Maxi Jena: the Racing Giant

author Andrej Justin
written by Katja Kraljko

 

Early January 2002 saw the beginning of the most impressive, the most technologically challenging and the most revolutionary Slovene nautical project. The project was kept away from the public eye and was supported by top-notch technology and expertise from home and abroad – a project that has no match in the world. This is what the authors said about it: “Those were the longest and the shortest days of our sailing lives. We admit that it was daring, but we were headstrong and totally committed to success”. 

 

Meteor, the Izola shipyard, was only just able to accommodate the practically 24-metre long racing beauty with its swift and daring lines bestowed on her by naval architect Andrej Justin. The story of the Maxi Jena sailboat began in May 2001, when three men joined their visions and experience; these were the naval architect Andrej Justin, skipper Mitja Kosmina, and Janko Kosmina, the leader of many earlier Slovene projects and the leader of Slovenia 1 team, the official name of Maxi Jena’s crew.