Three years of challenges at sea: IBSA and Alberto Bona close a winning project of sport and inclusiveness

After three intense years of navigation, competitions and achievements, the adventure of the Class40 IBSA – led by ocean skipper Alberto Bona – comes to an end. Since 2022, IBSA has crossed the Atlantic five times, participated in ten regattas and achieved significant milestones – including a first place in the 2023 Class40 championship and five podium placements in some of the world’s most prestigious ocean races.

“They have been three thrilling years, filled with new challenges and adventures that brought IBSA to the attention of a global audience. This sporting project allowed us to showcase ingenuity, courage, perseverance and passion”, announced Arturo Licenziati, President and CEO of IBSA. “It’s been an extraordinary journey, one which told and promoted the core values we stand for ​​together with Alberto Bona, whose vision and ability to transform every sporting challenge into a symbol of innovation, sustainability and personal growth has been greatly appreciated”.

The construction of the Class40 IBSA, designed by Sam Manuard, started in February 2022, at the shipyard in La Trinité-sur-Mer, France. The boat was then launched in August of the same year, and in October she debuted in the legendary Route du Rhum, where Bona secured an eighth-place finish. In 2023, the skipper recorded the 24-hour speed record aboard a Class40 and capped off the season by winning the international championship of the class: an exceptional result that few Italians have achieved in a context dominated by French sailors.

For Alberto and the Class40 IBSA, 2024 has been the year of maturity: they returned to solo Atlantic sailing and competed in iconic regattas such as the Transat CIC (from Lorient to New York) and the Quebec Saint-Malo, concluding three years of adventures with a third place in the Normandy Channel Race.

“It has been a very demanding three years: all the people involved in the challenge, with great courage, had to do their best and go beyond their limits to achieve their objectives” – stated skipper Alberto Bona. “I would like to thank Dr. Arturo Licenziati – who believed in us – and the entire IBSA team, who carried forward his vision, enabling us to achieve great results. A heartfelt thank you to my entire team, in particular to our Team Manager Luca Bertacchi, promoter of the initiative and fellow adventurer, with whom I studied and shared every detail of this fantastic ocean sailing campaign”.

The oceanic venture with Alberto Bona allowed IBSA to delve into the world of sailing and launch – with Sailing into the Future. Together – an inclusive sailing project for people with disabilities. Launched in 2022, the initiative will continue in the coming years involving various organisations and sailing clubs in Switzerland, Italy, France, Spain and the United States. Its mission is to bring as many people as possible closer to the world of sailing, a sport that epitomises inclusivity, freedom and overcoming personal limits.

“Alberto showed us how sailing can be a journey of self-discovery, skill development, and finding the inner strength to face life’s challenges”, concluded Giorgio Pisani, Vice President of IBSA and Project Leader. “We aim to extend these principles to the world of inclusive sailing, offering everyone the opportunity to believe in their abilities, uncover their talents and overcome obstacles. Indeed, inclusive sailing initiatives enrich entire communities, fostering a culture of acceptance and respect, which is what we will focus on in the next sporting seasons”.