Our commitment to the training and growth of young sailors is strengthened with the official launch of the Progetto Giovani, an initiative designed to accompany athletes beyond their experience in the youth classes, offering the opportunity to race at a high level even during their university career.
This is how the YC Sanremo university team registered for the RS21 Cup 2025 Under 23 was born, ready to race in one of the most dynamic and technically challenging classes on the national and international sailing scene. ” Our goal is to build a bridge between youth sailing and offshore sailing – explains Marco Cilli, co-sports director of our Club – offering sporting continuity to motivated kids, already technically trained and ready to face a growth path in a high-level class “.
The initiative is part of our mission to support generational change and the spread of sea and sports culture among young people, offering young sailors a real growth platform in offshore sailing.
The team includes six athletes, all coming from the 420 competitive circuit:
- Tommaso Cilli, helmsman – 23 years old, architecture student at the Polytechnic of Turin, FIV instructor level I, 420 European Champion 2016, 420 Vice World Champion 2017, and 420 Italian Champion in 2019
- Giorgia Taddei, mainsail trimmer – 22 years old, Gemmology student in Milan, FIV level 1 instructor, Italian Match Race Champion 2023 in Ravenna
- Valerio Mugnano, tailer/gennaker – 20 years old, student in Motor Sciences at the University of Genoa, Italian Melges 24 Champion 2024
- Viola Gentili, tailer/sheeter – 20 years old, Mechanical Engineering student at the Polytechnic of Turin, 3rd Female U19 European Championship 2021
- Federico Bortesi, tailer/sheeter – 19 years old, Naval Engineering student at the University of Genoa, 3rd Italian RS21 Team Race U25 Championship 2025
- Gabriele De Noe, tailer/sheeter – 20 years old, student of languages at the University of Aix-en-Provence, and sailing instructor in Geneva
In the national context, several nautical clubs have launched initiatives dedicated to young sailors, often coming from light sailing. However, our Progetto Giovani represents an innovative and structured model:
- strong university identity of all athletes, who can reconcile academic commitments with a competitive sports program;
- technical path of continuity of all athletes from the 420 competitive circuit, ensuring homogeneity of background and a solid technical base;
- structured and competitive program through participation in a national regatta circuit with our technical-logistical support and mentoring.
The Progetto Giovani includes a calendar of training and participation in the RS21 national circuit: the team, sail number ITA 261, officially debuted in April, in the first stage of the Championship in Sferracavallo, Sicily, facing a fleet of the highest level. These days, it is participating in the second Sicilian event, and then continues in in Rimini and Riva del Garda legs, and, in October, here at home in Sanremo, which will also be a stage of the Italian Championship.
The Youth Project recognizes the contribution of our partner Amer Yachts, which has always shared a passion for the sea and supports youth training by collaborating with university projects.
Photos by RS21 Italian Class