Sailing dates back to ancient times, there are stories of a competition as early as the 2nd century BC
It requires the use of the vessel which receives propulsion exclusively from one or more sails and must be driven manually.
Roberto Cipriani from Bussolengo is a great fan of this sport and has achieved important goals over the years.
Interview with Roberto Cipriani
Roberto Cipriani and his great passion for sailing
Hi Roberto, thank you for accepting this interview and welcome to ItBussolengo.
Let's start from the beginning: when did you start sailing and why did you choose this sport?
Hello everyone, and thanks to ItBussolengo for the invitation. I discovered sailing at the age of 12 almost by chance, thanks to a best friend of mine who signed up for a course in Peschiera del Garda, and I went with him.
I still remember the first sensation I felt... a great sense of freedom, I was independent and could travel on the water! I fell in love with sailing immediately and haven't stopped since.
At first, I simply sailed, then I refined my technique and learned the rules. I bought my first used boat in partnership with another guy, and over the years it has been an escalation of training, competitions, and purchases. Now I sail my Flying Dutchman, a 6-meter boat with an 8-meter mast, extremely fast and considered one of the most beautiful and fascinating in the world.
Roberto Cipriani, his travels, his victories and his achievements: second place at the World Championships in America
With the Alto Adriatico Trophy, you brought home another victory. How did it feel? What important milestones have you achieved in your regattas?
At the Alto Adriaco Trophy regatta in mid-May in Cesenatico, Rinaldo Rinaldi (my racing partner) and I finished first, and that's always a great satisfaction. I'm the helmsman and I'm focused on the boat and the sails, while Rinaldo is the bowman who, on a trapeze parallel to the water, controls the navigation and the regattaThere must always be a great affinity between the helmsman and the bowman, making the sailing boat go fast (faster than the others) is very difficult.
There were 30 crews, 20 Italians and 10 foreigners. In the previous regatta, we finished second. The combined scores from these two races, plus four more scheduled, earned us the Coppa Italia, a trophy awarded to the strongest crew of the season.
The races, both European and world, are generally all similar: 14-mile triangle courses, 2-3 races per day for a total of up to 9. The crew ahead of the others always wins.
Do you have a memory that has remained closest to your heart?
Thanks to sailing I have been able to travel a lot, I have sailed in America, New Zealand, Australia and all of Europe.Sailing has given me the great opportunity to meet many people, many foreigners and ways of thinking: I have friends all over the world!
I won the Italian Cup 3 times and I obtained the title of Italian Champion 8 times, a very prestigious and coveted title as it places the holders in the CONI Roll of Honour.
I participated in about fifteen world championships, twice I came third, but in my heart remains indelible the emotion of the second place, of having become vice world champion, 15 years ago in Saint Pittsburgh, in AmericaThese are incredible memories, deeply imprinted on my heart. I still get the shivers.
Sailing World Championships September 2022: The challenge in Campione on Lake Garda
Do you have goals to achieve and dreams for the future? The world championship will be held at the beginning of September in Campione on Lake Garda.
We'll obviously participate, with even more commitment and enthusiasm since we'll be competing practically at home. It'll be a great challenge, and we hope to achieve a good result; we always aim (and dream) for the podium!
Lake Garda, known as a sailor's paradise, is the ideal environment, universally recognized as one of the most beautiful in the world: the wind blows from the north in the morning and from the south in the afternoon.
Sailing a boat: a sport rich in values and opportunities
Would you recommend sailing to young people?
Absolutely!
Is an sport clean (doping does not exist), open-air and ecological (it does not pollute and does not make noise).
Sailing means learning to help others (there is a duty to help) and respecting the rules (both in and out of the water, inappropriate behavior is punishable by disqualification).
Sailing teaches you to organize and work as a team; it's a constructive, beautiful, and exciting sport. It also allows you to travel and meet new friends from other cities.
Thanks again, Roberto, for your kindness. While you were speaking, I was daydreaming and traveling too. I thought about how fortunate we are to be just a stone's throw from Lake Garda. Many athletes (and others) can enjoy the beauty of breathtaking landscapes under unfurled sail, accompanied only by the wind and water. Adrenaline, fun, and relaxation come together in perfect harmony.
Thanks to this pleasant chat, I also discovered that Bussolengo is home to Onesails, one of the most prestigious and famous sailing companies, with 37 branches worldwide.
See you soon, Roberto, and good luck with the upcoming regattas, especially the World Championships in September! We're rooting for you!
