In the Aeolian Islands, it’s not just the sirocco that blows ambition does too. The kind that propels Guardamago 3, the IY 11.98 helmed by Massimo Romeo Piparo, to the front of the fleet at the third edition of the Nebrodi and Aeolian Winter Championship. More than a victory, it was a statement, a clear signal ahead of the upcoming Italian Offshore Sailing Championship, hosted by YCCO.
“We studied the racecourse the way you prepare for opening night,” says Piparo, a man of the stage who’s equally at home on the sea. “After last year’s win at the Round Aeolian Race, again in these waters, coming back to train felt like the obvious choice: nothing sharpens precision like familiarity. And let’s be honest… racing in the waters where it all began has a flavor no podium can match.”
Seven races, four first-place finishes, two seconds, and a DNF that felt more like a footnote than a misstep: Guardamago 3 sailed with both strategy and soul, confirming its place among the season’s most credible contenders. With the wind at its back and the great sailing season already in sight.
