Published: 03-05-2010
The legendary 12 Metre yacht Azzurra ’83 has been on display at NavigaMI, the boat show that took place in Milan along the Naviglio Grande canal until the 2nd of May. This initiative is the result of the partnership between Navigli Lombardi and Yacht & Sail – Rizzoli Publishing Italia (RCS MediaGroup), with the sponsorship and contribution of the City of Milan’s Department of Productive Activities. The boat show, that returns to Milan after 50 years from its first edition (and was later moved to Genoa) is a tribute to the city’s historical connection to its waterways.
NavigaMI was officially inaugurated by the Mayor of Milan, Letizia Moratti. Also present at the inauguration was Riccardo Bonadeo, Commodore of the Yacht Club Costa Smeralda and President of the new Azzurra team that was born in October 2009 from the cooperation between the YCCS and Giovanni Maspero of Joe Fly. Francesco Bruni, skipper of the new Azzurra team, flew to Milan from his hometown of Palermo, Sicily, to admire Azzurra ‘83 and greet his many fans and supporters.
The presence of Azzurra ‘83 was certainly the highlight of NavigaMI, a floating show that offered its guests the opportunity to test boats along the Naviglio. The public could find areas dedicated to boatbuilding, accessories and equipment, sailing schools, charter companies and nautical apparel. Once the NavigaMI is over, Azzurra will be transported by ship to Sardinia, Italy, and will be on exhibit from May 11 at the arrivals terminal of the Costa Smeralda Olbia airport. This legendary yacht will greet all the sailing enthusiasts who will come to Sardinia to follow and cheer the new Azzurra team who will be racing in the Louis Vuitton Trophy, scheduled in La Maddalena (a small island that sits just one nautical mile off the Northeast coast of Sardinia) from 22nd May to 6th June 2010.
Francesco Bruni with the Mayor of Milan, Letizia Moratti. Photo: Paolo Bona.
The history of Azzurra ‘83
The 12 Metre Azzurra was designed by the team of Andrea Vallicelli and was born in Italy in 1983. The Azzurra challenge, flying the burgee of the Yacht Club Costa Smeralda, was promoted by H.H. the Aga Khan and Gianni Agnelli and achieved outstanding results. The team, headed by skipper Cino Ricci and helmsman Mauro Pelaschier and with an organizational structure led by Gianfranco Alberini, Luca Cordero di Montezemolo and Riccardo Bonadeo and supported by 17 Italian companies, was in the running for the America’s Cup. Azzurra was launched on 19th July 1982 in Pesaro and began her racing adventure in Newport, Rhode Island (USA) on 18th June 1983. It was Italy’s first ever participation in the America’s Cup and Azzurra won 24 of her 49 races in the Louis Vuitton Cup, ending the series in third place. The trophy eventually went to Australia II, the innovative boat helmed by John Bertrand, who put an end to a 132-year winning streak by the New York Yacht Club. The results achieved by Azzurra in the world’s oldest and most famous sailing competition served to introduce sailing to a wider Italian audience. Azzurra was their first, true love – the one you never forget.
The Restoration of Azzurra ‘83
The restoration work of Azzurra was commissioned to the Maxi Dolphin shipyard in 2009 by its owner, the Yacht Club Costa Smeralda. Vittorio Moretti, title-holder of Maxi Dolphin and a member of the YCCS, was eager to accept the challenge and immediately started the process of returning Azzurra to its original splendour. The restoration took nine moths and over 6,000 hours of work. The hull was completely recoated with an epoxy matrix. The surface was repainted to recreate the exact original colour scheme, thanks to a sample found in the archives of the Valliccelli offices. In order to bring the deck to its original condition, the restoration team had to study in detail all the images and drawings of Azzurra at the time of her launch. The deck, which over time had suffered the effects of oxidation, had to be completely taken apart, anoxidated and polished; some elements, which had gone lost, had to be recreated from scratch according to the originals.
Francesco Bruni and Cino Ricci at NavigaMI in Milan. Photo: Paolo Bona.
The return of Azzurra
The new team Azzurra made its official debut at the Louis Vuitton Trophy held in Nice, France, in November 2009. The team exceeded all expectations and conquered the victory of the inaugural event of this premier match racing circuit, which enlists all the strongest skippers and teams in the world. At the second Louis Vuitton Trophy, held in Auckland, New Zealand, in March 2010, team Azzurra wasn’t able to repeat the success of Nice, but ended with a very respectable third on the podium after a long series of hard-fought duels. Next on the agenda for the Azzurra team is the Louis Vuitton Trophy which will take place in La Maddalena, Italy, from 22nd May to 6th June 2010. The future plans of the team also include the other two events of this international circuit: Dubai (13-28 November 2010) and Hong Kong (9-24 January 2011). Team Azzurra is also competing on the international match racing circuit, which includes the World Match Racing Tour.
Azzurra ’83 in figures
Sail Number - I 4
LOA: 19.98m
LWL: 13.87m
Beam: 3.81m
Draft: 2.71m
Mast height: 25.18m
Displacement: 25.650 tons
Sail Area: 166.85m2
Spinnaker: 280m2
Hull, mast and boom: aluminium alloy