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Italian Sailors Take on 2025 NSGCYR in race Winning Yacht

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  • 22 Jul, 2025 12:12:00 PM
Italian Sailors Take on 2025 NSGCYR in race Winning Yacht

Italian Sailors Take on 2025 NSGCYR in race Winning Yacht

As a youngster sailing skiffs out of Sardegna, Italy, Massimiliano “Max” Fonzo dreamt of sailing around the world. And now the Roman-born sailor, who has called Australia home since 2015, is in the process of turning that childhood dream into reality.

His goal is to compete in the 2028 Vendée Globe – a single-handed (solo) non-stop unassisted round the world yacht race, raced on IMOCA 60’s (60-foot-high performance sailing yachts). This is where the Noakes Sydney Gold Coast Yacht Race (NSGCYR) comes in.

“It is the first step in my Vendée Globe campaign,” Fonzo said. It will be the first time that Fonzo, who runs the boat management company Nautex out of Rushcutters Bay, competes in an offshore race in the Double Handed Division.

 

Hardest Most Tactical Race of the Year

Fonzo, who is in his mid-30s, has teamed up with fellow Italian Matteo Brignoli on board the Akilaria Rc2 Voltstar Yeah Baby owned by twin-brothers Marc and Louis Ryckmans. The Ryckmans brothers and a crew of four sailed the yacht to Overall victory in last year’s NSGCYR. Former owner Rob Gough and co-skipper John Saul sailed the yacht (called Sidewinder at the time) to Line Honours victory in the Double Handed Division of the 2021 Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race.  

“They’re very happy,” Fonzo said of his partnership with the Ryckmans twins. “They’ve been so supportive [of my campaign]. I’m very lucky to have them. They know the boat so well. They did a great job in their handover for the race to me.”

Aged 22, Brignoli is the youngest co-skipper in the 2025 NSGCYR fleet. Fonzo and Brignoli have known each other for years. Growing up, Fonzo attended a sailing school in Sardegna owned by Brignoli’s parents. This race is an opportunity to make sure that Matteo learns as much as possible and we learn from each other,” Fonzo said.

On top, it is also the first time that an Italian Double Handed team has raced in the NSGCYR. “It’s always been my dream to make an Italian team. And now I’ve got the opportunity to do so,” Fonzo said.

Hardest Most Tactical Race of the Year

Fonzo has sailed in several Gold Coast races. His first was in 2016 on board the S&S 47 and three-time Sydney Hobart winner Love & War.

Fonzo’s competitive nature means he’s always racing to win, but he knows it won’t be easy. “I think the NSGCYR is the hardest, most tactical race of the year, you’ve got the current, it’s winter and as soon as the sun is out the conditions change straight away,” Fonzo said.

“You go 100 metres away from the coast, you could be good and then two nautical miles later, still 100 metres out from the coast, it could suddenly be the worst position.”

In addition to the tough conditions, it will be a challenge for the Italians to beat some of the other double handed competitors to the podium. Double handed yachts of note in this year’s race are Min River, Balancing Act and Rum Rebellion, crewed by double handed veterans on the Australian sailing scene.

Fuelled by Italian Cuisine

While many of their competitors get by on freeze-dried meals for the three-to-four-day journey north, Fonzo and Brignoli will dine on pre-made homemade Italian food.

“We’re Italian, so you know you’re going to have pasta, you’re going to have ragu and ocean trout sandwiches for breakfast,” Fonzo said. “Not bacon and egg rolls, but gourmet sausages instead.

“You need to eat well, otherwise you won’t perform.”

Fonzo also has a sugar-free policy. “Do not get me wrong, I love sugar. I love chocolate like everyone else,” Fonzo said. “But it’s important to not have too much sugar as it makes you sleepy.”

Beyond the NSGCYR

After the 2025 NSGCYR, Fonzo and Brignoli plan to compete in the remaining 2025/26 Audi Centre Blue Water Pointscore races, including the 80th Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race.

“I aim to win the Audi Centre Sydney Blue Water Pointscore this year,” Fonzo said.

For Fonzo, NSGCYR is only the beginning. “I can’t wait to start my pathway to solo sailing,” Fonzo said.

 

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