Alberto Bona: “Here is my Route du Rhum” – part 2

Last week we told the first part of Alberto’s Route du Rhum. Today we resume the story of the skipper of the project Sailing into the Future. Together, who retraces with us the second part of this extraordinary regatta.

Around November 19 – after ten days of a navigation that Alberto defines as “survival” – the Class40 IBSA finally enters the trade winds and begins its descent. In this second phase of the regatta, Alberto finds milder weather conditions; it’s nice to be able to appreciate once again the magic of the boat that traces its long wake, with a spinnaker hoisted day and night. The regatta becomes more enjoyable, and the skipper can operate more “strategically”, making the boat run at a good speed.

Two days before the arrival, the squalls increase and the nights become increasingly more difficult. During a sudden storm, the spinnaker explodes and tangles around the forestay. At that moment, Alberto is in the middle of the fight for fifth place with Antoine Carpentier, with only 500 miles to go… he really didn’t need that.

Alberto grits his teeth, hoists a largest spinnaker and prepares to finish the race, armed with tenacity and rudder. And at nightfall on November 23, here is Guadeloupe: it’s done! After the tour of the island, at 3:34:50 pm local time (8:34:50 pm Italian time), Alberto crosses the finish line of the twelfth edition of the Route du Rhum, gaining the eighth place in his category.

“As soon as I put my feet on the ground I felt over the moon”, says Alberto. “When you are alone in the middle of the ocean, the moments you spent with your loved ones seem very far away, and when you experience them again you appreciate them even more”.

Now, after a little well-deserved rest, the skipper and his whole team are back to work, already focused on the next racing season, which promises to be full of news: Alberto will no longer be alone on board the Class40 IBSA, but will also race in double regattas… stay tuned!