Third place for the Class40 IBSA at the CIC Normandy Channel Race, the last regatta of the season

Almost three years after the start of the project Sailing into the Future. Together, we are at the tenth and final regatta of the Class40 IBSA. The CIC Normandy Channel Race ended last Friday, with a well-deserved third place for skipper Alberto Bona and co-skipper Alberto Riva. Starting and finishing in Caen (Normandy, France), the regatta covered 1,000 nautical miles along the South-West coast of England, crossing the English Channel and the Celtic Sea.

A VARIABLE AND VARIED REGATTA

The fifteenth edition of the Normandy Channel Race, which started on Sunday, September 15, was characterised by calm weather, thick fog and rough waves, which made navigation particularly complex. From the very beginning, Bona and Riva showed great accord and determination, fighting to position themselves among the group leaders. Despite a slow start, the two skippers quickly climbed the rankings, settling among the five leaders already along the English coast and confirming their third position at the passage of the iconic Fastnet rock, in the south of Ireland. The final stretch was particularly hard-fought, with the fourth boat arriving just five minutes behind the Class40 IBSA.

A GRATIFYING AND SATISFYING CONCLUSION TO THE SEASON

Ending the 2024 season on the podium is a more than positive result for both the skippers and IBSA. Let’s hear the skippers’ thoughts upon arrival:

“We tackled this regatta with great concentration. The weather conditions made the race complex from a tactical point of view, but we managed to maintain the right course and overcome the fatigue accumulated during our sailing days. I’d like to thank Alberto [Riva] for his contribution: he’s been an excellent teammate, and together we faced every challenge with a smile”, commented Alberto Bona.

These words echoed Alberto Riva’s: “It’s been a pleasure to sail with Alberto [Bona]: we immediately found our rhythm, managing to have fun even in the most difficult moments. The Normandy – which I have dreamed of for years – is a tough and complex regatta, with a fast pace and with strategic decisions to be made continuously”.

Giorgio Pisani – Vice President of the IBSA Group and Leader of the project Sailing into the Future. Together – congratulated the two skippers on their excellent result: “A well-deserved third place, a season finale that rewards Alberto Bona’s commitment, dedication and growth, as well as the progress of Sailing into the Future. Together as a sports project”.

This podium marks the conclusion of the third season of regattas for the Class40 IBSA, which will now take a break for maintenance work, having covered over 25,000 miles in three years.