Vittorio Bissaro and farewell to Nacra 17: “I leave for the love of excellence”

As sailing fans, supporters, and racers, reading the lines with which Vittorio Bissaro, via an Instagram post, bid farewell to the Nacra 17 Olympian left us with a sense of “melancholy” that only listening to Vasco Rossi’s Sally would emulate. Yes, because Vittorio Bissaro was there, first with Silvia Sicouri and then with Maelle Frascari, even when the Nacra 17 in Italy no one knew about it yet and it was still neither fashionable nor the spearhead of the Italian national team.

Vittorio Bissaro, the two-hull specialist

First with the Hobie Cat, then in Formula 18, when catamarans had not yet risen to prominence by entering the world of the America’s Cup, Bissaro was already a specialist of the two hulls. Finally in Nacra 17, the first in Italy to focus on what, for Rio 2016, was the new mixed Olympic class. In that bay of Rio, the Olympic medal was narrowly missed by some capricious puff that escaped the reading of the engineer from Verona and the then bowman Silvia Sicouri.

Bissaro leaves behind, however a winning career in Nacra 17: the world won in 2019 in New Zealand, paired with Maelle Frascari, was perhaps the highest peak, but there are also two European medals, numerous World Cup victories and podiums, and several Italian titles. As well as the certainty of having been one of the pioneers, in Italy but also worldwide, of the Nacra 17 class.

The 36-year-old helmsman from Verona is leaving the Olympic campaign to devote himself full-time to his campaign with Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli ahead of the America’s Cup. He also does this so that he can devote time to his family, as the double commitment does not “leave any available boxes in the calendar” ahead of the year when the Olympics and America’s Cup will be played in a matter of weeks.

And he does it because of “that love for excellence, for things done well, because the commitment on two fronts had become too important and I couldn’t handle projects the way I like to do it in the ones I’m involved in,” quoting his words.

Our best wishes going forward also go to bowwoman Maelle Frascari, who has raced with Vittorio in the last two Olympic quadrenniums experienced as absolute stars. Together the two have also faced complex moments, such as Frascari’s injury in 2022 from which they have risen again to be a medal-contending crew. The circle has not come full circle with their Olympic participation together, but new avenues may open up for both of them to explore, and who knows there may be a new opportunity in the future. And so paraphrasing Sally we are left to say, “maybe it was just right,” but “listen to that beautiful noise” you, Silvia and Maelle have made over the past 10 years on race courses around the world.

Olympics and Cup, a difficult schedule

The Olympics will be from July 26 to Aug. 11, 2024, the opening ceremony of the America’s Cup 2023 is scheduled for Aug. 22 in Barcelona, and the first challenger selection races will follow: a very tight schedule to compete at the top on two fronts. A similar choice to Bissaro’s, albeit in different career situations and contexts, was made by Marco Gradoni and Mattia Camboni, who are now focused only on Luna Rossa.

The question remains open as to what Ruggero Tita, paired with Caterina Banti on the Nacra 17 of which they are Olympic champions, will do ahead of the double commitment. Given their recently won world gold, there is little doubt that Tita and Banti are aiming for the Paris Olympics, Marseille for sailing, to go on to defend the medal they won in Enoshima. On the anticipation of Luna Rossa’s crew, in the role of helmsman we had placed Ruggero Tita a step behind Bruni-Spithill, a hypothesis that seems confirmed but we will see what happens in the coming months.

Mauro Giuffrè