Naval Academy Regatta - RAN 630, ready for the start of the 8th edition
by Giuliano Luzzatto 26 Apr 18:04 BST
27 April 2025
RAN 630 - IMX 40 Antares © Manfredi Fronzoni
- Start on 27 April at 11.00 am from the waters off the Naval Academy in Livorno
- The new virtual regatta on sailonline.org is open to all
- Many competitors and winners of past editions will be there at the start
- Excellent debuts, including French solo sailor Michel Cohen and Matteo Uliassi's foiling catamaran Falcon, with Luna Rossa sailor Shannon Falcone on board.
- Follow the race on the tracking Yellow Brick: www.ybtracking.com
Everything is ready at the Livorno Yacht Club, inside the ancient harbour, for the eighth edition of the Regatta of the Naval Academy - RAN 630. This is a race of over 630 nautical miles along the Livorno - Porto Cervo - Faraglioni di Capri - Livorno route.
The event is organised by the Livorno Yacht Club, together with the Naval Academy. The Yacht Club Costa Smeralda and the Yacht Club Capri are kindly providing technical support for the passages at their respective gates.
There will be 17 competitors at the starting line, including some past winners and new entries. Among them will be the French solo sailor Michel Cohen, racing the Figaro 2 Tintorel, and Matteo Uliassi's foiling catamaran Falcon, crewed by Shannon Falcone. Shannon is a Luna Rossa member, and has sailed in six America's Cup campaigns (winning two of them with Oracle) and two VOR. The Sunfast 3600 Lunatika is going to try to win the title again. This boat is sailed Double Handed by Guido Baroni and Alessandro Miglietti. The Overall winners of 2020 and 2021, Francesco Conforto on the 9.50 Class Pegasus and Antonio Maglione on the Grand Soleil 40 Blues will be back again. The Italian Navy will be there with three yachts: IMX-40 Antares, First 36.7 Fomalhaut and the Mini 6.50 Pegaso MM, which is skippered by Andrea Pendibene. They will be racing for the Marotta Trophy, reserved to the military crews.
At the RAN 630 2025 is back also the First 47.7 Audace, this time with co-owner Celia Oliverio as skipper and an all-female crew. Meanwhile the other co-owner, Beppe Agliardi, will be on board the new entry, Zeroincondotta, an X 412 owned by Damiano Zilio. Francesco Giordano is also changing boats. He will be sailing on the new Adrigole, which is an X-41. Also returning are Gherardo Maviglia's Amapola II, Luigi Paoletti's Tattoo and Ralph Lualdi's Shark.
The Class 40 Vaquita of YCL member skipper Alessio Bernabò, who we hope will make a quick recovery after his recent surgery, will not be at the start. However, Alessio has confirmed that he will take part in this year's exciting new virtual regatta, where anyone can register and compete on equal terms with Alessio Bernabò, as if he were the skipper of his Class 40.
To take part in the virtual RAN 630, go to: sailonline.org/races/all.
The final rankings will be calculated using the ORC and IRC systems, both for full crews and DH. Grand Cruising and IOR classes are also planned. The Pierre Hamon Perpetual Challenge Prize will be awarded to the Lines Honour yacht. The Naval Academy Perpetual Challenge Prize will go to the first yacht on corrected time. Thanks to the Navy, competitors can also count for the 2025 edition on the full race course being monitored by the Operations Centre of the Naval Squadron Headquarters, ensuring the best possible safety conditions.
You can track the RAN 630 on Yellow Brick: www.ybtracking.com, or on the YB Races App.