The hardest obstacles will be sleepiness and the big traffic along the route”. 30 days before the beginning of “Roma per 2, per Tutti e per 1″ (Rome for 2 people, for everyone and for one single person”, Andrea Mura, who has already won four editions of this competition, offers a technical point of view on his participation to RomaX1 on his Vento di Sardegna (Sardinia’s wind”), a 50-foot boat he has tried to make lighter and more competitive through a long work.
“Roma per...” is a regatta which could seem similar to other ones in the Mediterranean Sea – he says – but it is unique because it involves very variable conditions, low price, real-time races and very particular emotions. Staying on the dock before the start, is like being in a large group of friends, where everybody helps each others. Then, of course, when at the sea we race but there’s a solidarity spirit you can’t find anywhere”.
Andrea will compete alone. He knows the route and its troubles very well and he confesses the difficulty of the competition: ” I think we’ll be all exhausted. It’s 530 miles, about three days, where it will be very difficult to sleep, especially because of the ship traffic. Here, in the Tyrrhenian Sea, many units aren’t provided with Ais, the radar alarm risks to be often useless and I think that cockpit guard will be continuous”.
Mura has no doubts, the more difficult stretch is between Riva di Traiano and Ventotene and vice versa.
” First of all, there’s the weather matter. We’ll sail near the coast, so there will be many variants. You must use your best strategic solutions. Moreover, this is the more congested zone, where you must pay much attention. And this is a problem when you come back, because you are more tired but you must pay the same attention. Away from the coast, everything gets easier, traffic decreases and weather should be more stable, even if the Mediterranean Sea always offers some surprises”.
This is the fifth edition for Andrea, after a six years absence. An emotional call or a training occasion?
” Both things – he says – because everything started from here. My first offshore regatta was RomaX2. It left something in my soul that pushed me to go further, until the Route du Rhum.
Today it is practically the only long real-time regatta, it is cheap and it gives you a lot. I wanted to find these feelings again and challenge myself on my Vento di Sardegna. It will be a good training for my future projects.
Ocean again in Andrea Mura’s future?
” Yes, but not only ocean. I’m working to a new boat, a Class 4o. I’m looking for capitals for the moment. And then, yes, I want to go back to the ocean. I want to do the Ostar again, with my Vento di Sardegna. When I did it the first time, and I won it, I said that would be my last time because it was too hard and dangerous. But I can’t resist. Then, the Route du Rhum.
