In the racing season 2015 Esimit Europa project celebrates 20 years
The Esimit Europa project started 20 years ago by connecting two bordering cities between Slovenia and Italy, when Igor Simčič started realizing his vision of providing a symbol of the blurring borders. In 1995, first with the help and support of the mayors of the both bordering cities, he launched the Esimit Gorizia & Nova Gorica sailing project The project has been extending across boundaries ever since and gradually becoming more and more European. The yacht representing the project was granted the honourable privilege to sail under the European flag in 2002 and under the patronage of the European commission since 2006.
Since 2010, the project is represented by one of world’s fastest and technologically most advanced yachts, Esimit Europa 2, and its multinational sailing team, composed of European and World champions, Olympic Games medallists, multiple time winners of the America’s Cup and the Volvo Ocean Race sailing races, coming from 11 different countries. With 35 consecutive wins since its christening in 2010, Esimit Europa 2 has carried the message of a successful and united Europe around the world.
Numerous official and personal endorsements that the project has received from the most distinguished European diplomats, including the official support of the European Commission, Martin Schulz, President of the European Parliament, Sergey Lavrov, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation, presidents of European countries and governments, foreign ministers and ambassadors prove that it is much more than a sailing project. Through out the 20 years of the project’s history , by organizing high level receptions and events, it has served as a platform for establishing and fostering sports, diplomatic and business connections, and by engaging in charity activities it extended the message of friendship and collaboration and connected all people without boundaries.
In the jubilee racing season of 2015 Esimit Europa 2 will again be spreading the message of collaboration at some of the classic races in the Mediterranean and conclude it with a gala event dedicated to the 20th anniversary of the Esimit Europa project. The gala will be organized at the premises of the Yacht Club de Monaco, which is the home yacht club of the European flagged maxi.
Before that, with an early opening of the season in May, Esimit Europa 2 will participate in one of the first races for the maxis in the Mediterranean, the Volcano Race, at which she participated last year for the first time and took the line honours. In its fifth edition this 400 nautical miles long race will start from Gaeta, and go to Eolian Islands and back to Gaeta. The race will be organized by the International Maxi Association, in association with the Yacht Club Gaeta E.V.S. and the Base Nautica Flavio Gioia.
From there, Esimit Europa 2 will continue to San Remo for the start of the Mediterranean classic in June – the Giraglia Rolex Cup – taking part in both offshore races of the event. First she will participate in the regatta from San Remo to St. Tropez that kicks off from the dock of the Yacht Club San Remo at midnight. This will already be the 6th edition of the approximately 60 nautical miles long offshore race. The team will then prepare for one of the most renown offshore races in the Mediterranean, the famous 242 nautical miles long Giraglia Rolex Cup set from St. Tropez, around the rocky Giraglia Island and back to Genoa. Esimit Europa 2 participated in this race already four times, each time taking line honours, while in 2012 she set an amazing course record of 14 hours, 56 minutes and 16 seconds, smashing the previous one by 3 hours and 6 minutes.
Next on schedule, in August, is the 500 nautical miles sailing challenge, the Palermo – Montecarlo Race, that is set across the Mediterranean, joining two coastal cities, Palermo and the Principality of Monaco. It is organized by the Circolo della Vela Sicilia in collaboration with the Yacht Club de Monaco. After setting a course record in 2010 and taking line honours in 2011 and 2012, Esimit Europa 2 will participate in this race for the fourth time.
Being the leading yacht that races for the Yacht Club de Monaco, it will be a special privilege for the Esimit Sailing Team to participate in this race with a destination of the course set in front of her home yacht club, even more so during a jubilee year in which the celebration of 20 years of the Esimit Europa project takes place after this race.
With this event the European flagged maxi will not only conclude the racing season of 2015, but also stand as a symbol of the Esimit Europa project’s 20 year story.
