Towards the end of the 1970s, a large group of sailors with boats in the port of Cisano began a series of informal challenges to determine, in a friendly and amateurish way, a sort of ranking of their racing abilities.

Very appropriately they decided that the best time to hold these challenges was during the winter months. This is the time of year when the lower lake offers a sailor the best of both worlds: an incredibly mild climate, plenty of air and, above all, no motorised sailing. The idea was immediately successful and the number of people who signed up for this particular type of racing was immediately high. The promoters then found themselves in the need to create an initial set of rules and, thanks to the passionate work of many sailing enthusiasts, they were able to organise proper regattas.

The success of this formula was such that sailors from Bardolino and Garda asked to be admitted. Therefore, the Zone Committee of the Italian Sailing Federation sent observers to study the phenomenon. As time went by, the organisation became more and more burdensome and so the organisers decided to turn to the Centro Nautico Bardolino for the necessary technical support and the necessary "official status".

This led to the organisation of the current Garda Winter Championship: a winter sailing event in stages on Lake Garda organised by the Centro Nautico Bardolino.