The 25th Argentario Sailing Week – Miramis Trophy came to an end this Sunday, 28 June, after four days of racing that turned the Gulf of Argentario, in Tuscany, into a major international gathering of classic and vintage sailing.
Organised by the Yacht Club Santo Stefano, the event gathered around 50 vessels from ten countries and three continents. Together, the fleet represented almost 3,500 years of sailing and naval architecture history. The commemorative edition was marked by contests in eight categories, the presence of centenary sailboats, recognised names of world sailing and the participation of the Palinuro training ship of the Italian Navy.
The Palinuro's farewell marks the final day
The final programme began with one of the most moving moments of the whole edition. Before the last race, the Palinuro training ship left the Garibaldi quay, in Porto Santo Stefano, to continue its voyage. During its stay in the Gulf of Argentario, the 69-metre vessel took part in the official activities and welcomed thousands of visitors on board.
Around 11 am, the entire Argentario Sailing Week community gathered to watch the farewell. Aboard the Jill, the president of the Yacht Club Santo Stefano, Alessandro Maria Rinaldi, led the passage of the fleet of classic and vintage sailboats alongside the Palinuro. On the deck of the training ship, the crew stood lined up while three ceremonial salutes echoed across the gulf.
The passage of the four Italian Navy sailboats taking part in the competition, Corsaro II, Penelope, Chaplin and Artica II, took on a special meaning. Representatives of the club and of the Palinuro expressed the wish to repeat the ship's participation in the 2027 edition.
A traditional course closes the racing
For the last race, the Race Committee chose a course in the shape of an Olympic triangle, a historic configuration considered suited to the characteristics of classic sailboats. The main course was approximately 14 nautical miles, with the wind blowing between 10 and 15 knots. According to Marco Poma, commodore of the Yacht Club Santo Stefano, the four days of racing were marked by the competitive spirit, the elegance of the vessels and the sporting conduct of the crews.
Eight champions decided
After four days of racing, the overall winners of the eight categories of the Argentario Sailing Week – Miramis Trophy were known:
- Big Boats: Hallowe'en, of Inigo Strez
- Gaff Vintage: Scud, of Patrizio Bertelli
- Marconi Vintage: Leonore, of Mark Faulkner
- Classic: Crivizza, of Ariella Cattai
- Classic IOR: Ojalà, of Susan Carol Holland
- Cruiser: Star Sapphire, of Jacob Glatz
- Swan Classic: Matchless, of Giacomo Bei
- Spirit of Tradition: Flight of Durgan, of David and Alexandra Grylls
In addition to the category rankings, the edition handed out three special awards: the Scud received the Miramis Trophy (best overall result among the Vintage vessels); the Trofeo Voscià – Giancarlo Lodigiani went to the Corsaro II, of the Italian Navy; and the Sixters Trophy went to the Jill, of Alessandro Maria Rinaldi.
Centenary sailboats keep writing history
One of the great features of the edition was the presence of vessels that have crossed more than a century and continue to sail at a high level. The Cariad, launched in 1896, celebrated 130 years. Chinook and Rowdy turned 110, while Hallowe'en, Margaret and Marilee represented the group of centenary sailboats.
The Hallowe'en had an especially symbolic finish: in the year it turns a century old, the vessel won every race in the Big Boats category. Launched in 1926 and designed by William Fife III, the sailboat won the Fastnet Race in the same year it was launched. Margaret also celebrated 100 years in 2026, designed by the Norwegian Johan Anker, it belongs to the International 8 Metre Class and was commissioned by Sir Ernest Rooney, a silver medallist at the 1924 Paris Olympic Games.
Brazilian participation among the highlights
The presence of Torben Grael aboard the Scud added an important Brazilian component to the edition. The sailor was part of the crew of Patrizio Bertelli's vessel, which won the Gaff Vintage class and the Miramis Trophy. A two-time Olympic champion, world champion and America's Cup veteran, Grael was among the great international names gathered in Porto Santo Stefano.
The event drives tourism and the Ocean Economy
During the week, Porto Santo Stefano welcomed owners, crew members, professionals, guests, press and sailing enthusiasts from different parts of the world, a community estimated at more than a thousand people directly involved in the programme. The activity has an impact on hotels, restaurants, commerce, transport, shipyards, naval maintenance, port services and tourism activities.
The 2026 edition was the first held with Miramis as main sponsor and incorporated into the event's official name. During the awards ceremony, the group's CEO, Stefano Cuoco, confirmed the expectation of a new edition in 2027. Throughout the programme, Mundo Mar followed the main moments of the edition, from the arrival of the historic vessels and the Palinuro training ship to the decision of the champions.
By: Redação Mundo Mar
Photo: Marco Solari e Valerio Pollio
