BMW SAILING CUP.

International Final 2013. Portoroz, 28 May - 01 June.

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2012 review.

Italy wins the International Final for the first time.

Istanbul was at its idyllic best again on the final day of the regatta: the eight teams were treated to winds of 15 knots, sunshine and ideal sailing conditions. The schedule included five fleet races, for which double points were awarded. The Italian crew led going into the final day, and refused to be shifted from the top spot.

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Unadulterated joy for Matteo Simoncelli, Pietro De Marchi, Cesare Trioschi, Manuele Pasotti and Michele Mazzotti. The Italian quintet clinched victory at the International Final of the 2012 BMW Sailing Cup in Istanbul. The win secured Team Italy’s first title at the world’s largest international regatta series for amateur sailors.

Victory saw a long-awaited dream come true for Team Italy. Despite being a permanent feature of the BMW Sailing Cup, the Italians had previously been denied a win at the International Final. At their home event on Lake Garda in 2009, the host nation was narrowly defeated by Team New Zealand before again finishing runner-up in 2010, this time behind the home team in Cascais, Portugal.

Team Italy turned the tables in 2012, however, and left the Portuguese team in its wake. Third place went to the crew from New Zealand, denying Austria a place on the podium. The team from the Alpine republic, making its debut in the International Final, had performed well and held onto third place until the final day.