The competition – organized by the Porto Rotondo Yacht Club Fishing Division – saw 14 boats with about 50 crew members battle it out, all united by their passion for the sea and sport, as well as by their desire to support the research and study of the imperial needlefish. FPT Industrial recently signed a partnership agreement with the Fishing Division of the Porto Rotondo Yacht Club and decided to support this top-level competition as a technical partner. It is the only Mediterranean tournament that is exclusively dedicated to the imperial needlefish and represents an ideal venue for marine engines to promote the performance characteristics that are required for this type of activity, such as power, durability, and low fuel consumption. During the event, FPT Industrial gave a competition kit consisting of environmentally friendly items to all participants.

The trolling technique involves long hours of navigation, during which the imperial needlefish are hunted down with the help of the most modern fish finders. This phase is interrupted without warning at the moment of hooking and fighting. Therefore, the engine must first have the responsiveness and speed to arrive quickly, and in time, at the competition area and then subsequently, ensure a more constant, regular, and efficient pace at the various trolling speeds. It should also be able to stop quickly and be able to appropriately follow the catching phase of the needlefish to avoid losing the fish and to attach the satellite tag linked to the Mediterranean Spearfish Project of the IGFA (International Game Fishing Association).

The imperial needlefish, a migratory pelagic species related to the marlin, swims in deep waters where it hunts for bluefish, such as anchovies, sardines, and sardinella. It can reach two meters in length and 30 kilos in weight. At the end of a head-to-head that kept the fans on the edge of their seats, the race was won by the Velociraptor crew on the Tiara 42 boat, with four imperial needlefish. Sandro Onofaro, European sea fishing from a boat record holder and Director of the YCPR Fishing Division, the fishing division of the Porto Rotondo Yacht Club, presented the awards. "It was an honor for me to recognize, together with FPT Industrial, the participants in this tournament that combines sport and scientific research in what is the most important offshore trolling event of the 2020 season in Sardinia and, I would even dare to say, at an international level," confirms Sandro Onofaro.

Sportfishing has a significant scientific objective: the imperial needlefish that were caught were released into the sea after being fitted with a satellite tag to monitor their movements. "In fact, a scientific project dedicated to satellite monitoring of the imperial needlefish has been active since 2019. The project stemmed from the collaboration between the Sea Life Care International, the IGFA (International Game Fishing Association) and Stanford University," says Massimo Brogna, trustee of the IGFA and coordinator of the Mediterranean Spearfish Project. “The goal is to learn the genetic characteristics and the migratory and behavioral habits of the imperial needlefish thanks to the most refined and modern technology available today and to develop the largest genetic database of the species. This will allow us to accurately determine the endemic species, verify the presence of other species of imperial needlefish in the Mediterranean, and compare them with the typical species of the Atlantic.”

“By participating in this event, we were able to discover a wonderful sporting spirit and passion for the sea that unites all the crews; values that are very close to our own. Furthermore, this event allows us to confirm our commitment to competition and our attention to researching and safeguarding the seas,” says Carlo Moroni, Head of Brand Communication at FPT Industrial. “Our brand thus reaffirms the values it naturally holds dear and technology, the human dimension, sustainability, and performance, all of which it encapsulates.”