2021 Marina Militare Nastro Rosa to host Mixed Offshore European and World Championships

EUROSAF Mixed Offshore European Championship © World Sailing

World Sailing and the European Sailing Federation (EUROSAF) have confirmed that the 2021 Hempel Offshore World Championship and the EUROSAF Mixed Offshore European Championship will be held alongside the 2021 Marina Militare Nastro Rosa regatta in Italy.

In addition to today's announcement, World Sailing is delighted to announce that Hempel, Official Coatings Partner, have extended their support of the sport by moving into offshore sailing. They will become title partner of the Offshore World Championship in 2021.

The Marina Militare Nastro Rosa is a month-long celebration of the sport held in eight stages at eight of the most stunning Italian locations with famed sailing histories. In 2021, the Nastro Rosa will be held from 27 August to 26 September.

The first half of the Nastro Rosa, held late August / early September, will be hosted on the Tyrrhenian Sea and will encompass the EUROSAF Mixed Offshore European Championship and qualification events. The second half will be held on the Adriatic Sea with the Hempel Offshore World Championship and qualification events scheduled to take place in the second half of September and finishing in Venice.

Both Championships will be two-person mixed competitions (one man, one woman). The EUROSAF Mixed Offshore European Championship and the World Championship are both open to nations from every continent.

The Notice of Race for the 2021 Hempel Offshore World Championship and the EUROSAF Mixed Offshore European Championship can be found here.

World Sailing Chief Executive Officer, David Graham, commented, "The Hempel Offshore World Championship will enable the world's leading mixed crews to face off against each other for the first time along the Adriatic Coast. We are delighted that Hempel have extended their support to this event and are excited to partner with Marina Militare Nastro Rosa to take the event to the heart of the Italian sailing community.

"In Hempel we have a committed sponsor and we're confident that in partnership with the Marina Militare Nastro Rosa Organising Authority we will deliver a memorable event. The opportunity to race in two world class events, back-to-back with world class facilities against some iconic backdrops does not arise very often. This is a very exciting opportunity for the sailors."

On the partnership between Hempel and World Sailing, Hempel Group President & CEO, Lars Petersson, expressed, "We're delighted to extend our successful partnership with World Sailing to also include offshore sailing.

"As part of our new Double Impact strategy, we are putting sustainability at the heart of how we do business. It therefore makes perfect sense for us to support sailing as we share many of the same values and a focus on how we can protect the world around us. Another thing we have in common is our ambition to drive diversity across our organisations. We are therefore proud to promote the mixed crews in the coming offshore races as title sponsor."

Josep M. Pla, EUROSAF President, added, "In 2019 we successfully ran the first edition of the EUROSAF Mixed Offshore European Championship in Venice together with the Marina Militare Nastro Rosa Organising Authority. The event represented a steep learning curve for all parties involved and proved how an exciting event it is for sailors and fans.

"Despite challenging circumstances due to the ongoing Covid pandemic, we continued our close working relationship with the same organising authority and successfully hosted the 2020 Championship in Genoa. With this accumulated experience, we are looking forward to the 2021 edition delivered in collaboration with our highly experienced partners.

"The 2021 EUROSAF Mixed Offshore European Championship and Hempel Offshore World Championship will showcase the best of mixed offshore double handed sailing and I am looking forward to seeing the athletes on the water competing."

Riccardo Simoneschi, Head of the Nastro Rosa Organising Authority concluded, "The Marina Militare Nastro Rosa Tour is a medium to long term project aiming to offer a simplified version of the whole sport of sailing with its three disciplines - Offshore, Inshore and boards in a very understandable format for the audience.

"We are delighted and honoured to cooperate again with World Sailing, EUROSAF and FIV and hosting these two important championships in the offshore program of the Marina Militare Nastro Rosa. Offshore racing is, by far, the closest performance discipline to the largest audience and sailing community around the world."