One month until closing date for Call for Young Sailors - selecting new talents for Young Azzurra

One month remains until the deadline for applications for the Call for Young Sailors, an initiative through which the YCCS is investing in the future of Italian sailing by promoting and supporting young athletes, offering them the chance to join the Young Azzurra programme. 

Applications are open until 23:59 on 30 September 2026 and can be submitted via the official Call for Young Sailors website. Italian sailors aged between 18 and 25 (born between 2002 and 2008) are eligible to apply, provided they currently compete, either individually or in crews of two, in Olympic classes and/or classes of federal interest. 

The selection process begins with an initial assessment by the YCCS, which will review all applications received and identify those most closely aligned with the Call’s requirements and objectives. Shortlisted applicants will then be passed on to the External Committee, whose members will contribute to the final assessment, drawing on experience and expertise gained at the highest levels of the sport.

The External Committee brings together five outstanding figures from the world of sailing. Italian representation includes honorary member Mauro Pelaschier, helmsman of Azzurra in the YCCS America’s Cup challenge – the first ever mounted by an Italian yacht club; Giulia Conti, Olympic sailor, world champion in the 49erFX class and winner of the first Women’s America’s Cup with Luna Rossa; and Francesca Clapcich, on the bow with Giulia in the 49erFX, winner of the 2022–23 edition of The Ocean Race, a competitor in the Women’s America’s Cup with American Magic, and currently preparing for the Vendée Globe. The Committee’s international members will include Paul Cayard, an honorary member of the YCCS, Olympic sailor and skipper of Moro di Venezia in the America’s Cup, winner of the Whitbread Round the World Race and multiple world champion in the Star class; and Shirley Robertson, a double Olympic gold medallist and – alongside all the other members – an inspiring figure in the world of sailing.

Mauro Pelaschier: “It’s great that the YCCS is investing in the younger generation while keeping Azzurra’s legacy alive - sharing that extraordinary experience with talented sailors who represent the future of Italian sailing. The Call for Young Sailors is an important project because it offers young people a structured pathway to development, from Olympic sailing to a professional career in offshore racing. For me, having had the privilege of helming Azzurra, it is particularly meaningful to see how that spirit carried forward by new generations of sailors.”

Giulia Conti: “Being part of the External Committee for the Call for Young Sailors is an honour in terms of both the value of the project itself and the name it carries. Azzurra brought Italian sailing to the very highest levels and inspired a whole country, entrusting that name today to promising young sailors seems to me the most authentic way to honour it.” 

Francesca Clapcich: “It’s a great honour to be part of the Committee and share in the responsibility of helping to select the talents of the future. I’d like to thank the YCCS so much for this opportunity and for thinking of me. I’ll do my best to bring my experience to bear in selecting the Young Sailors!”

Paul Cayard: "Supporting the next generation has been my passion for the last 10 years. As an honorary member of YCCS, I am honoured to join the External Committee of the Call for Young Sailors alongside other sailing greats who are willing to give back to the sport we love." 

Shirley Robertson: “The YCCS has a global reputation for delivering world-class racing at the very highest level - but at its heart it’s way more than just a race venue - it’s a proud Club with 60 years of racing heritage and it’s very exciting to see it investing in the next generation of Italian talent. I’m proud to be involved and in a small way part of the team guiding this initiative fully designed to deliver excellence.”

The involvement of figures whose careers have been defined by excellence brings immense value, not only in the selection process itself, but also in supporting the young sailors who will go on to join the Young Azzurra programme. Through their expertise, the Committee members will help to nurture the potential of the athletes selected.