Alfa v Maximus

Another 100ft clash expected at the world's biggest regatta, the Barcolana, this coming weekend

A week before the start, over 500 competitors have entered their names for the Barcolana. Figures in line with those of past years, but there are many boats participating for the first time, and many professional sailors have already entered the competition.

There are 'prominent charters': one of the two TuttaTrieste has been chartered by the Regional Financial Police, with well-known Italian sailors on board: Paolo Cian, Gabriele Bruni, Pierluigi Fornelli and Andrea Casale, all belonging to the financial police sports team. The team will be skippered by Paolo Cian, helmsman of the South African America's Cup challenger Team Shosholoza. Cian will race with the experienced Olympian Gabriele Bruni as tactician, currently racing in the America's Cup with +39 Challenge and his inseparable friend Pierluigi Fornelli, who sailed with him on the European match race circuits. Next to the two tacticians there will be Andrea Casale with plenty of experience in international yachting. This exceptional team should achieve a great result. Besides the Financial Police boat, the Italian Army boat will race too. The Regional Army sailing team will have Cino Ricci at the helm.

Among the other large yachts, Barcolana will play host to Amer Sports Too, the VOR 60 that competed in the Volvo Ocean Race five years ago. She has been chartered by Fondiaria SAI with some of the best sailors from America's Cup +39 Challenge Team including Luca Devoti; silver medallist at 2000 Olympic Games and Finn class European champion in 1997, Gabriele Bruni; Hobie Cat Tiger world champion and European vice champion in 49er, Massimo Galli; winner of Louis Vuitton Cup in 2000 with Luna Rossa, Stefano Rizzi, winner of Louis Vuitton Cup in 2000 with Luna Rossa.

Another Volvo Ocean Race boat sailing in the Barcolana is the former Assa Abloy, renamed Tecnocael Service, with Alberto Leghissa at the helm.

But the big battle will be Neville Crichton's Alfa Romeo 2 which berthed in Porto San Rocco, Muggia, last Saturday, and her Kiwi rival Maximus Alike.

The thee times America's Cup winner Russell Coutts is coming to Trieste. On Wednesday he will race in the Alfa Spider match cup between his RC44 boats.