Roma x2

The great Tyrrhenian loop awaits the Mini 6.50s

535 nautical miles, treacherous flat calms and libeccio gusts capable of overwhelming an entire fleet: on 11 April 2026, the Roma x2 launches its 33rd edition from Circolo Nautico Riva di Traiano. Since 1994, this double-handed, unassisted race has been the unmissable appointment for anyone wanting to take on the Tyrrhenian Sea aboard a Mini 6.50.

Organized by CNRT in collaboration with Classe Mini 6.50 Italia, this year's event once again gathers duos ready to battle on a course that shows no mercy.

A regulatory framework built for offshore

The Roma x2 is sailed double-handed, without outside assistance, on Mini 6.50 rated yachts — Production and Prototype categories. The organizing committee leaves nothing to chance:

• OSR Category 3 classification — liferaft and 25W VHF radio mandatory on board
• Fleet limited to 50 boats
• Time limit set at 18 April 2026, 11:00 AM — technical stopovers are permitted but capped at 12 cumulative hours
• Mandatory satellite tracking on every boat, for safety, restricted area monitoring and real-time media coverage

A tight framework, matching the demands of the course.

Two courses, one playing field

Race management will choose between two routes depending on weather conditions. Same start and finish port — Riva di Traiano — and same first mark at Ventotene. What follows depends on the sky.

The classic course takes the fleet to the Aeolian Islands via Lipari — a southern detour that adds nearly 80 miles but significantly complicates tactical choices. The Ustica option offers a more direct course while maintaining serious offshore commitment. Either way, the Tyrrhenian dictates the terms.

Points that count double

The 2026 edition isn't just an offshore adventure. The Roma x2 is part of the Italian Mini 6.50 Championship and counts toward the National Mini 650 Rankings. Every mile sailed weighs in the season's balance.

Two separate real-time rankings — Prototypes on one side, Production on the other — will structure the competition. On the starting line, the fleet will mix seasoned skippers with emerging talent. Among the already confirmed entries, Aurélien Gard and Guillaume Rol will come test themselves against the tactical intricacies of waters where the shift can come at any hour.

Find the complete Mini 6.50 season calendar on spencer.club.

More than thirty years of Mediterranean history

To grasp the Roma x2's aura, you need to go back to 1994. Pasquale de Gregorio and Roberto Mannucci launched the event with support from CNRT. First edition: 54 boats on the line. And a winner who didn't go unnoticed — Giovanni Soldini, aboard his Kodak 50.

Since then, the race has built a reputation as a tough, unpredictable regatta. Endless bonaccas give way to libeccio squalls without warning. The absolute record speaks for itself: 37 hours, 48 minutes and 24 seconds, set in 2001 by Bruno Peyron and Skip Novak on the catamaran CRS International Network. A time that still stands, a quarter-century later.

By welcoming the Mini 6.50 class, the 2026 Roma x2 carries on this tradition. For the competing duos, it's one of the Mediterranean's finest — and most demanding — playgrounds.