The 2026 edition of the Riva-Montecristo, a regatta highly appreciated for its scenic and demanding course, proved challenging not because of rough conditions, but due to the heat and the complete lack of wind that affected the entire country. The tone was set right from the start, with 150 miles still to sail before the race deadline.
“Immediately after the start, we headed west to clear the restricted area off Civitavecchia, making barely two knots,” recalls Amerigo Guardigli aboard the C-Cat 48 Orcamiseria.
Racing double-handed aboard the C-Cat 48 Gaia, Marco Negri kept a close watch on the racecourse and on the positions of all the Comar yachts in contention, starting with his direct rival, Pippo Ercole’s C-Cat 48 Orcamiseria, followed by Carlo Alfano’s Comet 41S Aria and Giuseppe Massone’s Comet 41S Fahrenheit.
“At the first mark rounding, the four Comar yachts already had more than a mile on the rest of the fleet. A long beat carried us east of Giannutri: the wind initially held at 6-7 knots with a comfortable upwind angle, then built to 15 knots, forcing us into a very tight beat. Our competitors disappeared from sight while we, with precise tacking, overtook the C-Cat 48, which had chosen to pass south of Giglio together with the Comet 41S. We stayed ‘in the breeze’ and rounded north of Giglio, but two unexpected calms and an unusual windless patch between Giglio and Monte Argentario slowed us at sunset. Once the wind returned at 12-15 knots, we regained speed and recovered ground all the way to Montecristo, where a final calm compressed the fleet once again,” explains Marco Negri.
“Extreme weather conditions and long hours of drifting, yet the race was no less intense or exciting because of it. After a start in just 4-5 knots of wind, we relied on experience, patience and the ability to interpret every subtle change across the racecourse. Orcamiseria confirmed the significant progress achieved during recent months of fine-tuning, proving at last to be competitive even in light airs, a condition that had often penalized her in the past.
Whenever the breeze settled between 8 and 12 knots, performance was encouraging, and the battle with our closest rivals came down to tactical choices and handling details. We enjoyed a race filled with crossings, recoveries and overtaking manoeuvres, until the complete absence of wind off Montecristo brought the entire fleet to a standstill. The situation ultimately led to the race being abandoned, leaving some inevitable disappointment but also the awareness that we had shown excellent potential,” says the ever-enthusiastic Pippo Ercole.
“Beyond the result itself, what remains is the pleasure of having shared the sea with a close-knit crew, through moments of intense concentration and others of conviviality, including a dinner prepared on board during the long hours of waiting. Because sailing is also about this: challenge, friendship, passion and the ability to turn every mile sailed into a memorable experience,” concludes the owner.
Great satisfaction was also expressed by Alfano and Massone, who finished first and second respectively aboard the Comet 41S Aria and the Comet 38S Fahrenheit. Meanwhile, among the two C-Cat 48 sisterships, Orcamiseria finished ahead of Gaia.
“The race ended earlier than expected, but everyone’s enthusiasm remains intact. The boat performed at its best, the crew thoroughly enjoyed themselves, and the desire to get back on the water for the next challenge is already stronger than ever,” confirms Pippo Ercole. According to Marco Negri: “Excellent performance from the Comar team: in light wind conditions, the catamarans demonstrate remarkable efficiency, while with stronger winds they unleash their full power, reaching speeds of over 20 knots and cruising at around 15 knots, all while maintaining maximum comfort when expertly handled, even by two ‘not-so-young’ helmsmen."
