Alla Grande, the new oceanic challenge of Ambrogio Beccaria
Alla Grande, the new oceanic challenge of Ambrogio Beccaria
Alla Grande, this is the name of the boat with which the oceanic sailor Ambrogio Beccaria will sail in August for an intense sports program that will see him engaged until 2024. Alla Grande is also the name of the all-Italian project presented this morning at Pirelli HangarBicocca in Milan, with the speeches delivered by Mayor Giuseppe Sala, Marco Tronchetti Provera, Executive Vice President and CEO of Pirelli, and Veronica Squinzi, CEO of Mapei. There were also present the designer Gianluca Guelfi and the constructor Edoardo Bianchi, who illustrated the details of Beccaria's new boat.
100% made in Italy
Alla Grande is the first modern ocean sailing project completely made in Italy: the hull was designed by Gianluca Guelfi together with the Italian engineer Fabio D’Angeli and is under construction at a young Genoese shipyard, Sangiorgio Marine. Where all Italian ocean sailors often prefer to rely on designers and sometimes even on French shipyards, Ambrogio has chosen to work with a highly qualified Italian team, thus opening a new chapter in Italian nautical design.
The boat will be launched next July at the Italian Yatch Club in Genoa and from that moment Beccaria's sports season will begin under the banner of innovation, technological research and constant challenge. Beccaria, born in 1991, graduated in Nautical Engineering, the first Italian in history to win the Mini Transat in 2019, today realises his dream of building a boat with an Italian soul, thus launching a challenge towards French sailors, undisputed champions of world offshore sailing since the construction of the boat.
An innovative project for the most challenging sailing endeavour
Equipped with a satellite connection and very powerful sensors, Alla Grande is a highly innovative boat, both from the point of view of technology and environmental impact. Its design, the careful study of sails and hydrodynamic simulations have allowed this project to be revolutionary from its first steps.
Alla Grande, a Class40 of the latest generation, is a boat called "scow" ("barge"), with a very wide bow situated out of the water. The scow bow is inspired by surfboards and their shape that allows you to glide on the waves without colliding on the next wave. Alla Grande is designed for the ocean: not only for the trade winds of the Atlantic, but alsoto find the best passage on the waves of the three oceans. The boat introduces new innovative formulas, in particular with regard to the position of the mast (the longitudinal inclination at high speeds allows better performance and more control) and a cockpit with only 4 winches; 2 of them are central and allow greater speed in manoeuvres.
The rudders are also horizontally pivoted and automatically unhook towards the stern when there is a shock with a floating or semi-floating object: unfortunately, nowadays it is not uncommon to find such objects in the ocean.
Alla Grande comes from the synergy between Gianluca Guelfi and Ambrogio Beccaria: Ambrogio and Gianluca, who have often sailed together, have worked closely with each other in order to study the whole engineeringmathematical part.
Navigation with low environmental impact
The energy on board is entirely produced from renewable sources such as solar energy and hydroelectric energy. The solar panels, developed in collaboration with Solbian, are mounted on the deck and connected to the onboard electrical system, through MPPT (Maximum Power Point Tracker) charge controllers that are able to optimize the charge to the best of their ability. The hydrogenerator transforms the kinetic energy of water into electrical energy through a small propeller immersed in water at the stern of the boat. Energy will depend on speed: the faster the boat, the more renewable energy it will produce. As far as possible, navigation on Alla Grande will have a low environmental impact: water is produced by a desalination plant which in turn is powered by renewable energy. The use of single-use disposable plastic will be limited and the few plastic objects are reusable.
Marco Tronchetti Provera, Executive Vice President and CEO of Pirelli (Main and lead sponsor)
'In Ambrogio Beccaria's project we found many common values and contagious enthusiasm. “Alla Grande” is the demonstration that a prepared and determined young person can transform a dream into something very concrete. A fascinating project, like those that solo sailing can offer, which combines a passion for extreme challenges with study, daily commitment, continuous experimentation and technology. All characteristic elements of our way of doing business. Ambrogio can be a positive example for many of his generation. This is also why we have come aboard with conviction and great confidence'.
Veronica Squinzi, CEO of Mapei (Global sponsor)
'We are proud to support this innovative and courageous project led by Ambrogio Beccaria. A sporting and technological challenge that starts from the enthusiasm and passion for the sea of three talented young Italians and
that, we are sure, will go far. Passion, enthusiasm, effort, determination in facing new challenges are values of sport that have always been part of the Mapei DNA. That's why we decided to "embark" on this adventure'.
Giuseppe Sala, Mayor of Milan
'Alla Grande is an exciting project: it best expresses the innovation of important Milanese and Italian industrial realities, but above all it gives voice to Ambrogio Beccaria's ambitions, intuitions and stubbornness. I am happy that he, a young Milanese who was already awarded the Ambrogino d'Oro in 2020, is taking on this challenge of ocean sailing with a boat that is technologically very advanced and has a low environmental impact. Congratulations to Beccaria, to Guelfi and to all those who have contributed with their skills to realize this interesting project'.
Ambrogio Beccaria, skipper of Alla Grande
‘When I left to retrieve the wreck, which then became my first boat, everyone called me crazy. When asked how the construction works were proceeding, I always replied "alla grande!". This name I gave to my first boat. When I did the Mini Transat the second time I was sure I could win: everyone called me crazy again. Today my dream is coming true. I am making it together with Pirelli, which is the main and lead sponsor, but above all it is the company that made this dream of mine possible and with which I share the same passion for challenges, technology and innovation. Also thanks to Mapei, global sponsor, and all the other partners who support Alla Grande and help us to find cutting-edge technical and sports solutions. Building an Italian boat is an ambitious project, but I am sure that this "crazy" choice will go again... alla grande!’.
Gianluca Guelfi, designer of Alla Grande
'I am very honoured to have been called to design Alla Grande and I can say that I am satisfied with the result. I think I put a lot of Ambrogio’s philosophy into it. Having sailed with him, I tried to interpret what he wanted and make a boat that would be completely adapted to his way of sailing.
Sport Programme
- 19/24 August 2022 - Palermo-Monte Carlo
- 6 November 2022 - Route du Rhum
- 21/24 February 2023 - RORC 600 Caribbean
- November 2023 – May 2024 The Race Around
