Regatta report
Barcolana58: Arca SGR Wins Again in a Fleet of 1,858 Boats
Published · Last checked October 2026
Arca SGR, helmed by Furio Benussi, won the 58th Barcolana in Trieste on Sunday 11 October 2026, finishing in 1 hour, 5 minutes and 9 seconds. It was the boat's fourth consecutive win in what is often called the world's biggest sailing race: 1,858 boats and more than 15,000 sailors started.
How the race unfolded
An unusual easterly Bora blew across the Gulf of Trieste for the start, shifting between 90 and 120 degrees, with the leaders sailing in around 12 knots. Arca rounded the first mark 18 minutes after the gun and crossed the line at 11:35:09. Later the breeze faded and swung to a light north-westerly before dying away around 4 pm, a long day for the thousands of smaller boats behind.
Arca's own start was not clean. Benussi described a two-minute electrical failure; tactician Tomaz Copi remembered a 30 to 45 second hydraulic problem. Either way the crew recovered, and it was Benussi's fiftieth Barcolana.
The podium
| Place | Boat | Helm or skipper | Gap |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Arca SGR | Furio Benussi | 1h 05m 09s elapsed |
| 2 | Prosecco DOC Schockwave3 | Mitja Kosmina | about 3.5 min |
| 3 | Marta 07 | Marta Benussi | about 1.5 min further back |
Marta Benussi also won the Generali Women in Sailing Trophy for the second time. Further back, Franz Baruffaldi's roughly 60-foot Manticore took fifth on his first Barcolana, racing against boats of 100 feet.
Why the Barcolana matters
The Barcolana is a mass-start autumn regatta open to almost any sailing boat, from family cruisers to maxis, on one short course. That mix is what makes it special, and also why the right-of-way rules and good lookout matter so much on a crowded start line.
What is the Barcolana regatta?
The Barcolana is an autumn sailing regatta held every October in the Gulf of Trieste, in north-east Italy. It was first sailed in 1969 and is organised by the Società Velica di Barcola e Grignano. With well over a thousand boats on a single start line every year, it is widely described as the biggest sailing race in the world, and in 2019 it was recognised by Guinness World Records as the largest sailing race.
Unlike most yacht races, the Barcolana has no qualifying rules for crews: maxi yachts with professional sailors start on the same line as family cruisers, classic yachts and small daysailers. Boats are split into size classes for prizes, but the headline trophy goes to the first boat home on line honours.
The Bora wind and why Trieste is tricky
The Bora is a cold, gusty north-easterly wind that pours down from the mountains behind Trieste. It can arrive suddenly and gust well above the average wind speed, which is why Barcolana skippers watch the forecast closely. This year's Bora was unusual: it blew from the east and swung through 30 degrees, rewarding crews who read the wind shifts and gusts well.
Barcolana58 key facts
- Race: Barcolana58, 58th edition, Trieste, Italy
- Race day: Sunday 11 October 2026 (event week 2 to 11 October)
- Fleet: 1,858 boats, more than 15,000 sailors
- Winner: Arca SGR, Furio Benussi, 1h 05m 09s
- Wind: easterly Bora, about 12 knots for the leaders
- Women in Sailing Trophy: Marta 07, Marta Benussi
Safety on a crowded start line
With nearly two thousand boats close together, the Barcolana is a lesson in seamanship. Crews brief a clear plan for the start, keep a dedicated lookout, know when they are the give-way vessel, and have fenders ready. If you ever sail a mass-participation regatta such as the Round the Island Race or the Barcolana, these basics matter more than boat speed.