Way of Life – The Gritti Palace wins the Venice Hospitality Challenge
The VI edition of the Venice Hospitality Challenge ended Saturday 19 with the Overall victory and in Class 1 of Way of Life – The Gritti Palace helmed by Gaspar Vincec who repeated his recent success at the Barcolana, reaching the finish line in less of an hour. Second at the finish line in real time Gulf of Trieste – Hilton Molino Stucky, with a fully female crew headed by Francesca Clapcich and third Idrusa – Palazzina Grassi with the Olympic champion Paolo Montefusco at the helm.
The regatta was full of emotions: at the start the international judge and President of the Race Committee Alfredo Ricci recalled five OCS boats that had to come back and go back to the starting line, thus losing precious time. Among the favorites, Arca SGR – Ca ’Sagredo failed to establish himself due to technical problems that prevented Furio Benussi from expressing the full potential of his boat. The boats, which were moored at the Marina Sant’Elena, left towards the Lido pushed by a southerly wind around seven knots and then veered to return towards the San Marco basin, where a barge with BMW M850i xDrive Cabrio, awaited them. In the Race Committee Alfredo Ricci was helped by Giancarlo Frizzarin, Emilia Barbieri and Edoardo Recchi.
Venice Hospitality
Challenge 2019 – Ranking Class 1
1 Way of Life – The Gritti Palace – Gasper
Vincec
2 Gulf of Trieste – Hilton Molino Stucky –
Francesca Clapcich
3 Portopiccolo Tempus Fugit – The St. Regis
Venice – Mitja Kosmina
Venice Hospitality Challenge 2019 –
Ranking Class 2
1 Idrusa – Palazzina Grassi – Paolo
Montefusco
2 Anywave – Belmond Hotel Cipriani –
Alberto Leghissa
3 Ancilla Domini – Hotel Excelsior –
Stefano Cherin
This edition of the Venice Hospitality Challenge in addition to environmental aspects has also added social responsibility: thanks to the collaboration of the Hotels, the Mayor of Venice, Luigi Brugnaro, together with the hotel directors and the President of the Venice Yacht Club Mirko Sguario, gave a donation to a Venetian charity, the Casa Famiglia S. Pio X of Giudecca. During the ceremony, Mirko Sguario and the president of BMW Italy Massimiliano Di Silvestre presented the winners with the hat of the “Ambassador” doge, made by the historic Murano glassworks Massimiliano Schiavon Art Team. Paolo Lorenzoni, General Manager of The Gritti Palace has expressed his satisfaction for the victory of Way of Life that even in the last edition had competed for the famous Venetian hotel. Mirko Sguario then declared “This sixth edition was full of satisfactions, the wind was not lacking and neither was the enthusiasm of the crews, confirming the validity of this regatta which every year brings the best sailors and beautiful boats to Venice.”
This year the Venice Hospitality Challenge saw fourteen Maxi Yachts competing with the high Venetian hotel industry: Hilton Molino Stucky Venice; Hotel Danieli, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Venice; Belmond Hotel Cipriani; SINA Centurion Palace; Palazzina; The Gritti Palace, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Venice; Ca ’Sagredo Hotel; Hotel Excelsior Venice Lido Resort; The St. Regis Venice; JW Marriott Venice & Resort Spa to which have joined this year Bauer Palazzo, San Clemente Palace Kempinski, Relais & Châteaux Hotel Londra Palace and the extraordinary participation of the Alajmo family, excellence of Italian cuisine.
One Ocean Foundation to save the sea
The Venice Hospitality Challenge saw also this year the partnership between Venice Yacht Club and One Ocean Foundation (OOF), the international project born in March 2018 from an idea of the Yacht Club Costa Smeralda (YCCS), for the protection of the seas and for the diffusion of a greater awareness about the urgent problems inherent to the marine ecosystem. At this edition, OOF’s commitment was also shared by the Venetian hotels participating in the regatta which – for some time now engaged in various activities in favor of sustainability such as the elimination of single-use plastics, and particularly sensitive towards ‘urgent need for greater protection of the sea – they offered their contribution by signing and promoting the Charta Smeralda, informing their guests in turn and committing to implementing the best practices in managing the hotel business. This is the code of ethics that guides individuals and organizations towards shared behaviors for environmental protection: an innovative document that everyone can subscribe to at www.1ocean.org.
The Venice Hospitality Challenge has the High Patronage of the Municipality of Venice
The Venice Hospitality Challenge has the High Patronage of the Municipality of Venice and has made use of the support of Generali Italia, BMW Italia and Champagne Moët & Chandon, Mure a Dritta. Sustainability Partner of the One Ocean Foundation event with the media partners Gentleman, Italian Excellence, CEO, Boats, Excellence Magazine Luxury, Venice Made in Veneto, Wonder World and Wonder Cortina. Thanks for the important collaboration goes to Alilaguna, CMV Panfido, Venezia Unica, VYP Venice Yacht Pier, Ve.La and Fine + Rare Wines.
