Rome Winter Sailing Championship

A championship challenging the Tyrrhenian winter

The Rome Winter Sailing Championship is the longest-running and most popular sailing event on the Lazio coast. While much of the recreational boating world goes into hibernation, dozens of crews set sail every other Sunday between late October and early March to compete in the waters off Ostia, within the territory of Rome Capital, between the pier and the entrance to the Port of Rome. The races take place in the Metropolitan City of Rome, in the heart of Lazio, attracting owners and sailors from the entire coastline, from Fiumicino to Nettuno, passing through Anzio and Civitavecchia.

Organizers

The championship is organized by the Circolo Velico Fiumicino, a historic association affiliated with the Italian Sailing Federation (FIV), which manages the logistics, race committees, and course setting. The sporting direction is led by Massimo Pettirossi, who in recent years has expanded the categories to make the championship accessible to smaller crews and boats not originally designed for pure racing.

Categories

The format includes a range of groupings that allow very different vessels to compete with separate rankings and electronic handicaps:

• Regatta and IRC-ORC Cruiser, the historical core of the championship, featuring windward-leeward or triangular courses of 5-7 miles;
• Mini-offshore, reserved for smaller boats;
• White Sails, without flying headsails, for those seeking a more relaxed competitive experience;
• Coastal, the most appreciated new addition: a long race of about eight miles without buoys, defined only by geographic coordinates;
• Multihull and X2 (two-person crews), introduced with the 45th edition on a dedicated, longer coastal course.

How it works

The calendar spans nine race days over five months, with the possibility of rescheduling races cancelled due to lack of wind or extreme conditions on Saturdays. Throughout the season, up to sixteen races can be held, with three discards: a format that rewards consistency and the ability of crews to manage highly variable conditions, from the thermal breezes of October to the strong Libeccio winds of January. It is not uncommon for a day to bring heavy swells and gusts exceeding twenty knots, and this unpredictability is exactly what makes the championship a recognized training ground for offshore sailing in Central Italy.

More than just a race

The Rome Winter Sailing Championship doesn't end when the boats return to the dock. Each day concludes with the traditional pasta party at the club's headquarters, a convivial moment to discuss maneuvers and review provisional standings. During the season, the club also offers technical seminars and training sessions dedicated to meteorology, racing rules, sail trimming, and safety at sea, open even to those not registered for the races. For several years, the Click on board photography initiative has been active, collecting shots taken by the crews themselves and displaying them at the end of the championship.

Watching the races from shore

The race course is clearly visible from the Ostia seafront on clear days: from the Ostia pier and the Lungomare Duilio, you can follow the starts and buoy roundings with binoculars. For those who want to experience the atmosphere up close, the Circolo Velico Fiumicino headquarters, on the Fiumicino canal, is the best place to watch the boats depart in the morning and return in the late afternoon.

A piece of Roman sailing history

Born in the early eighties, the championship has accompanied the evolution of offshore sailing in Lazio and has seen generations of Roman sailors grow up. The number of entries has been rising in recent seasons, with the organizers' stated goal of exceeding ninety boats and six hundred total participants: figures that make the Rome Winter Sailing Championship one of the busiest winter events in the central Tyrrhenian.