At Barcolana 56, a crew of sailing greats competed for Emergency

Among the 1,757 boats registered for the Barcolana of Trieste, the most attended regatta in the world, there was one competing for Emergency.

Sunday 13 October, the hundred foot Arca Sgr he covered the 14 nautical miles of the ship in one hour and 28 minutes Barcolana, the historic Trieste regatta has come to an end 56th edition.At the helm was Furio Benussi, his seventh victory, who alternated with his seventeen-year-old daughter, Marta. But the Barcolana is not just a regatta.It is a celebration of sailing (1,757 boats registered this year, plus all those who followed the race from the sea), of sport, of culture.It is "a gigantic collective event in which the city recognizes itself", to quote the Trieste writer Paolo Rumiz.This is why it is so important that the humanitarian organization was also on the starting line Emergency, committed for thirty years to offering free quality care to the victims of war and poverty.

Emergency at the 56th Barcolana

Ancilla Domini, a 24.5 meter Farr 80, competed with an exceptional crew:the two-time Olympic champion Caterina Banti, the legend of Italian sailing Giovanni Soldini and three champions who are making their mark in the main ocean regattas, Ambrogio Beccaria, Alberto Bona and Alberto Riva.Also on board with them were some members of the NGO, including the president Rossella Miccio.The boat crossed the finishing line in nineteenth position.

For Emergency it is not the first time at the Barcolana:the debut was in 2005, with the founder Gino Strada in the crew.From the end of 2022 the NGO will also sail the waters of the Mediterranean Sea with the Life support, a ship dedicated to search and rescue operations which can accommodate up to 175 castaways, in addition to the on-board staff.24 missions were completed by Life Support in less than two years, from December 2022 to the end of August 2024.The total, so far, is more than that 2,200 people rescued in the most dangerous migratory route in the world.

“Solidarity at sea is an unquestionable rule”

“As Gino Strada taught us, wars and injustices are fought with solidarity and solidarity at sea is an unquestionable rule,” he comments Giovanni Soldini.“I was born from the fortunate part of the world and I have the opportunity to sail by my choice on extremely safe boats, with the most advanced safety equipment, and while I sail many people know moment by moment where I am.Shipwrecked with the certainty that someone will come looking for you changes everything.It's not the same for those who leave in search of a better future,” he echoes Alberto Riva.

“I strongly believe in the values ​​of Olympism, such as respect, tolerance, solidarity, equality and peace.I also believe in respecting the rules and civil society.As an Olympian, I have the duty and responsibility to behave in accordance with these values.And it is precisely for this reason that I embraced Emergency's invitation with enthusiasm and pride:testify to those same values ​​of "humanity" for which this organization has been fighting for years.Life is one of the inalienable rights that every human being possesses,” he concludes Caterina Banti.