On Saturday 17 October, the waters between Larnaca and Ayia Napa became the race course of the Regatta for Peace, organised by the Embassy of Italy in Nicosia in cooperation with the Cyprus Sailing Federation and the marinas of Larnaca and Ayia Napa. 24 boats lined up at the start, with more than 120 crew members from 13 different countries: a record turnout that makes the Regatta for Peace the largest amateur regatta ever organised in Cyprus.
The race started in the late morning from Larnaca Marina, in the presence of the Mayor of Larnaca, Andreas Vyras – who welcomed the crews and highlighted the message of peace the event aims to convey – and of the Deputy Minister of Tourism, Kostas Koumis. The crews, almost all of mixed nationality and including many Italians, sailed some 16 nautical miles along the island's south-eastern coast, reaching Ayia Napa Marina in the early afternoon. The boats competed in two classes, A and B, under a handicap system that allows boats of different designs to race on equal terms.
The Regatta for Peace was the first European leg of the international roadshow leading up to the America's Cup, which will be held in Italy for the first time in July 2027, in Naples. It put the spotlight on this major event while highlighting the value of sports diplomacy, which Italy's Ministry of Foreign Affairs is promoting more and more strongly.
“We dedicated this regatta to peace, the most desired gift on earth,” said the Ambassador of Italy to Cyprus, Antonella Cavallari, opening the afternoon event which, just a few hours after the finish, brought together the participants and many dignitaries at the Conference Centre of Ayia Napa Marina. “Peace is the founding value of diplomacy – ultimately, the very reason diplomacy exists. And sports diplomacy is one of its most important instruments: sport conveys a powerful message through its values – fair play, respect for the rules, respect for one another, cooperation and friendship. Today, more than ever, these are the values that should guide relations between nations and their peoples.” The institutional video on sports diplomacy produced by the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs then effectively presented its goals and content to the audience.
Strong appreciation for the event was expressed by the Deputy Minister of Tourism, Kostas Koumis, who followed the day from the morning start through to the gala dinner. He expressed the hope that it could become an annual event, given its positive impact and its value in diversifying the country's tourism offer. The Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Education, Sport and Youth, Marios Panayides, speaking on behalf of the Minister – who was attending an event in Italy, in Cernobbio, that same day – underlined the value of such initiatives. Also in the audience were the Deputy Minister of Social Welfare, Tina Pavlou, ambassadors, representatives of sailing federations from several countries, Cypriot champion Pavlos Kontides, two-time Olympic silver medallist in the Laser/ILCA 7 class, Ihor Matviienko, Olympic champion for Ukraine in the 470 class at Atlanta 1996, and Israeli champion Easy Suissa.
The programme also included the screening of the trailer of Terra Maris, a four-episode mini-series telling the story of Italy from the sea, from Trieste to Genoa, Cagliari and Naples. Manuela Rafaiani, Member of the Board of Directors of the Symbola Foundation, presented the volume 100 Italian Sport Stories: Sailing and Water Sports, promoted by the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation together with the Symbola Foundation and Confartigianato, and offered as a gift to all participants. Transoceanic sailor Matteo Miceli recounted his solo, non-stop voyage around the world aboard Eco40, in complete energy self-sufficiency – a deeply moving moment for the audience. The evening was accompanied by a photo exhibition on Italian sailing by the Italian Sailing Federation, with images from the Paris 2024 Olympic Games and of Luna Rossa, while augmented reality headsets allowed guests to enjoy four immersive experiences dedicated to the America's Cup and to Italian maritime excellence.
The day ended at the Aya Resort, where the distinguished guests and the crews gathered for a gala dinner featuring a tasting of Italian cuisine: a convivial moment that, in the spirit of Italian flavours and hospitality, sealed the friendship and sense of togetherness of the day. During the evening, the winning boats received their prizes. The awards were presented by the Deputy Minister of Tourism Kostas Koumis, the Ambassador of Italy Antonella Cavallari, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Education, Sport and Youth Marios Panayides, the Honorary Consuls of Italy in Larnaca, Vittorio Mantovani, and in Ayia Napa, Antonella Mantovani, the Vice President of the Cyprus Sailing Federation, Andreas Christoforou, and the sailing champions in attendance.
The overall winner of the regatta was TYPHOON, skippered by Jiovannis Pikis, followed by FIRST LIGHT (Robert Clunis) and JUDITH (Easy Suissa), which also took the top three places in Class A. In Class B, victory went to INFINITY (Philippos Haralambous), ahead of ST. MICHAEL (Sergej Lysionok) and MARIANNA (Marios Karpis).
