After the first French stage in Antibes, the second stage in the Mediterranean of the Panerai Classic Yachts Challenge, the international regatta circuit reserved for classic and vintage sailing yachts sponsored for the fourteenth consecutive year by the Florentine sports watchmaking brand of the same name, will be held in Tuscany, in Porto Santo Stefano to be precise, from 13th to 17th June. More than 40 boats are expected, divided into categories Big Boats, Epoch, Classics, Spirit of Tradition e Metric Classes e monotypeswhich for the occasion will be hosted at the Pilarella Pier in the Tuscan town and can be visited at the mooring for the duration of the event. The sea organisation of the regattas, which will take place under the aegis of the CIM (International Mediterranean Committee), will be taken care of by the Yacht Club Santo Stefano. Once again this year, after what was successfully experienced for the first time in 2017, four regattas will be held instead of three, starting on Thursday 14 June and ending on Sunday 17 June. This will allow the participating yachts to experience the competition with greater intensity and to improve their boat's racing set-up day by day. Also present Eileanthe 22-metre ketch built by the William Fife yard in 1936, restored by Officine Panerai. Among the largest and most spectacular boats is the 40-metre Cambria of 1928, the only boat in the world belonging to the 23 Metre S.I. (International Tonnage) class, which will compete in the regatta against Hallowe'en of 1926, defending champion among the Big Boats, e Moonbeam of Fife from 1903. Historical hulls such as Margaa class 10 Metre S.I. from 1910, Linnet 1905, tenth of 18 hulls built and belonging to the class New York Yacht Club 30 or even Spartan of 1913, the last remaining example of the New York 50 Yacht Club 50. The Sonder Class Tilly XV, built in Germany in 1912 for Prince Heinrich Von Preussen, brother of Kaiser Wilhelm II of Prussia, proves to be one of the most active boats on the circuit having also participated in the North American Panerai Classic circuit. Among the historic Italian The Moor of Venice Iwinner in 2013 and 2015 of the Panerai trophy among the Classic Yachts. There will be no shortage of Italian Navy sailboats used as training ships for Naval Academy cadets, including the historic Bermudan yawls Corsair II of 1961 and Caroly of 1948, as well as Chaplin of 1974, already winner in 2009 of the Panerai seasonal trophy in the category Classic Yachts. The programme foresees the arrival, registration and eventual rating of the participating boats (by the AIVE, Associazione Italiana Vele d'Epoca) on Wednesday 13 June. An opening cocktail will be held in the evening at the Yacht Club Santo Stefano venue. On Thursday morning 14 June participants will be hosted at the Town Hall for the welcome ceremony and the briefing preceding the first regatta. In the evening of Friday 15 June, the crews' dinner will be held at the Fortezza Spagnola in Porto Santo Stefano. On Sunday afternoon, 17 June, after the fourth regatta, the event will conclude with the prize-giving ceremony. Next stage of the circuit, the Vele d'Epoca di Imperia, scheduled from 5 to 9 September.
