News
Ruggero Tita and Caterina Banti are FIV Sailors of the Year 2023
Nessun Dorma wins the Confindustria Nautica Trophy as Boat of the Year 2023
Guido Baroni is Owner-Captain of the Year 2023, receiving the BPER Banca Trophy
A Special Jury’s Award went to Francesca Clapcich
The Italian Sailing Federation introduce the Olympic Team for Paris 2024
Genoa, 28th May 2024: the FIV Sailor of the Year Award ceremony, an event organised by the Italian Marine Industry Association Confindustria Nautica in partnership with the Italian Sailing Federation FIV,celebrated its 30th edition in Genoa in the Sala del Maggior Consiglio of the prestigious Palazzo Ducale, in the presence of 280 guests, including public administration representatives, athletes, industry operators and the national media. The ceremony was hosted by Sky Sport journalist Eleonora Cottarelli and Rai Sport journalist Giulio Guazzini, who, at the opening, invited the city’s institutions and the event’s organisers to the stage to welcome the guests. The first to take the floor was Genoa Mayor Marco Bucci, who emphasized how “Genoa is honoured to host the thirtieth edition of the Sailor of the Year Award. This award is not only a tribute to the winner’s extraordinary sailing skills, but also a tribute to the indomitable spirit, passion, and dedication that define the world of sailing. A discipline that is an extraordinary training ground for life. Sailing requires focus, technical skill and a good dose of courage. Every trip out to sea is an opportunity to learn how to read the wind, know the currents and understand how to interact with nature’s elements. These experiences shape not only excellent sailors, but excellent people capable of facing life’s challenges with confidence and determination. We are proud to host this event, which once again demonstrates Genoa’s role as the capital of sailing.”
Simona Ferro, Liguria Regional Councillor for Sport: “As the Liguria Region’s Councillor for Sport, I would like to extend a warm welcome to all the guests and congratulate those who will be honoured this evening. Having world-class champions such as yourselves here tonight in Genoa at the Palazzo Ducale for the second year running fills me with pride and joy. Liguria’s deep bond with sailing is certainly nothing new, only last year we hosted the 8 Metre World Championship and the Ocean Race here in Genoa. Good luck and fair winds to everyone!”
Piero Formenti, President of the Italian Marine Industry Association: “Thank you all so much for being here with us this evening. I would like to thank the Mayor of Genoa, Marco Bucci, the Liguria Region’s Councillor for Sport, Simona Ferro, and the President of the Italian Sailing Federation, Francesco Ettorre, for sharing the honour of organising the FIV Sailor of the Year Award. It is a privilege that my first public engagement as President of the Italian Marine Industry Association is this magnificent event, underlining what ties the Italian yachting industry to sports and sailing, which for many represents their first contact with the sea and the beginning of a passion that leads to a love for boats of all kinds, whether sailing or motor. 2024 is a very special year for Italian sailing, and there is no better place to celebrate this than in Genoa, the European Capital of Sport and for more than 60 years the boating industry’s historic venue of choice for the Genoa International Boat Show. Important sailing challenges will soon be upon us: in July the Paris Olympics and, from 22nd August, the America’s Cup with Luna Rossa once again taking centre stage. Sailors are superstitious… so I won’t add anything else. Fair winds and enjoy the evening!“
Francesco Ettorre, President of FIV – the Italian Sailing Federation “In the same year that Genoa is awarded the European Capital of Sport we could miss the chance to hold the Sailing Oscars once again in this city, a city in which our roots run deep. This evening will also be an opportunity to celebrate the team that will represent us at the Olympics. From our youngest athletes to the Olympics: today we celebrate the entire Federation.”
THE BOAT OF THE YEAR AWARD – CONFINDUSTRIA NAUTICA TROPHY
Once the institutional speeches came to a close, Eleonora Cottarelli kicked off the award ceremony by inviting Andrea Razeto and Marina Stella, Vice-President and General Manager respectively of the Italian Marine Industry Association, to the stage. Marina Stella stated that, “Confindustria Nautica, as the Italian Marine Industry Association, has the role of representing and promoting the entire yachting industry in Italy and worldwide. The sector is an ambassador of the Made in Italy brand, one in which our country is a global leader, a true example of excellence, just like the sailors we are celebrating tonight in the 2024 European City of Sport. The Federation makes these successes possible with the hard work of athletes, technicians, organisation, and the companies we represent. In these shared values lies the profound reason for our presence here tonight and the partnership that binds us to the Italian Sailing Federation in organising the FIV Sailor of the Year Award: the future of the sea gleams in the eyes of these athletes“.
Asked by Giulio Guazzini for a preview of Genoa’s 64th International Boat Show, Andrea Razeto replied: “The organisational side of things is on schedule as we are about to embark on the Show’s final phases. The construction of the Levante Waterfront is in its final stages and will provide the 2024 edition with a new layout and new exhibition spaces which will generate even more added value to what is one of the most important events on the international stage. The event first consolidated itself as a world-class showcase when in 2020, thanks in no small part to the support of national institutions, the Genoa Boat Show was the only industry event held in person during the Covid period and executed in line with the highest health and safety standards. Since then, it has grown year on year compared to other European events. Our Boat Show, which has taken place in Genoa for 63 years now, is a showcase and an expression of an all-Italian ability to combine design, architecture, attention to detail, and high-end services, and is also the home of sports and sailing. We look forward to seeing you all from 19th to 24th September at the Genoa International Boat Show.”
Giulo and Eleonora then invited to the stage the finalists of the Boat of the Year – Confindustria Nautica Trophy: owner Andrea Recordati for the Wally 93′ Bullitt and Andrea Casale representing the owner of the Italia Yachts 15.98 Nessun Dorma. Team director and skipper of the Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli Team, Max Sirena, was also present via a video message from Barcelona as the third finalist: the LEQ12 Luna Rossa. The motivation behind the selection process read out by Marina Stella revealed the name of the winner: “In 2023 this boat was the absolute star of an international regatta, conquering the highest step of the podium… the Italia Yachts 15.98 Nessun Dorma is the winner of the Boat of the Year 2023 – Confindustria Nautica Trophy.” Andrea Casale collected the award to the backdrop of the audience’s cheers and applause.
OWNER/CAPTAIN OF THE YEAR – BPER BANCA TROPHY
The ceremony continued with the awarding of the Owner/Captain of the Year – BPER Banca Trophy. Guido Baroni, owner-captain of the Sun Fast 3600 Lunatika, and Massimo Romeo Piparo, owner-captain of the Italia Yachts 11.98 Guardamago 2, took to the stage, joined by Luigi Zanti, Regional Director of Liguria for BPER Banca, the event’s main sponsor, who stated that “BPER Banca is proud to award today’s winners representing the excellence of sailing, an exciting sport that evokes truly unique emotions. We are awarding the spearheads of a great and splendid world that involves so many young athletes and expresses important values in which BPER recognises its own commitments, such as cooperation, respect, sustainability and harmony with the environment, all of which are fundamental when it comes to building the future of our society“.
Zanti then went on to read out the motivation behind the jury’s decision regarding the winner of the Shipowner/Captain of the Year – BIPER Banca Trophy: “passion, perseverance and determination have driven him to achieve results of pure excellence…Guido Baroni is the winner of the 2023 Shipowner/Captain of the Year – BPER Banca Trophy.”
THE FIV SAILOR OF THE YEAR SUPPORTS YOUNG TALENT
Every year this event provides the necessary visibility to young athletes with its traditional showcase dedicated to the athletes and technicians of the Olympic and Youth classes, rewarded for their outstanding international achievements during the previous year. A highly successful training ground that achieved record results and numbers in 2023. Welcomed by Eleonora Cottarelli and Giulio Guazzini to resounding applause, more than 100 athletes took to the stage to receive a well-deserved tribute, accompanied by Sailing Federation President Francesco Ettorre and Alessandra Sensini, the Italian Sailing Federation’s Youth Technical Director.
ITALY’S TEAM FOR PARIS 2024
Once the young people had left the stage, the crews that will represent Italian sailing at the next Olympic Games in Paris 2024 were called up and President Francesco Ettorre was joined by Michele Marchesini, Technical Director of the Federal Olympic Team, and the 12 athletes selected: Ruggero Tita, Caterina Banti, Marta Maggetti, Nicolò Renna, Maggie Pescetto, Riccardo Pianosi, Chiara Benini Floriani, Lorenzo Chiavarini, Jana Germani, Giorgia Bertuzzi, Elena Berta, and Bruno Festo. This will be the line-up flying the Italian flag at the next Olympic Games. Theirs will be the burden and the honour of representing their country at the pinnacle of events, the sailing sports of which are scheduled to take place in Marseille. After a brief presentation of the team and a few questions to the athletes, it was time for a massive group photo and a few final words.
FIV SAILOR OF THE YEAR – THE AWARD CEREMONY
11.00 pm marked the most eagerly awaited moment of the evening, that dedicated to the FIV Sailor of the Year Award. Up onto the stage went the athletes who, with their achievements throughout 2023, were the ambassadors of Italian excellence worldwide: Ambrogio Beccaria, Mattia Cesana, Francesca Clapcich, Nicolò Renna, Ruggero Tita and Caterina Banti, joined by Piero Formenti, Fabio Planamente, Francesco Ettorre and Marco Bucci. It was the Mayor of Genoa, Marco Bucci, who read out the motivation with which the jury had come to determine the name of the 2023 FIV Sailor of the Year: “Winning a world championship is an achievement in itself: few in the world can say they have been able to do so three times…Ruggero Tita and Caterina Banti are the winners of the 2023 FIV Sailor of the Year Award!” The winners were cheered amidst applause, interviews, and group photos on a stage of champions and the finalists across the three awarded categories alongside institutional guests, marking the conclusion of the event.
SPECIAL JURY’S AWARD
The Jury of the 30th edition of the FIV Sailor of the Year Award came to the decision, in accordance with the Award’s rules, to award a special prize to Francesca Clapcich “for an endless career of successes including world championships, Olympic Games and round-the-world races. In 2023 she was the first Italian in history to win the Ocean Race.”
In this 30th year of the Italian Sailing Oscars, the Jury was made up of Francesco Ettorre as Jury President, Fabio Planamente President of the sailing sector assembly of the Italian Marine Industry Association Confindustria Nautica, Carlo Mornati General Secretary of Coni, Marco Bucci and Alberto Acciari, the award’s creator and secretary.
BPER banca is the main sponsor of the 2023 FIV Sailor of the Year Award.
Maxi Dolphin and Bellavista are the official suppliers of the FIV Sailor of the Year Award.
The media partners supporting the FIV Sailor of the Year Award are: Telesia (Class Editori Group), which for the 11th year running will broadcast images of the event on its digital television channels in airports and subways. Media partners also include leading sailing magazines: Barche Magazine, Bolina, Fare Vela, Nautica, Nautica Report, Pressmare, Sailbiz.it, Saily.it, Sport Vela, The International Yachting Media, Vela e Motore, Vela ITALIA mare, Velaveneta.it and Zerogradinord.
The FIV Sailor of the Year Award was first conceived in 1991 stemming from an idea of Alberto Acciari, journalist and professor of marketing at the Foro Italico University in Rome. The FIV Sailor of the Year Award is the most important and coveted award in Italian sailing. All the best Italian sailors have received this award: from Alessandra Sensini, holder of four titles, to Francesco de Angelis and Giovanni Soldini, from Tommaso Chieffi to Vasco Vascotto, Vincenzo Onorato, Lorenzo Bressani, Andrea Mura, Gianfranco Pedote, Ruggero Tita and Caterina Banti. In the other categories, personalities such as Ernesto Bertarelli, Paul Cayard, Fabio Perini and Pasquale Landolfi have been honoured over the years. The Boat of the Year and the Owner/Captain categories are also awarded during the event.
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