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Porto Cervo, July 5, 2026. The Smeralda 888 class season continued this weekend in Porto Cervo with the Coppa Europa Smeralda 888. The event, which concluded today, followed last weekend's Invitational Smeralda 888, an event won by Marco Favale’s Millenium Falcon. The same team repeated their success today, taking the top spot on the podium at the Coppa Europa Smeralda 888. Nicolò Saidelli’s Bloody Mathilde and Silvia De’ Longhi’s Ziva finished in second and third place, respectively.     
 
Alongside Millenium Falcon, key contenders in the event's 23rd edition included Stay Rude helmed by Giovanni Lombardi Stronati, Nicolò Saidelli’s Bloody Mathilde, and Germano Scarpa’s Giada, representing the YCCS. Returning to the Costa Smeralda after last weekend’s racing were Martin Nweeia’s Paka' A, Charles de Bourbon’s Vamos mi Amor, Marie Hélène Polo’s Zarina by Das, and Silvia De' Longhi’s Ziva. The fleet also included Paolo Rotelli’s Black Star and Luigi Guarnaccia’s Capocaccia—the winner of the 2025 edition.
 
The Smeralda 888 class has always been known for its friendly yet sporty spirit. While prioritizing the joy of sailing and camaraderie, this class does not shy away from healthy competition as shown by the participation of some of the most distinguished names in Italian and international sailing at Smeralda 888 events. Starting with Francesco Bruni, tactician aboard Ziva, other highly experienced sailors in attendance included Giulio Desiderato aboard Stay Rude, Flavio Favini on Bloody Mathilde, Gaetano Figlia di Granara aboard Millenium Falcon, Giorgio Poggi and Duccio Colombi on Capocaccia, and Andrea Casale on Zarina by Das.  
 
The competition began on Friday, July 3rd, with ten teams racing in windward-leeward races off the coast of Porto Cervo. High pressure along the entire Italian peninsula - including Sardinia - brought light, shifty winds to the racecourse, allowing for a total of four races to be completed.


 
Millenium Falcon asserted its dominance over the fleet right from the start, securing victories on both the first and second days of the event. On the final day, Marco Favale’s team was challenged by Bloody Mathilde, which sailed two flawless races to win the final two regattas. Consistency paid off for Millenium Falcon; with second and third place finishes today, the team clinched the top spot in the standings ahead of Bloody Mathilde. The third spot on the podium went to Ziva, helmed by Silvia De’ Longhi, with Francesco Bruni as part of the crew.  
 
The final awards ceremony brought all participants together at the YCCS, where the winner was presented with a Garmin OnBoard safety system which monitors the entire crew offered by the event’s technical partner, Garmin Marine.



For further information, results, the entry list, the programme, photos and news, please visit www.yccs.com or contact the YCCS Press Office.

Contacts
YCCS Press Office
Marialisa Panu/Giuliano Luzzatto
Tel. +39 345 7938513 - +39 348 5966160
pressoffice@yccs.it
www.yccs.com