Telecom Italia CEO Carlo Buora launches the “555” training yacht at the Genoa Italian Yacht Club, bearing the TIM, Alice and Progetto Italia brands, at the first of four Luna Rossa Sailing Schools.
Sign up online at http://www.scuolavelalunarossa.it/ for sailing courses at Genoa, Naples, Rimini and Trieste, starting June 10, 2005.
Luna Rossa’s exploits have thrilled the people of Italy as a symbol of passion, technology and sportsmanship. Now, the Luna Rossa Sailing Schools are helping to spread these values by passing on the Team’s expertise to people who are just getting to grips with the world of sailing.
Today at the Italian Yacht Club in Genoa, under whose pennant Luna Rossa is challenging for the America’s Cup, Telecom Italia CEO Carlo Buora will be launching the first of the Group’s promotional events that will be taking Luna Rossa right up to the America’s Cup final races off Valencia in 2007.
Attending today’s ceremony is Carlo Croce, President of the YCI, Sergio Gaibisso, President of the FIV, and Giacomo Ovidi, CEO of Luna Rossa Challenge 2007.
Luna Rossa Sailing Schools
Four branches of the Italian Yacht Club have signed up to the 2005 Luna Rossa Sailing School project. By the time the project comes to a close in 2007, Italy will have 12 centres of sailing excellence around the country. The branches taking part are the Yacht Club Italiano of Genoa, the Naples Circolo del Remo e della Vela, the Yacht Club Adriaco of Trieste and the Club Nautico of Rimini. Over the summer, between 800 and 1,000 students of all standards will be attending sailing school sessions at these clubs.
Luna Rossa sailing courses
Luna Rossa Sailing School students will be learning about the grit, professionalism and technical skills sailors need on the high seas, after taking on board the theory and secrets that keep sailors safe and make them competitive.
All of the Luna Rossa sailing courses share the same course structure, developed by Italian Yachting Federation Olympic champion and project coordinator Alessandra Sensini. All participants and instructors will be wearing the same gear as the Luna Rossa crew, and will be learning on the special “555” training vessels designed by Silverio Della Rosa and liveried just like the Luna Rossa Challenger, with the Prada logo at the bow and the TIM, Alice and Progetto Italia brands on the sails.
Student groups are organized by skill level and age (from 6/8 to 17, and over 17). Courses consist of a minimum of 10 hours’ theory and 30 hours’ practice on the water. Course levels range from beginner to advanced and competitive. No more than 4/5 students will sail on each boat, plus one expert pupil. All courses are taught by FIV Federal Instructors.
http://www.scuolavelalunarossa.it/
Rise to the challenge and be one of the first to don the Luna Rossa crew uniform by filling in a sailing school pre-enrolment form online at http://www.scuolavelalunarossa.it/ the school site designed by Telecom Italia especially for young sailing enthusiasts. The site contains everything you need to know about course dates and availability, including direct links to yacht clubs where courses are being run.
Luna Rossa Sailing Schools on Virgilio
Along with the Telecom Italia Group’s other youth-oriented America’s Cup 2007 initiatives, the Luna Rossa Sailing Schools feature on the Virgilio Sport channel, via direct links from the home page and a weekly newsletter for registered users.
News and regular updates on www.telecomitalia.com/lunarossa and http://www.lunarossachallenge.com./.