The sixth and seventh rounds of the Marina di Loano Winter Championship, organised by Circolo Nautico del Finale, Circolo Nautico Loano, CNAM Alassio, Circolo Nautico Andora, with the collaboration of Marina di Loano and Yacht Club Marina di Loano, were held on Saturday 9 and Sunday 10 February, to make up for the official dates of the week before. The organisers had to cancel the planned programme for the weekend of 2 and 3 February due to adverse weather conditions in the north-west. The 25-boat fleet, therefore, took to the water for the first time on Saturday 9 February to contest the sixth round of the Championship, which was characterised by light winds of up to 7 knots in a south-easterly direction and calm seas.
Opposite weather conditions, however, on Sunday 10 February, when the competitors had to contend with winds between 20 and 25 knots, with gusts of up to 30 knots, from a south-westerly wind and formed waves. The Regatta Committee chose to run a 14-mile coastal race on the Loano-island Gallinara-Loano course, which involved the entire fleet. Massimo Schieroni's Farr 40 Roby & 14 (Y. C. Savona) dominated the ORC 1 classification over the two days with two firsts, confirming its position at the top of the class, followed in 2nd place by En Plein Air, Paolo Tesio's Comet 45 S (LNI Noli) and Rinaldo Goria's Go Go (LNI S.T. Gallura) in 3rd place. Farr 40 Roby & 14 is also leading in the overall ORC classification.
In the ORC 2 category, a double success allowed Corto Maltese, Michele Colasante's First 34.7 (C.N. Ilva) to continue to lead the overall category classification with 13 points, while Emma 2, Emanuela Verrina's Grand Soleil 43 (C.N. Marina owned by Genova Aeroporto) was second with 19 points and Vega, Salvatore Giuffrida's Grand Soleil 40 C (LNI Sestri Ponente) third with 19.5 points.
In the FIV Libera category classification, Fabio Quarone's Alligator won both Saturday and Sunday, confirming its position as leader of the overall classification with 8 points, while Giovanni Saccomanni's Bric Paluc (LNI Finale Ligure) came second (25 points) and Roberto Guido Bianchi's Smania came third with 32 points.
Aile Blanche, owned by Simone Eiandi, won a second and a first place in the sailboat category, leading the overall classification after 7 races with 13 points. In 2nd place with 15 points, Gianluigi Barbisan's Mareva (C, N, Loano) and in 3rd place, Roberto Agosti's Gambalunga (C.N. del Finale) with 27 points.
The appointment for the last heat of the Marina di Loano Winter Championship is set for Saturday 2 and Sunday 3 March. At the end of the event during the prize-giving ceremony, the next offshore regattas scheduled during 2019 were announced, organised by the consortium of clubs in the Western Liguria region made up of Circolo Nautico del Finale, Circolo Nautico Loano, CNAM Alassio, Circolo Nautico Andora, and Yacht Club Marina di Loano under the aegis of Marina di Loano.
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