Venice Hospitality Challenge 2019

Details of the VI edition of the Venice Hospitality Challenge were presented on Friday during the Venice Boat Show. A great source of local pride, The Grand Prix of the City of Venice - the only regatta held in the inland waters of the Serenissima - will return on 19 October. 

Sport, luxury and lifestyle are the themes of this competition which sees Maxi Yachts and international skippers competing for the 'Doge's Hat', made by Massimiliano Schiavon Art Team, historic Murano glassware.

The hotels participating in this sixth edition are: Hilton Molino Stucky Venice; Hotel Danieli, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Venice; Belmond Hotel Cipriani; SINA Centurion Palace; Palazzina; The Gritti Palace, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Venice; Ca ’Sagredo Hotel; Hotel Excelsior Venice Lido Resort; The St. Regis Venice; JW Marriott Venice & Resort Spa. This year will also include Bauer Palace, San Clemente Palace Kempinski and the Hotel Londra Palace, and the attendance of the Alajmo family renowned for their gastronomic empire of Italian cuisine.

The high profile judge is Italian racing official Alfredo Ricci who will chair the Committee of the Venice Hospitality Challenge assisted by Emilia Barbieri and the national judge Gianfranco Frizzarin on board from the first edition.

Venice Hospitality Challenge and One Ocean Foundation

The Yacht Club Venezia, promoter of the Venice Hospitality Challenge, will support the One Ocean Foundation, the international project to protect the marine environment which began as an idea at ​​the Yacht Club Costa Smeralda in Sardinia. 

The commitment of the YCV is shared by the Municipality of Venice and was pledged by the Councilor for the Environment and Sustainable City, Massimiliano De Martin, at the signing of the Charta Smeralda, the ethical code which guides individuals and organizations in environmental protection. 

Riccardo Bonadeo, Vice President of the One Ocean Foundation comments, "Promoting the protection of our waters through projects and initiatives that see institutions, companies and citizens act in synergy represents our mission, which we are honored to pursue also thanks to the support of the mayor Luigi Brugnaro and Councilor Massimiliano De Martin of the Municipality of Venice, a city that has historically made the sea its strong point and that has renewed its commitment to protecting water by signing the Charta Smeralda”. 

Left to right: Mr Bonadeo, Mr Sguario, Mr De Martin

Schedule of events

The race starts at 13.30pm on Saturday 19 October. The fleet base is the Marina Santelena while spectators can follow from the San Marco basin, a focal point along the course. Prize giving will take place at Zattere at the Venice Yacht Pier at 4.30pm. In the evening an exclusive private event will take place to celebrate the crews and partner hotels and consolidate the spirit of elegance and style that characterizes this unique event.

Commenting, Mirko Sguario, creator and organizer and President of the Yacht Club Venezia said, “Venice Hospitality Challenge was born in 2014, now reaching its 6th edition. Racing boats with a minimum length of 60 feet in a city circuit is the peculiarity of this spectacular regatta and this is why I strongly desired this regatta, also the name of 'Grand Prix of the City of Venice', because I believe that our city also has the ability to bring the Gotha of sailing." 

Paola De Marchi of Generali Italia “Also this year Generali Italia supports Venice Hospitality Challenge, an event dedicated to sport, well-being and nature in a city that our company particularly cares about - Venice - and wishes to continue as Life Partner of its citizens and the people who love it. "

Spirit of Portopiccolo

In the previous edition of The Grand Prix of the City of Venice, overall victory went to Spirit of Portopiccolo - Ca ’Sagredo, thanks to an excellent start and run by the skipper Furio Benussi. Second position went to Way of Life - The Gritti Palace, with skipper Gaspar Vincec, and third place went to Pendragon VI - Hilton Molino Stucky, helmed by Lorenzo Bodini.

The Venice Hospitality Challenge 2019 is sponsored by the Municipality of Venice with prestigious sponsors including Generali Italia, Moët & Chandon and BMW Italia. Sustainability Partner of the event is One Ocean Foundation and Media Partners include Barche, Excellence Magazine Luxury, Wonder World, Wonder Cortina and Venezia Made in Veneto, with the collaboration of Alilaguna, CMV Panfido, Venezia Unica and VYP Venice Yacht Pier.