FRESH WIND
by Paola Bertelli
With the board of directors headed by Luigi Fabrizio Ferrero De Falco, the Yacht Club Porto Rotondo throws a spotlight on sport, internationalisation, innovation, sustainability and tradition
At the entrance to the Marina di Porto Rotondo, facing the jetties, the Yacht Club Porto Rotondo is a centre of excellence in the heart of the Mediterranean.
One of the world’s most prestigious sailing clubs, a status partly accounted for by its spectacular location in the magnificent setting of north-east Sardinia, since 1985 it has been a favourite destination for the international elite. Last April saw the election of the new board of directors, comprising ten technically-savvy individuals, all united by their passion for the sea, with the aim of internationalising the yacht club and with a thoughtful eye on up-coming generations.
“For me, being at the helm of the Yacht Club Porto Rotondo is a source
of great pride and stimulation”, says Luigi Fabrizio Ferrero De Falco, the new president. “Our club has profound traditions. The greatest Italian and international names in industry, finance, the aristocracy and above all, the art world have visited here. The club has welcomed yachts owned by the Agnellis, the Rothschilds and other great industrialists. Our aim is to set a route towards sport and sustainability”.
The first event held under the aegis of the new board was a record-breaking Solaris Cup, the tenth edition, a perfect opportunity to celebrate the yard’s 50th anniversary. It saw the participation of 102 yachts from 14 countries and an audience of over 1,200 people. An exciting event on the water and on land. In De Falco’s words, “It demonstrated the organisational strength
- ph. courtesy by Yacht Club Porto Rotondo
Right, the Solaris Cup 2024 organised by the Yacht Club Porto Rotondo (opposite and top). Above, Luigi Fabrizio Ferrero De Falco the new YCPR president
and ability of the club, the Marina and the town”. The Solaris Cup, which took place in late May, was followed in early June by the CNB rendezvous, with the RS21 World Championship scheduled for September.
In the meantime the season will continue with sailing courses – together with internationalisation, investing in future generations is one of the club’s top priorities. In the first fortnight in September the club will host an important exchange programme. “I live and sail in the United States,” says De Falco, “So we decided to involve Dawn Riley, a legendary yachtswoman in America who has taken part in four America’s Cups and two Whitbread Round the World races. We’’ also organise an exchange programme between New York and Porto Rotondo. Dawn, who will become an honorary member of the club,
is to lead the prestigious Oakcliff Sailing School on Long Island and will bring some of her kids here to sail alongside ours. Finally, we’ll be making a great effort to ensure that this illustrious yacht club will increasingly be perceived as a privileged, prestigious location where you can share passions, relax after a cruise, work, organise meetings in the clubhouse and so on – in other words, experience our club, a centre of excellence in the Mediterranean, as it deserves to be experienced”. With Luigi Fabrizio Ferrero De Falco on the board are Giulia Sallustio Ravizza (vice-president), Andrea Casimirri (commodore), Gian Nicola Montalbano (treasurer), Matteo Molinas (port manager), Paolo Buonvicini, Stefano Crisci, Luca Giovannini, Pier Andrea Nocella and Luciana Federica Soro.
© Solaris Yachts
/ Studio Borlenghi