A Festival of Nautical Tradition.
A Festival of Nautical Tradition an hour’s drive from Milan. A new challenge for the Vele d’Epoca Verbano Association, which since its birth in 2013 has always wanted to surpass itself. After the experience acquired during the participation, as the only Italian expedition, in the most important European maritime festivals such as those in Brest, Escale à Sète, Festival de Loire in Orléans and Stari Grad in Croatia, the Lombard association has decided to organize a version larger than the Verbano Classic Regatta.
“Starting from this twelfth edition, scheduled from 6 to 8 September 2024 in Laveno Mombello on the eastern shore of Lake Maggiore”, announced AVEV president Paolo Sivelli, “the event will become part of the Verbano Classic Festival, true and own festival of the Lagheè nautical tradition which will involve not only the lake population, but also seafaring enthusiasts and enthusiasts from other regions, increasing tourism and presence in the area”. “Precisely in the spirit of the gathering-festival, continues Sivelli, “even traditional boats that do not participate in the regatta will be able to be hosted free of charge inside the Porto Antico of Laveno, for the benefit of anyone who wants to admire them and discover their history and characteristics”. To register for the 12th edition of the Verbano Classic Regatta, simply fill out the form at the link.
The event enjoys the patronage of the Municipality of Laveno Mombello, Chamber of Commerce of Varese, Lombardy Region and Rotary Club Angera – Sesto Calende, FIBaS (Italian Federation of Historic Boats), AIVE (Italian Association of Vintage Sails), ASDEC (Hull Association Vintage and Classics), with the support of the Varesotto Community Foundation and the collaboration of the Circolo Velico Medio Verbano, Pro Loco Laveno Mombello, Canottieri Cerro Sportiva and Cast ONG.
What for many years had already become the most important and attended gathering of vintage and classic sails in inland waters therefore makes a leap in quality, thanks also to the organizational partnership of the Municipality of Laveno Mombello which believes in and supports the project and of the Foundation Officine dell’Acqua, born in 2021 and based in the nineteenth-century former Freight Warehouses of the Ferrovie Nord in Laveno, which will become the operational center of the event.
In addition to the two regattas on Saturday and Sunday in front of the village of Cerro di Laveno, organized under the direction of the Circolo Velico Medio Verbano, the program was enriched with a museum-themed conference entitled “The floating museum, rediscovery of a forgotten identity”. The conference, which will see the participation of the authorities, representatives of the city municipality and president Sivelli, will include the Ligurian naval historian and writer Giovanni Panella, the president of Traditional Sailing Fanja Raffellini (owner of the schooner Pandora) and the director of the Museo della Navy of Cesenatico Davide Gnola.
Other initiatives include the parade of boats on Lungolago De Angeli, the palio delle Inglesine, two concerts in the Porto Antico of Laveno (I Luf and the Tributo a Fabrizio De Andrè) and the crews’ dinner at the splendid eighteenth-century villa De Angeli Frua. Therefore an important debut, which will certainly not go unnoticed. Those arriving from far away will be advised of logistical facilities for overnight stays at discounted prices.
For the second consecutive year it will be possible to attend the gathering of the “Inglesine”, the walking boats imported a century ago on Lakes Maggiore and Como by the Anglo-Saxon nobility who chose Italy to spend their holidays. Built in clinker mahogany, they have a length ranging from approximately 5 to 8 meters and can be steered with two or four oars. The boats will be exhibited in the Old Port of Laveno Mombello and in addition to becoming part of the first Inglesine Register they will compete in a palio on Saturday 7 September at 10 am on Lungolago De Angeli, visible from the banks and created thanks to the collaboration of Canottieri Cerro Sportiva.
The project of the return and rediscovery of the Inglesine is supported by the Varesotto Community Foundation. On the same day, at 6 pm, it will be possible to watch the parade of all the boats participating in the Verbano Classic Regatta which will parade from the Porto Antico to the nearby PortoLabieno, the tourist port of the lakeside town. The crews’ dinner will follow at Villa De Angeli Frua, just 400 meters from the Porto Antico, a splendid eighteenth-century aristocratic residence with a centuries-old park, now a municipal seat with an adjoining municipal library.
The boats admitted to the XII Verbano Classic Regatta are vintage wooden sailing boats (built before 12/31/1980), classic and traditional sailing boats, vintage or more recent, in wood or fibreglass, but which by design or material construction have an interest in nautical traditions (Dragons, Metric Classes, Star, Soling, etc.), lateen sailboats and lugsail boats that respect tradition in terms of lines and materials. It will be at the discretion of the organizing committee to accept the application for participation in the Trophy and the admitted boats will be included in three different groupings: Classic and vintage fixed keel class, Classic and vintage dinghies, Latin sailing / Third sail.
Photos ©Paolo Maccione
