Youth Foiling Gold Cup Act 2: excellent results for Luna Rossa

The Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli's youth squad (six boys and three girls), that took part in Act 2 of the Youth Foiling Gold Cup 2023 in La Grande-Motte (France), was fully satisfied with the outcome of the event: first place goes to Rum Runners, the team from Antigua with an Italian crew (helmsman Rocco Falcone has dual citizenship) currently racing in Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli's youth program for the two European events of the 69F circuit. Luna Rossa Piranha and Luna Rossa Swordfish close the event respectively third and sixth.

Luna Rossa Piranha's crew featured Margherita Porro (helmswoman), with Stefano Dezulian and Federico Colaninno, whereas Luna Rossa Swordfish, helmed by Guido Gallinaro, was crewed by Andrea Spagnolli and Alessandra Dubbini; the Rum Runners, with Rocco Falcone at the helm, was crewed by Filippo Amonti and Alice Cialfi.

Accompanied by coach Francesco Marrai, the under-25 sailors, who had taken part in the Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli Youth Camps over the past few months, competed against 11 crews from eight countries, many of which included athletes who will be racing in the next Youth and Women's America's Cup.

Following an impeccable round of qualifying races, all three crews on board the 69Fs gained entry to the Gold final (reserved to the top six teams in the ranking) and here they gave their full best, despite unfavourable weather conditions that often forced them to sail in displacement mode.

«I am really pleased with the guys: considering the limited training, we have achieved incredible results», commented Francesco Marrai. «It’s a good start, we have worked well as a team and there is plenty of room for improvement, which shows great potential for the future. The crews are all young but with a significant past in racing under their belts. Now it's a matter of fine-tuning and continuing to practice. It was a great experience for me too and I would like to thank Jacopo Plazzi, coordinator of the Youth project, and Max Sirena, skipper and Team Director of Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli, for giving me this wonderful opportunity».

«It was an amazing week», says an enthusiastic Rocco Falcone. «The last race was very hard, but thanks to the team for pushing so hard until the last minute, and to everyone who supported us, starting from our coach Francesco».

Margherita Porro was also very happy: «The regatta went very well overall; it was a shame for the last day which was more challenging than the previous days, especially due to the lack of speed that penalised us. But we pushed all the way and gave it our all. I am very happy with my team and I thank them all».

«It was a great week but also a very difficult one: we were new to the circuit and less trained than other teams», said Guido Gallinaro. «Day after day we improved a lot and our sixth place in the ranking shows that even though there is work to be done we are on the right track».

Carefully selected from the strongest and most promising talents in Italian sailing, these young sailors all boast outstanding sporting results: in the youth category, Alessandra Dubbini is multiple world, European and Italian 470 mixed champion (with Marco Gradoni); Guido Gallinaro is one of the most successful under-25 sailors (Optimist, RS21, Star, 49er... ) and multiple world and European champion in Laser, while Margherita Porro has collected an impressive set of world, European and Italian titles in various Classes (O'Pen bic, Rs Feva, 29er, Waszp, 49er) and has recently celebrated a Junior silver in the Nacra 17 with bowman Stefano Dezulian.

Federico Colaninno has achieved success in several disciplines, among which a fourth place at the 69F Youth Foiling Gold Cup, world and European titles in Finn and a Swan 50 World Championship, while Andrea Spagnolli has won several Italian 420 championship titles, a silver at the Nacra 15 World and European Youth Championships, together with a second place in the Nacra 17 under-21 World Championship.

Alice Cialfi, despite her young age, has already obtained impressive racing results, having won a silver in the Nacra 15 Youth Worlds in 2019, as well as a second place in the Nacra 17 class at the 2017 European and CICO 2021. Filippo Amonti has competed successfully in a variety of Classes, especially One Design (Melges, J-70, Swan etc), to then reach the 69F class in which he has been racing for about two years with excellent results. Rocco Falcone - who, thanks to his double passport, can race for both Italy and Antigua - is an all-round sailor; with extensive experience on different types of racing boats, he reached his success on 69Fs after starting from Optimists, to then move on to race on Dragons, Big Boats, One Design Classes and vintage and classic yachts.

The next appointment with the 69F will be in Torbole (Lake Garda) for Act 4 of the Youth Foiling Gold Cup 2023 (21 - 27 August).