GENOA, ITALY
Classics outsail moderns at the 8-M Worlds
Among Italian sailors, the Yacht Club Italiano enjoys the same prestige as the Royal Yacht Squadron does for an English yachtsman, writes Ron Valent. It is Italy’s oldest yacht club, founded in 1879, and sits on the waterfront in a striking building filled with the artefacts of 144 years of sailing. There could hardly be a more stylish host for the International Eight Metre Association’s 2023 World Championship.
Twenty boats in four classes raced in variable, challenging conditions over the week, starting with 25-knot winds and high waves, to dead calm and cancelled races on the last day, not that it affected the winners in each category, all of whom had unassailable class leads by then.
There were three Modern 8-Ms, five Sira Class, two First Rule and 10 Neptune Class yachts. It was striking that three Neptune Class yachts finished ahead of the two fastest Sira yachts, then four Neptunes ahead
