Who’s in charge of sailing in Italy: here’s the FIV president’s team (and how to contact them)

Phen the elective assembly of the Italian Sailing Federation(FIV) met to elect all the offices for the 2025-2028 quadrennium there was already one certainty. That Francesco Ettorre, 55, would take the “throne” of the FIV for the third consecutive time.

Francesco Ettorre President FIV “tris”

There were no other candidates: this does not surprise us because, data in hand, never before had any FIV president, under his tenure, managed to bring home three Olympic gold medals, including two in the last edition (Paris 2024, Marta Maggetti on the iQFOiL sailboards and Ruggero Tita and Caterina Banti on the Nacra 17 flying catamarans). Now we present his entire team.

The “governance” of loyal advisors to the president, each with their own area of reference. And, above all – with plenty of direct contact – all the newly elected presidents of the XV FIV Zones: the “regional governors” of Italian sailing deployed throughout the territory.

All the men and women of the FIV President

Francesco Ettorre | President. Elected third time FIV president, accountant, 55. Under his presidency, Italy won three Olympic gold medals.

Giuseppe D’Amico | Vice President. 62 years old, a lawyer, is also involved in the coordination and training of Race Officials, environment and sustainability.

Fabio Colella | Parasailing manager. Lawyer, 49 years old, is the head of Para Sailing, of FIV Major Events and Community Planning.

Catherine Banti | Olympic sector and inclusion. Two Olympic gold medals, two degrees, 37 years old. New entry, supports the President in Olympic affairs and oversees inclusion and equity and diversity policies in FIV.

Who the other councilors are and what they are involved in:

Nadia Meroni (coordination national sports activities); Andrea Leonardi (communication, executive training, sports development, tourism and sports facilities); Guido Ricetto (instructor training); Domenico Foschini (youth team coordination, team race and matchrace); Antonietta De Falco (sailing school development); Maurizio Buscemi (recreational sailing development, offshore, academy Mini 6.50); Ivan Branciamore (e-sailing manager).

To get in touch with them and submit your requests: segretariogenerale@federvela.it

Who are the elected zone presidents and how to contact them

Here are what the 15 Federvela zones in Italy are, who their newly elected presidents are, and how to contact them (click on image to enlarge).

Area chairpersons’ contacts:

Alessandro Pezzoli | President I Zone: I-ZONA@federvela.it
Lorenzo Barberi | President II Zone: II-ZONA@federvela.it
Corrado Fara | President III Zone: III-ZONA@federvela.it
Carlo Cacioppo | President IV Zone: IV-ZONA@federvela.it
President V Zone: V-ZONA@federvela.it
Maria Valentina Colella | President VI Zone: VI-ZONA@federvela.it
Giuseppe Tisci | President VII Zone: VII-ZONA@federvela.it
Alberto La Tegola | President VIII Zone: VIII-ZONA@federvela.it
Domenico Guidotti | President IX Zone: IX-ZONA@federvela.it
Elisa Del Zozzo | President X Zone: X-ZONA@federvela.it
Silvia Campanini | President XI Zone: XI-ZONA@federvela.it
Anna Giacomello | President XII Zone: XII-ZONA@federvela.it
Adriano Filippi | President XIII Zone: XIII-ZONA@federvela.it
Gianpaolo Montagni | President XIV Zone: XIV-ZONA@federvela.it
Davide Ponti | President XV Zone: XV-ZONA@federvela.it

Challenges ahead for the IVF of the “Ettorre-tris”

What is Ettorre’s future strategy for the new four-year term? Definitely to make sailing more and more independent from public contributions, as he had already told us: ” Over the past 8 years, the Federation has increased public contributions by more than 35 percent (5,655,585 euros in funds allocated by CONI’s Sport and Health, ed.), but at the same time it has worked to ensure that the Communication and Marketing sector can generate resources. In fact, after only a few years, the Federation’s budget went from six million to over eleven million in 2024 “.

Let us now come to the “catches”: it will not be easy to reconfirm the historic result of the last Olympics. Also because the future of the boy wonder Ruggero Tita (Caterina Banti, on the other hand, has announced her retirement from Olympic sailing and, as you can see here on the side, has entered the “service” of the FIV) is not yet very clear complicit with the commitments in the America’s Cup with Luna Rossa, of which he has been announced helmsman. True is that the blue team is very strong and more surprises could come, not only on the Nacras and iQFOiL.

There is another challenge for Ettorre in this third term: to put more and more emphasis on inclusive sailing and for all. The president has never hidden his desire to press for sailing to become a Paralympic discipline again (2032). In this sense, we must point out the excellent efforts, carried out together with IBSA in the Para Sailing Academy. Fighting also the phenomenon of “youth dispersion,” that is, of youngsters who, having finished the cycle on youth classes (Optimist, 420, Feva…) quit sailing is one of its goals. Finally, we hope that the new president and his team will increasingly promote everyday sailing, that of the many enthusiasts, clubs and those who go sailing to have fun even before racing. And that makes up the vast majority of the Italian sailing population.

We will closely follow the work of all the men (and women) of the FIV President.

E.R.