Panerai Watches Classic Yachts Challenge sails into Marblehead for Corinthian Classic Yacht Regatta.

MARBLEHEAD -- For its sixth consecutive season, Officine Panerai announced the title sponsorship of the 2010 Panerai Classic Yachts Challenge with the inclusion this year of the Corinthian Classic Yacht Regatta in Marblehead.

Kicking off on Aug. 6, the Corinthian Classic Yacht Regatta featured sailing conditions of clear skies and winds 10-12 knots on the first day and 12-14 knots on the second day. The event culminated with the celebrated Awards Party on Sunday evening, Aug. 8, where the captain of the CCYC winning yacht, Juno, was awarded the 2010 Panerai Radiomir Regatta 1/8th Second Titanio -- 47 mm (PAM343).

The Corinthian Yacht Club was the organizing authority of the pursuit race, with the assistance of the Eastern and Boston Yacht Clubs, also located in Marblehead. Bruce Dyson and Walter Murphy were the regatta chairs with Corinthian's Rear Commodore Ken Adam serving as the principal race officer (PRO). The competition showcased an impressive range of yachts -- from the winning classic yacht, Juno, to international one designs such as Tango, to the 12-Metre yacht Valiant.

After a flawless day, the local sailing community came together for the much-anticipated party and awards ceremony sponsored by Officine Panerai. This year's winner overall was the 65-footer Juno, owned by Scott DiBlaso, who is now the proud owner of the awarded 2010 limited edition Panerai timepiece. Twelve-meter Valiant, which has a history with the America's Cup, won the Spirit of Tradition Division, while Taru won the Modern Classic Division and Tango won the Classic International One Design Division. Each winner of their respective classes was awarded a classically-designed Panerai Barometer.

The Panerai Classic Yachts Challenge returns next to Nantucket for the Opera House Cup Aug. 14-15, followed by Newport, RI for the Museum of Yachting Classic Yacht Regatta on Sept. 4-5.

The North American Circuit, comprised of regattas in the US and Caribbean, kicked off this year in mid-April with the Antigua Classic Yachts Regatta and continued on to Cowes, Isle of Wight (UK), for the British Classic Yacht Club Panerai Cowes Regatta in July. In 2010, Officine Panerai, the watch-making company founded in Florence in 1860, celebrates the first-ever vintage and classic racing circuit for North America in addition to its first six years as sponsor of this yachting circuit.