying” boats capable of delivering intense thrills. The athletes showed up promptly on the race course, right in front of the Sailing Village, at 1:00 PM sharp. Initially, a light breeze had given the organizing committee hope, and they promptly gave the green light to the first race. But the illusion was short-lived. The wind, instead of strengthening, began to gradually drop, leaving the boats almost motionless on the water.

A long wait and the return to port
Despite the disappointment, the fleet did not give up immediately. The sailors patiently remained offshore, lulled by the waves, hoping that a new wind current would save the day and reopen the race. Unfortunately, the sea turned into a still mirror.

At 3:40 PM, realizing that the weather conditions would not allow any concessions, the final order to return to the moorings arrived. A competitively unlucky day for the coastal races, yet one that is part of the DNA of this sport, where nature always has the last word.

Heading south: Vieste awaits the fleet
But there’s no time to look back too much. With the Romagna interlude behind them, the crews are already turning their attention to the next few miles to cover. The Giro d’Italia Vela circus is ready to unfurl its sails again: tomorrow morning, at 11:00 a.m. sharp, the starting signal will be given for the second Offshore stage. The fleet will leave Cattolica and head south, heading for Vieste, in the splendid setting of the Gargano. The competition is getting even more intense, and everyone is hoping that, this time, the wind will be a faithful ally.