Sardinia Cup – Youngsters welcomed onboard Azzurra’s TP52

by Giuliano Luzzatto on 14 Jun 2012 Audi Sardinia Cup 2012 opening day was cancelled due to Mistral wind but didn't stop the youngsters of Yacht Club Porto Rotondo's sailing academy pay a visit to Audi Azzurra Sailing Team.

The Mistral was blowing all day at over 30 knots, preventing the fleets of the TP52's and Soto40's that take part in the Audi Sardinia Cup from racing. The Race Committee made several unfruitful attempts at giving a start but had to call it a day. The forecast for tomorrow calls for a significant drop in the breeze with a rotation to the south and the race committee will try to hold three windward-leeward races.

The Audi Azzurra Sailing Team welcomed onboard its TP52, firmly moored in the Porto Cervo marina, a group of youngsters from the Yacht Club Porto Rotondo racing team. Aged between 10 and 17 years, the future champions are currently sailing in Optimist and Laser. The meeting with Vasco Vascotto, Checco Bruni and other famous sailors of the Audi Azzurra Sailing Team was initially intimidating, but once the ice was broken, the children didn't hide their excitement in meeting their heroes and overwhelmed them with questions.

The visiting youngsters were particularly interested in the 'class' given by navigator Bruno Zirilli under the boat's deck where, after explaining his role and showing the various electronic instruments, he went over the details of these Formula 1 of the sea, built entirely of carbon fiber. The onboard visit ended with the usual photos taken by the Maestro Carlo Borlenghi, also well known to the youngsters from the images they see on the sailing magazines and websites. Checco Bruni gave the team coach, the prosailor Camillo Zucconi, an Azzurra shirt signed by all team members.

The team's day came to an end with a visit to Yacht Club Costa Smeralda's interior Azzurra Sailing Team website