Guido Bernardinelli and sailing. Story of an endless love

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Guido Bernardinelli, 57, pictured large at the helm of his Swan 55 “Alegher,” is the CEO of La Marzocco, a historic Italian company and a world leader in espresso machines. He has been boating since an early age on Lake Maggiore. His passion for racing was passed on to him by his friend – and great sailor – Flavio Favini, with whom he competes – together with another very strong “laghé,” Tiziano Nava – on the H-Boat monotypes, of which he is the reigning World Champion. He has cruised the Mediterranean and many temples of world sailing.

The company he heads, La Marzocco, 800 employees, is an international excellence in the world of espresso coffee, but above all it is a partner of the British INEOS Britannia at the America’s Cup in Barcelona. Because Guido Bernardinelli, 57, has had sailing in his blood since childhood.

Guido Bernardinelli & sailing

Then again, although he was born in Varese, he grew up in Luino, on Lake Maggiore, a place that “bred” many strong sailors, such as Flavio Favini and Tiziano Nava. “My mom was very sick, my father worked all day. When school ended, he didn’t know where to put me. Thus began my sailing school at AVAV. (Upper Verbano Sailing Association, ed.): not because Dad loved sailing, indeed, he was a mountain man, but out of necessity,” he says. “The Optimist bored me; I did not like to dangle on the lake on becalmed days. But the passion for sailing remained: AVAV members could use the boats, so when I could I went out on the Flying Juniors and the 420s. Just for pleasure, I wasn’t interested in racing “.

Then Guido grows up, moves from Luino, and “forgets” about the lake. He lives sailing as a charterer, renting boats in the summer (“I’ve been all over the Mediterranean“). His job, however, forces him to travel a lot: ” I can often be found in Australia, New Zealand, the USA, England. There you can breathe sailing, I had friends who would take me sailing with them and I have memories of wonderful sailing “. Sailing is always there, making him repeat to himself, “I have to get back into boating.”


All of Favini’s “fault”

The opportunity comes, abruptly. From his childhood friend Favini: ” We both had houses in La Thuile, and we often saw each other on the ski slopes. One day, on the chairlift, I said to him, ‘Flavio I would like to go back to the boat. Can you help me?’ He invited me on his J/24 on the lake: always with strong wind, because you don’t become a champion like him in becalms. Where Flavio Favini is, the wind comes, unbelievable!“.

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Guido Bernardinelli (second from left) on the H-Boat along with Flavio Favini (left) and Tiziano Nava

The spark was rekindled, Guido bought a “sailpass” at his friend Tiziano Nava’s school in Laveno Mombello: “Like a ski pass, you went there when you could and they let you out on the water.” It was time to buy a boat to go out on the lake with his wife: “Flavio recommended an H-Boat (8.28-meter keelboat racing monotype designed by the Finn Hans Groop in 1967, with later minor modifications made by Swedish multiple Olympic champion Paul Elvstrøm in 1971, ed.), because in case I got the urge to do some racing… The boat is very popular in Germany and Northern Europe, in Italy it is little known.”


Guido Bernardinelli world champion H-Boat

It is 2014 and the urge, accomplice Favini, comes early. “We had a regatta on Garda right away, I learned what it means to prepare a boat. Then new sails, top sheets–in no time we put together a racing crew. Flavio, Tiziano, myself and another guy from Luino, Nicola “. Guido Bernardinelli & co, on the H-Boat, take many satisfactions, the most recent of which is winning the coveted world class championship. Then gold at the Swiss championship, silver at the German championship, another world silver last year and fourth at their first world championship. And that is the story of the Guido regatante.

The important thing is to sail

But sailing is not just about racing. If you love it, you love it all. His first cruising boat, coming in 2022after many sailings in the Mediterranean on charters or with friends’ boats, is a Swan 55, “Alegher.”

Alegher, Guido’s Swan 55: “I love sailing under gennaker, you feel like you’re riding a whale. A very strong emotion.”

Bernardinelli loves navigation as navigation: “We picked him up in Finland and took him to the Mediterranean, to the Marina in Scarlino where I keep the boat. I participated in half of the transfer. Gibraltar very difficult, between currents and slalom between tuna and ship traffic…. “.

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New Zealand’s Hauraki Gulf, one of Bernardinelli’s favorite places to sail.

Why a Swan?” we ask him. “Many, many years ago, in Port Grimaud, I was on the boat I had rented for vacation with friends. Next to us, moored, was a Swan 42 by Ron Holland, owned by a gentleman from Milan, kept shiny, perfect. I kept admiring it, as if enraptured. The owner noticed and asked me why I was looking at the boat. ‘A boat like that I will never be able to afford,’ I told him. To which he: ‘What are you talking about? I have worked a lifetime and succeeded. Work hard and one day you will have it too!’ I took that advice heartily. And more than 30 years later, I have succeeded. “.

Bernardinelli’s boat is yes for cruising, but optimized for going fast under sail: “The less engine I use, the better. And I’m used to changing plans depending on the wind: I wanted to go to Corsica but I have the wind on my snout? I’m going to the Argentario. The important thing is to sail ” he tells us.

The Gulf of Biodola, Elba, another favorite spot.

And in the meantime, between vacations, he participates in a few regattas. He has done two 151 Mile races: ” For fun, let’s be clear. I love to participate with my two children (the elder is 23 years old, the younger 20, ed.) and their friends. At the last 151 there were 11 of us on board, only three adults. If I had to race to win, I would have to empty the boat, and I’m not going to do that. Then again, if you go cruising, you go cruising. If I want to win in racing, there is the H-Boat. “.

When cruising, Bernardinelli values safety: “Before setting sail, I document myself very carefully about the weather, informing myself on specialized sites and apps I share information with our very experienced Alegher commander, Manlio Granbassi from Trieste.” Instead, when sailing, ” I rely little on instruments. I just look at the threads on the sails and I am happy: but I love to walk the boat. I’m a ‘pull to the max’ guy. I’m constantly adjusting vang, mainsail base, I really like to tack as tight as possible, with iron mainsail. Long live the VMG! But don’t think I just like sailing! Dropping anchor in the roadstead and relaxing is great…aperitifs at sunset, exploring the roadstead, mask, fins… “.


The places of the heart of Guido Bernardinelli

What are the places in Guido’s heart where he has sailed? “First those outside the Mediterranean: the Hauraki Gulf in New Zealand. It’s always windy there, a temple of sailing. And the island is very green, you drop anchor, go ashore among olive trees and vineyards, discover small wineries, zero-mile realities. I feel like I’m in Italy, the bays remind me more of Lake Maggiore than the Mediterranean… Another place that struck me is near Sydney, Broken Bay. It feels like a big river, you channel so much air. Flat sea, strong wind. You feel like you’re flying. You get to the end of the bay in the Peet Water area to Cottage point, and there’s a little pier and a tiny restaurant, surrounded by eucalyptus trees. Fabulous. And again, the south of Denmark: Rungsted Havn, beautiful harbor. “.

We come to the Mediterranean: “In Menorca there is a very narrow fjord, you still with peaks ashore in Sa Caleta, I have it in my heart. I also really like the Saint Tropez area (off-season) and the many bays in its gulf: turquoise waters, flat sea. We were on Pampelonne beach two summers ago-no one was there! A paradise. In Italy, however, I really like to reach by boat Biodola in Elba, Poetto, Cala Domestica and Cala Luna in Sardinia “.

Cala Domestica, in southern Sardinia, is Guido Bernardinelli’s recommended Mediterranean destination.

Must-haves on the boat

What should Guido never miss on board on a cruise? “Good wine: dry white, champagne and even some red. No hard liquor, otherwise it ends badly!” . The right recipe in the boat? “Spaghetti with bottarga, with good oil. And unfailing canapés with butter and Cantabrian anchovies…. “.

Never to be missing aboard Guido Bernardinelli’s boat are Mauro Mancini’s legendary illustrated portolans, “Navigare lungocosta.”

The book to have on board? “Mauro Mancini’s ‘Navigare lungocosta’ portolans.“. The must-have accessory: ” Binoculars. The important thing is that it is quality, for nautical use-I use them a lot, especially when I am approaching roadstead “. Music on board: “Jazz, especially Miles Davis and the holy monsters….”

Good binoculars on board are essential when you are approaching the roadstead. “Many have them, few use them,” says Guido Bernardinelli

Finally, tips for happy cruising: “Don’t break the crew’s balls, learn to tolerate, explain what you are doing, where you are going, what the weather will be like, and that plans might change. And be curious, always “.

Eugene Ruocco

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