Splash Comet C 45s claimed second place in Class A – Group G, while Verve Camer Comet C 50s secured a third-place finish in Class 0 – Group G, in the 104-mile international crossing that tested both crews and boats with tactical decisions and challenging conditions.
When the wind starts playing hide and seek and the finish line seems just out of reach, only boats born to sail can truly stay on course. And at the 2025 Brindisi–Corfu Regatta, Splash and Verve Camer did exactly that.This year’s race was almost entirely upwind, with a fickle breeze that gave up just as the end was in sight. “It was amazing to reach the finish at six in the morning, before the wind completely dropped,” said Gianni Savino, skipper of Splash. “We were less than a mile behind the bigger boats. We thought they were all 50-footers, turns out they were 60s! We were thrilled. Even as the breeze died, we managed to stay with the lead pack.
And mind you,” he added, “we prepped the boat more for safety than performance—checked the rig, adjusted settings—and set off with our cruising sails: one mainsail, one spinnaker, one gennaker. All in Dacron. No carbon spars, no fancy Code 0s. And yet—what a satisfaction. We sailed smart, but it’s also thanks to the boat: she’s composite-built, with a flawless hull. We’ve used her mostly for cruising, but now we’ve decided to get into offshore racing—starting with Brindisi–Corfu and the Est 105. Next? Probably heading north to the Adriatic.”
Meanwhile aboard Verve Camer, it was all about sensitivity and responsiveness. “In conditions like these,” noted Captain Francesco Rima—also a former commander of the Palinuro, the training ship of the Italian Navy—“the boats that could react to the slightest pressure changes made the difference. Ours delivered beautifully. From the very start, we made the most of the wind, kept a steady pace all the way to Otranto, and crossed among the first in real time just as the breeze faded.”
Sailing on Verve was, he said, “a unique experience, silent, smooth, and thrilling. She glides across the water with astonishing grace, responds to every adjustment with surgical precision, and never gives the impression of being under strain. Even first-time crew members were struck by her balance, her solidity, and her ability to keep up with much larger and more celebrated rivals.”
“A special thanks,” Rima continued, “to those who believed, and still believe, in this project. Because when a boat is well-built, made to race and to stir emotions, time becomes irrelevant. What matters is seeing her sail. Again and again.”
Credit goes to owner Giuseppe Greco, to Tonia (Rima’s sister and onboard tactician), and to the tightly-knit crew: a team of longtime friends and seasoned sailors from the Compagnia della Vela Salento, rotating in and out as needed, but always sailing with focus, harmony, and a competitive spirit. Backed by partners Camer, Cielle Impianti, Unipol, Nuovarredo, Caffè Sereno, and Metalgi, the team is already looking forward to their next challenges: the Veleziana and the Barcolana..
