Once the decision was taken to finish off the
performance-improving alterations Shining required
once and for all, it was inevitable that work
would not be done in time for the 34th Barcolana
race.
So, in September, the Team channelled its energies
into the task of finding a yacht that would
be up to the event (and, let’s face it,
with Shining’s victories in 1999 and 2000,
it had a lot to live up to!). It was the inexhaustible
determination of Marco Guerra, Shining’s
skipper, that led the Team to sign an agreement
to charter a highly impressive boat: the 78-footer
Idea, designed by Reichel Pugh. Domenico Cilenti
and Marco Guerra, not content with just a great
boat, also wanted a highly professional crew
to sail it, enlisting the services of two exceptional
yachtsmen: Lorenzo Bressani, who was to take
the helm, aided by English tactician Ian Moore,
navigator aboard Illbruck, just back from the
triumphant Round the World "Volvo Ocean
Race". A week’s intensive training
forged a well-bonded and well prepared crew
technically speaking. The fruit of this diligent
labour was victory for Uniflair (the name given
to the boat for the occasion) in both the Super
Open Trophy and Barcolana events. The Barcolana
was a heart-stopping regatta, which got off
to a bad start for our team, though it finished
with a glorious flourish thanks to the incredible
job the team did of overtaking the Slovenian
MaxiJena during the last tack. With Uniflair,
the Magic Sailing Team is once again the star
of the Barcolana, seizing the overall winner’s
Trophy for the third time.
UNIFLAIR Murphy
& Nye - Bido Costruzioni - Tecno Garden -
Porto San Rocco have won the 34th Barcolana race
with the Magic Sailing Team
The Mayor of Trieste shows unbridled enthusiasm
aboard, with fellow guest secretary-general of
the Italian National Olympic Committee CONI, Raffaele
Pagnozzi
The Magic Sailing Team follows
up its ‘99 and 2000 victories on Shining
by winning the Barcolana with the 78-foot Uniflair.
The Team, headed by Domenico Cilenti, ran a really
exciting race: after a difficult start, which
had the crew contending with wind conditions that
were too light for the boat’s liking (2
knots at the start), helmsman Bressani began to
catch up with the tactical help of Englishman
Ian Moore (winner of the last Round the World
race on Illbruck). The last leg proved decisive
for the whole race: familiarity with the gulf
of Trieste and careful observation of the boats
moored just off the coast convinced Bressani to
opt for an immediate tack. This decision is what
allowed Uniflair to pull off an incredible manoeuvre,
overtaking the Slovenians on MaxiJena, the brand
new eighty-footer skippered by expert helmsman
Kosmina, for whom first place had seemed a foregone
conclusion.
The buoy on a line with the Miramare Castle therefore
marked the true turning point in the race, which
was to determine the fate of the contenders: the
gusts of wind coming off the land propelled Uniflair
towards a thrilling victory to the applause of
the thousands of people lining Trieste’s
shores to watch the 34th edition of the Barcolana.
