Confluence leads ORC Mediterranean Championship 2025 after inshore series in Sorrento
by Offshore Racing Congress 11 May 05:34 NZST
7-18 May 2025
ORC Mediterranean Championship 2025 - 70th Tre Golfi Sailing Week in Sorrento, Italy © Tre Golfi Sailing Week / Studio Borlenghi
The inshore portion of the ORC Mediterranean Championship 2025 concluded today off the coast of Sorrento after three days of windward-leeward racing in ideal conditions.
With 30 teams from 10 countries on the starting line, the first part of the 70th edition of the Tre Golfi Sailing Week delivered spectacular action, forming the opening phase of a two-part championship that will resume with an offshore challenge next Friday.
The French GP 42 CONFLUENCE, helmed by Jean-Pierre Joly, topped the overall standings with a scoreline that included two race wins and three podium finishes (after discard). Just behind, TO BE (Italia 11.98), skippered by Stefano Rusconi and representing Yacht Club Italiano, claimed second place with a win in Race 4. LISA R (Ker 46), owned by Giovanni Di Vincenzo, completed the podium thanks to a dominant victory in the final race.
"The last two days were ideal - perfect weather, great racing, and a very well-organized event," said Jean-Pierre Joly, owner of Confluence.
"This is one of the most beautiful regattas in the Mediterranean. It's a long journey for us to bring the boat to Naples, but we do it with real pleasure. My team is so happy with the racing, the people, the whole atmosphere - just perfect. We hope to be back next year!"
Results after the Inshore Races: (top six, 5 races, 1 discard)
1. CONFLUENCE (GP 42) FRA - Jean-Pierre Joly - ORC A - 8.00 pts
2. TO BE (Italia 11.98) ITA - Stefano Rusconi - ORC B - 10.00 pts
3. LISA R (Ker 46) ITA - Giovanni Di Vincenzo - ORC 0 - 16.50 pts
4. ARKAS Sailing Team - Blue Moon (TP52) TUR - Arcas Bernard - ORC 0 - 17.00 pts
5. Mascalzone Latino (Farr 40) ITA - Vincenzo Onorato - ORC B - 17.00 pts
6. Selene - Alifax (Swan 42 Club) ITA - Massimo De Campo - ORC A - 17.00 pts
The battle for the final podium spot was incredibly close. LISA R finished third with 16.50 points, just 0.5 points ahead of three teams locked on 17.00 points: ARKAS Sailing Team - Blue Moon, Mascalzone Latino, and Selene - Alifax. Final rankings from 4th to 6th were determined by countback — a tiebreak based on individual race scores. These razor-thin margins demonstrate the exceptional depth of the fleet and the fairness of ORC's scoring system across different boat types.
"As always, racing in Sorrento was fantastic," said Stefano Rusconi, owner of To Be.
"The venue, the atmosphere, the town—everything was great. This week was an important part of our preparation for the ORC European Championship in Palma de Mallorca this summer. We're happy with our second place overall, and even more so knowing that among the boats we'll face in Palma, we finished ahead. It's a great sign for the season ahead."
Bruno Finzi, Chairman of the Offshore Racing Congress, added: "This year again, ORC racing is showing how tight and fair the competition can be among different types of boats and crews. A spectacular show on the water in front of the Vesuvius volcano!"
The event now shifts to its second act: the offshore component of the ORC Mediterranean Championship. The 70th Regata dei Tre Golfi will begin on Friday, May 16 with a 150-nautical-mile overnight race from Naples, rounding the islands of Ponza and Li Galli, before finishing in Naples. This historic race is a key qualifier for the Italian National Offshore Championship and a favorite among Mediterranean sailors. ORC Mediterranean Championship, a key lead-up event to the 2026 ORC World Championship held in Sorrento from April 29 to May 7.
National Championship for Central and Southern Italy
In parallel, the event also served as the Campionato Nazionale del Medio e Basso Tirreno (CNT), open to a wider range of Italian competitors and valid for qualification to the national title.
Wallyrocket51 Team Django, with Vasco Vascotto on tactics, claimed an emphatic win, sailing to a commanding lead in the final race. CONFLUENCE secured second place in both championships, while TO BE rounded out the podium in third.
In the individual divisions:
- Raffica (Pasquale Orofino) led the combined Cruiser/Racer A & B;
- Cavallo Pazzo (Enrico Danielli) won Racer C;
- Cosixty 8 (Salvatore Casolaro) topped the Cruiser/Racer C division.
Each class winner will receive support from the Italian Sailing Federation (FIV) to compete in the Italian National Offshore Championship, to be held in Capo d'Orlando later this summer.
The Tre Golfi Sailing Week, ORC Mediterranean Championship, and Campionato Nazionale del Medio e Basso Tirreno (CNT) are organized by Circolo del Remo e della Vela Italia under the patronage of FIV, and in cooperation with Yacht Club Italiano, Reale Yacht Club Canottieri Savoia, the Offshore Racing Congress (ORC), and UVAI. The event is supported by Rolex (Official Timepiece), Loro Piana, North Sails, Banca Patrimoni Sella, Ferrarelle, Ottogas, Deloitte, Italia Yachts, and other technical and institutional partners.
Full results here