Azzurra: a prestigious prize and the launch of the latest hull

Valencia, March 19, 2018 - Azzurra won the Italian Sailing Federation's  (FIV) Sailor of the Year Award for best boat while the newest version of Azzurra, the one that will be used to defend last year’s title in the 52 Super Series, was being launched in Valencia.

The past week has been very busy but very satisfying for Azzurra’s team. The week began in Rome, in the splendid Villa Miani, where the boat flying the Yacht Club Costa Smeralda’s burgee won the Federazione Italiana Vela’s (FIV) Sailor of the Year Award for Boat of the Year after having won the 52 Super Series for the third time. For this TP52, owned by YCCS members the Roemmers family, it was a wonderful and very welcome recognition of last year’s victory overall in the Series after the hardest fought season ever.

Edoardo Recchi, YCCS sporting Director, received the prize with these words: "We are proud of this award not only because of the results we reached in last year’s racing season but also because it proves that the series of boats named Azzurra really has a unique place in the history of Italian sailing. Special thanks from the Yacht Club Costa Smeralda go to Azzurra’s owners, the Roemmers family, to her team and to the jury of the FIV Sailor of the Year Awards for honouring us with this important recognition.”

While the event was in course in Rome, Azzurra’s sailing team was reunited in Valencia for the launch of the latest hull named Azzurra. This is the fourth TP52 version of Azzurra, and was built by King Marine based on a design by Botin Partners. The boat was launched at Port America’s Cup, with the famous Veles y Vents building as a backdrop. Mast stepping immediately followed the launch so that the team could begin to test the boat and fine-tune her set up.

The new Azzurra will be officially baptised by the Princess Zahra Aga Khan in May at the first event in the 2018 52 Super Series. Azzurra’s regatta debut will be at a test event for the new TP52, Palmavela held this year from May 2nd to 6th.

Skipper Guillermo Parada had these words after his first sail aboard the new hull: “We’re sure that this new Azzurra will be a reference point for the new generation of TP52s, just like the previous version, launched in 2015, was. We know that our adversaries haven’t been sitting on their hands and the year 2018 is going to be even harder fought than last season was. Still, we know that we have a top quality boat and a very tight team, a big family that is very close and where everyone is ready to give it their all. I want to take advantage of this occasion to welcome back Santiago Lange and Grant Loretz.”