PHOTOGALLERY Geriatric Sailors, a.k.a. the “grandfathers of sailing”

Why not make a magazine dedicated to the “old men of sailing”? Mind you, we are not talking about cruising; we are talking about competitive sailing, racing, even at the highest level. That’s right, because if you look closely at the regatta rankings, there are so many “over” 60/70s who take the top places; and just as many who, with great passion, have been participating every Sunday, summer and winter in regattas of all levels for decades. From a circle’s winter championship, to the Olympics.

THE “GRANDFATHERS OF SAILING”
In these Centomiglia days then, it is good to see that the “geriatric sailors” leave the younger ones at the foot of the podium. It is even more exciting when these “sailing grannies” helm boats with 13 people hanging from the trapeze, tackle, as if nothing were wrong, a capsize (even two) with a free class (see Clandesteam’s Oscar Tonoli) or reach 25 knots by standing on the straps on the decks of a 40′ catamaran. So let’s see them (in photographs) these Athletes with a capital A and mention their names.

LET’S START WITH THE LACUSTRIANS…
We have said that the Centomiglia has recently passed and, in a few days, there is the Barcolana: and so we start right from the lacustrians who, very often, have also linked their name to the legendary saltwater races. Because the lake, it is good to remind some, because of its characteristics of variability in the intensity and direction of winds, has always been a hotbed of excellent sailors. We cannot but start with the Lion of the Garda: Oscar Tonoli And of course his lifelong rival, Brunetto Fezzardi, and then, in no particular order: Albino Fravezzi, Gianni Torboli, Giancarlo Baj, Gianni Boventi, Piero Barziza, Elio Sina (of Lake Iseo) and how not to mention Dodo Gorla who from small Lake Orta via the Olympic seas has often raced on Garda with his legendary star and Ace 99s and a few months ago, at the ripe old age of 72, won the Dinghy championship with his “grandfather Dodo.” But everyone has passed by the lake, even Paul Cayard (now almost 60 years old), who was racing in Riva del Garda in these very Centomiglia days.

GERIATRIC SAILORS, THE PHOTO GALLERY

…AND THE LIST GOES ON…
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Others with beards now whitewashed: (take no offense to them Umberto Felci and Luke Modena who are beginning to graying, in fact Luke is completely white, but they recently turned 50 and it would not be fair to include them in the list), Francesco de Angelis, Roberto Benamati (see photo with helmet on Cat 40′), Chieffi brothers, Ciccio Manzoli, Gregor Stimpfl (unfortunate protagonist of Gorla and Hundred 2016 on the Hagar III), and then, far more dated, Paul Elvstrøm of 1928, until a few years ago was still racing, Cino Ricci, the Trieste squadron: Mauro Pelaschier (from Monfalcone, he is keen to point out), Gigio Russo, Claudio Demartis, Roberto Vencato and so on.

AGE DOESN’T MATTER, THE HANDLE DOES
All people who when they get on any boat turn it from “any” boat into a winning boat. Because in the end, what matters is not the muscles of the grinders, nor the agility of the crew in switching from one edge to another during the turn, nor even the versatility of the bowman….but those 30/40 cm that go from the elbow to the fingers that hold the stick (because, of course, it is tiller) of the rudder and that are commanded by a “thinking head” that has spent thousands of hours studying the best upwind edge or the best way to glide the boat on the slack……

Happy birthday–grandparents!!!

Text and images by Adriano Gatta