In the Tigullio, where winter can be both a caress and a slap, the 50th Winter Championship crowns a skipper who does not raise his voice but leaves a wake behind him: Stefano Rusconi. At the helm of To Be -IY 11.98- he sealed a season that shows no mercy, made of cold bones and salt-burned eyes. Sixteen races, six weekends, twelve days at sea: more marathon than dance. A true Winter Championship, masterfully conducted by Franco Noceti, president of the Circoli Velici del Tigullio, long regarded as one of the most demanding events of the sailing season for both weather and fleet quality. There is no bluffing here. You endure. The difference came down to just two points over Chestress3 and five over Spirit of Nerina. Margins as thin as a blade, earned through the steady consistency of those who know their craft. To Be races under the colors of the Yacht Club Italiano and flies the burgee of the IYOwnerClub: tradition and belonging, but above all substance.
The numbers speak of rare solidity: in sixteen races, only one fifth place and two fourths; all the rest on the podium. Consistency as signature and guarantee. “It was more an endurance race than a sailing regatta,” Rusconi said. “Six weekends and twelve winter race days are truly exhausting. I thank my crew and all the competitors who, like us, endured cold, rain, heavy seas, strong winds and light airs. For us, this championship was a serious testing ground ahead of the World Championship and the Italian ORC Championship.”
In winter, Tigullio gives nothing away. It rewards only those who hold their course when the wind shifts and the sea turns restless. Rusconi did not just win a trophy. He won the long haul , and in the harshest season, that is the only medal that matters.
