The Race

30 May – 01 June 2024
151 Miglia – Trofeo Cetilar
 The true classic of the Mediterranean

In the panorama of Italian sailing, the 151 Miglia – Cetilar Trophy is the symbol of a fascinating sporting challenge and an unmissable event. A regatta open to all, designed to highlight the strategic qualities of the crews taking part, but above all to experience emotions that only passion, sport and the sea can give rise to. A regatta conceived by boat owners for boat owners, bringing with it all the force of the sea and wind.

More than a decade of sailing and passion: the history of the 151 Miglia – Trofeo Cetilar

The regatta is the brainchild of Roberto Lacorte, president of the Yacht Club Repubblica Marinara di Pisa, with the support of the Yacht Club Punta Ala and the Yacht Club Livorno.

Roberto, a successful entrepreneur and Vice-President of PharmaNutra Group S.p.A., proposed the creation of a medium-length offshore race, following a course that winds along one of the most beautiful and fascinating natural stretches of sea in the world, the islands of the Tuscan Archipelago. A technically challenging race for experienced racers, yet safe and therefore accessible to novices as well. The idea is as simple as it is effective and far removed from the Italian standards of sailing: those who take part in the 151 Miglia – Trofeo Cetilar are not only guests of a high-level sporting event, they become the protagonists.

On May 20, 2010, 53 yachts were lined up on the starting line. Thirteen editions later, in 2022, there were 263 entrants. A number that enshrines the 151 Miglia as the most attended and loved offshore regatta in Italy, the new classic of the Mediterranean that can rely on the endorsement of the Italian Sailing Federation, the Unione Vela d’Altura Italiana and the International Maxi Association.
Important partners, including PharmaNutra, North Sails, Slam, TAG Heuer, Locman, Azimut-Benetti, Rigoni di Asiago, Salvatore Ferragamo, Acqua dell’Elba, PROtect Tapes, and Plastimo, have given their support to the regatta.

Our course: 151 miles conceived to astound you, year after year

A part of the success achieved over recent years is due to the spectacular course for the regatta: the unique setting takes the fleet from the Tyrrhenian coast to the small island of Giraglia, then heads towards the Island of Elba and the Formiche di Grosseto, finishing in Punta Ala.

The course is also known and appreciated for its extraordinary ambiguity: perfect for newcomers to the great offshore who can sail inshore for a large part of the regatta, while at the same time technical and tactically challenging for those who are more experienced.
It is a course that links the 151 Miglia not only to the sea, but to the provinces of Pisa, Livorno and Grosseto, attracting both enthusiasts and the merely curious in their hundreds, in conjunction with the numerous land-based events that usher in the summer season along the coast of Tuscany.

The Protagonists

La 151 Miglia – Trofeo Cetilar è una regata in cui i grandi nomi della vela mondiale condividono il campo di regata con semplici appassionati, in un connubio unico tra tattica e passione.

Over the course of more than 10 years the 151 Miglia has hosted some of the greatest champions from national and international sailing, such as Brad Butterworth and Simon Daubney of New Zealand, Ian Lipinski of France, Bouwe Bekking of the Netherlands, and Italians Francesco De Angelis, Mauro Pelaschier, Tommaso Chieffi, Gabriele Benussi, Francesco Rapetti, Max Sirena, Francesco and Gabriele Bruni, Stefano Rizzi, as well as Olympian and current CONI Vice President Alessandra Sensini, who won the race in 2018. Prominent boat owners include George David of the U.S., Miguel Galluccio of Argentina, and Italians Pierluigi Loro Piana, Nicola Paoleschi, Carlo Puri Negri and Furio Benussi.

Beyond sailing: environment, culture, solidarity

Much more than a regatta, through its many initiatives both at sea and on land the 151 Miglia-Trofeo Cetilar is a unique opportunity to promote sport, the territory and the environment, as well as provide solid support to cultural, social and research projects.

The bond between the local area and 151 Miglia is also reflected in the commitment to protect the marine environment. For a number of years now, the regatta has signed the Charta Smeralda, pto share principles and actions aimed at protecting the seas and, as a result of the support and collaboration of various associations, including One Ocean Foundation, Worldrise and Marevivo, it has always been actively engaged in water conservation, seeking to limit as far as possible the impact of its activities on the environment and single-use plastic products during events at sea and on land. Since 2021, the 151 Miglia has also supported the One Ocean Foundation’s RECO Project, with the goal of raising awareness among crew about pro-environmental behaviour to follow on board.

Each year 4% of the proceeds from regatta entrants is donated to a non-profit organisation in line with the spirit of the regatta. Over the years this commitment has been even more firmly set in stone, with the organisation of a charity running race, the 15.1 RUN, which takes place in the beautiful surroundings of San Rossore Nature Park, the opening event of the 151 Miglia whose entry fees are donated to the NGO, Per Donare la Vita.
Among the associations supported through the more recent editions: Le Querce Di Mamre, in aid of Ukrainian refugees; Civil Protection, to which 50 percent of entry fees were donated during the fight against the pandemic; Worldrise Onlus, committed to the removal of plastic from beaches and the seas; Women’s Sailing Cup & Academy in support of AIRC and breast cancer research; and Arpa Foundation for pancreatic cancer research.

151 Miglia official supporters: what others say about us…

	Francesco Ettorre President of FIV – Italian Sailing Federation “The most striking aspect when arriving at the 151 Miglia for the first time is the wonderful hospitality and organisation. It is, without doubt, a regatta created by boat owners for boat owners, especially the on-land side, which makes it stand out from other regattas. An event doesn’t grow like this by accident, there is a lot of work behind the scenes. The three clubs who are involved have worked for years to organise a regatta where care for the crews and boat owners goes hand in hand with the competitive level of the fleet. Personally, my most vivid memory is the start: an exciting, as well as rare display of sails.”
	Alessandra Sensini Olympic champion, Vice President of CONI and Technical Director of the National Youth Sailing Team Champion Alessandra Sensini, winner of the 2018 edition on board of Nicola Paoleschi’s boat, Maxi Pendragon VI, has fond memories of the regatta. “I can’t help but love the 151 Miglia course, because it passes through areas that I know very well and have a connection with. It’s an extraordinary experience, incredible sailing, never boring”, recalled the four-time Olympic medal winner in windsurfing, current Vice President of CONI and Technical Director of the National Youth Sailing Team. “It is a perfectly organised regatta that, from a tactical and strategic point of view, offers a number of insights, because nothing is taken for granted and everything must be approached with the utmost concentration.”
	Andrew McIrvine Secretary General of the IMA – International Maxi Association “In 2018, I experienced my first 151 Miglia as a crew member on SuperNikka, as a guest of Roberto Lacorte. I was so favorably impressed by the experience that I decided to repeat it again in 2019 together with my English crew on the boat of a friend, the X 46 Arix II. From the 2018 edition, I most of all remember the race during the night, while the different weather conditions in 2019 allowed us to enjoy the magnificent scenery along the entire course. In addition to the regatta itself, special mention should be given to the fantastic social events, at both the start and finish in Punta Ala, and the excellent hospitality provided by the Yacht Club organisers, first and foremost as yachtsmen, and then as the International Maxi Association team.”