The Story

The tradition of sailing race in Sanremo dates back to the start of ‘900. Between 1902 and 1912, the city of flowers, had hosted the “cup of Italy” and even that of France in 1903.

The constitution of the Compagnia della Vela happened only in 1920, involving professionals, fishermen, representatives of “sailing seamanship”, all fans of this sport and the rowers on sailing boats and in the first grades that ranged from 3.75 to 5 mtr.

Since the beginning the Compagnia della vela hosted important and high-profile events, then in 1930 was forced to join the Italian naval League. Unfortunately, with the war, many documents were lost, but remain as a testimony of those first years the recognition of Lloyd’s Register and the cannon of departures. At the time it was traditional to give the starting signal of sailing tests, using a real cannon that fired blanks. Still today, during the most important events, there is still the customs to use this old cannon to give the signal in the races or simply to pay tribute to the victorious or the most prestigious boats.

In 1947 the Compagnia della Vela was reconstituted and nearly ten years later, in 1956, became the “Yacht Club Sanremo”, while retaining the previous name.

In those years the sport was intense, with the national series 4.50 and Snipe: in 1959 the Yacht Club Sanremo promoted the Criterium Pre Olympic Spring that have come and gone the best helmsmen FD and Snipe classes, to these, in 1983, you have added the Soling for the Mediterranean Championship.

The Criterium is now called spring Criterium and still has, as protagonists boats in this events that is renewed for over fifty years, the Snipe.

In 1953 the Compagnia della Vela has contributed to the creation of the Giraglia, event conceived by Pier Franco Gavagnin, Beppe Croce and Renè Levainville, destined to become a classic of offshore sailing in the Mediterranean.

After various vicissitudes, in 2010 and 2011, the Giraglia race has returned to Sanremo, with a new format, that provides a race from Sanremo to Saint Tropez, that has been a big success.

In 1986 the Yacht Club Sanremo initiated the International Mediterranean Meeting for Optimist classes and L’Equipe.

The Dino Miraglia Trophy, dedicate to the best Club team, is a coveted prize today. Today’s Meeting is dedicated exclusively to the Optimistic and is an important race to international levels.

Over the years the activity of members has gradually shifted from dinghies to offshore races whereby, since 1981, has started the winter Championship West Liguria for offshore classes, today among the most important in Italy with a high number of boats enrolled. In addition to these classic manifestations the Yacht Club has always organized championships, European and Italians who have shaped the history of sailing.

In 1958, at the initiative of Nanin Ameglio and Pierfrnaco Gagnon, was founded the firs pupils school; from this were born many champions who have reported success both nationally and globally. Today the sailing school is divided into serval areas:

  • Agonistics and pre-agonistics, for guys who follow the activity annually;
  • Summer sailing school, of initiation for guys who approach with the sail during the holidays;
  • Sailing collage, established with the “Lupi del Mare” and “Vela Scuola”, project finalized at promoting and discovering the discipline of sailing.

The headquarters of Yacht Club, complete with docks for mooring, locker rooms, classroom for theoretical lessons and recreational areas, is located on the pier North of Porto Vecchio, the beating heart of the city of flowers. The entrance is crowed by the beautiful royal ladder of the motor ship Augustus, that dates back to 1927.