“Words of the winners” – ORC class: Cippa Lippa 8 of Guido Paolo Gamucci

In 2016 he repeated the success of the year before, earning another moment of triumph in the square in Marina di Punta Ala. We are talking about Guido Paolo Gamucci, owner of the Cookson 50 Cippa Lippa 8, first in ORC class ahead of the Scuderia 50 Altair 3 of Sandro Paniccia and SL Energie GRP Fastwabe of Laurent Charmy. For Cippa Lippa 8 the excellent result obtained in the 7^th edition of the regatta was the last one with Gamucci at the helm. In fact the boat has been sold and the owner is now working on getting to the starting line of the next 151 Miglia with a new boat. As he explains in this interview, the goal remains the same: defending the title with all of his crew’s determination. 

Compared to the other editions that you participated to, how was your 151 Miglia?
The last edition of the 151 Miglia was a rather fast regatta for us compared to the previous ones. We did not have the classic stop at Elba and we were able to still have air across the finish.

From the point of view of tactics, what was your winning move?
We identified the high-pressure area that was brewing north of the Formiche and we decided to go around it, leaving it on the starboard side. At that point, we were quite low with respect to the Formiche, but in the last two miles the wind began to turn, allowing us to arrive wide enough close-hauling.

Can you point out a critical moment (if there was any) and a particularly exciting one of your 151 Miglia 2016?
About a mile from Giraglia, after a long close-haul with stiff wind, we found ourselves in complete calm with the boat dead in the water and the log steady at 0. The current was pushing us at a knot and a half toward the island. We passed – for the first and I hope the last time in my life – a couple of meters from the Northwest rock of the island and we continued by current alone until the South point of Giraglia, where we got back in the wind with the Code Zero and we restarted.

For an owner aiming for victory when preparation for the 151 Miglia starts?
We start preparing for the season in the end of February so when we get to the 151 Miglia, which is more or less in the middle of the season, everything is already “well-oiled” and the crew is whipped into shape. We have yet to study the weather, which then affects the choice of the galley, clothing, and sails to bring on board: all begins a week before, then the analysis intensify in the last 24 hours before departure and continue during the race.

What does winning the 151 Miglia mean for you?
I have to admit that winning the most popular regatta of the Tyrrhenian Sea with the pennant of the Yacht Club Punta Ala gives great satisfaction. The award ceremony and the party afterward are really special and I think that together with the charm of the route they make sure that no one wants to miss out the next edition.

Are you planning to participate in the next edition? If yes, what is your main goal?
Cippalippa8 has been sold so we’ll have to see if there will be another boat and how it will perform; certainly we will have to defend a title earned for two consecutive years so we’ll try to be there by all means with more determination than ever.