A total of 23 boats and over 120 crew members will participate in the Regatta for Peace on Saturday, October 17, sailing from Larnaca to Ayia Napa, in what will be one of the largest independent and amateur regattas ever organised in Cyprus.
According to an announcement by the Embassy of Italy in Nicosia, the event is organised in cooperation with the Cyprus Sailing Federation and the marinas of Larnaca and Ayia Napa. The Regatta for Peace will be the first European stop of a global roadshow leading up to the America’s Cup, which will be hosted in Naples, Italy, for the first time in July 2027.
The start is scheduled for late morning from Larnaca Marina, in the presence of the Mayor of Larnaca, Andreas Vyras, with the starting line closing between 11:30 and 12:00. Crews will sail approximately 16 nautical miles along the island’s southeastern coast, finishing at Ayia Napa Marina in the afternoon.
The regatta is open to boats holding an ORC (Offshore Racing Congress) rating certificate, a system that allows boats of different designs to compete on equal terms.
According to the Embassy, sport becomes a tool of diplomacy, further strengthening ties between Italy and Cyprus and building bridges across the economy, culture and tourism, starting with nautical tourism.
‘The sea has always united Italy and Cyprus,’ said the Ambassador of Italy to Cyprus, Antonella Cavallari.
‘With the Regatta for Peace we want to bring here the spirit of the America’s Cup, which Naples will host for the first time next summer. Seeing 23 crews on the same starting line shows how sailing can bring people and countries closer together. I thank all our Cypriot partners who have made this day possible,’ she added.
After the race, the day will continue in Ayia Napa with sailing champions and official guests. Speakers will include the Deputy Minister of Tourism, Kostas Koumis, and the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Education, Sport and Youth, Marios Panayides, while the Minister of Justice and Public Order, Costas Fytiris, will take part in the ceremony.
At the Marina’s Conference Centre, the trailer of Terra Maris will be screened. The four-episode mini-series tells the story of Italy from the sea, through craftsmanship, design, innovation, food and wine, and sustainability, taking in Trieste, Genoa, Cagliari and Naples, the future home of the America’s Cup.
Manuela Rafaiani, Member of the Board of Directors of the Symbola Foundation, will also present the volume 100 Italian Sport Stories on Sailing and Water Sports, produced by the Symbola Foundation and Confartigianato and offered as a gift to all participants. Transoceanic sailor Matteo Miceli will then share his ocean crossings in a video.
The evening will also feature a photo exhibition of high-resolution images from the Paris 2024 Olympic Games and Luna Rossa, provided by the Italian Sailing Federation.
In addition, through augmented reality headsets, guests will be able to enjoy an immersive experience through four journeys: aboard the AC40 with the Luna Rossa team, on a traditional Ligurian gozzo, across the waters of Bagnoli that will host the America’s Cup and, with the Naval Museum of Imperia, into the heart of the historic Vele d’Epoca regatta.
Prizes will be presented by, among others, the Minister of Justice and Public Order, Costas Fytiris, the Deputy Minister of Tourism, Kostas Koumis, the Deputy Minister of Social Welfare, Tina Pavlou, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Education, Sport and Youth, Marios Panayides, the Ambassador of Italy, Antonella Cavallari, Cypriot champion Pavlos Kontides, two-time Olympic silver medallist in the Laser/ILCA 7 class (London 2012 and Paris 2024), and transoceanic sailor Matteo Miceli.
The event is organised in cooperation with Assonautica.