The "SquadrON" is born at Società Velica di Barcola e Grignano
by Wordpower srl 14 Aug 11:48 BST
Società Velica di Barcola e Grignano SquadrON © Nicolo` Gasperi
From dinghy and offshore racing to a new passion, and back again to competition. It's a round trip for a group of athletes from the Società Velica di Barcola e Grignano (SVBG) who, led by SVBG Vice President Dean Bassi, have created the "SquadrON": a name with a double meaning, blending English and Triestine dialect, to designate the new team - the first of its kind in Trieste - dedicated to the discipline of wing foil, with the aim of competing in major events in the sport.
SVBG's new competitive squad features top-level athletes, starting with Maria Vittoria Marchesini and Gabriele Benussi. Alongside them are Zeno Tarlao, Luca de Vidovich, Nicolò Sangermano, Tommaso Salvi, Mattia Dimartino, Andrej Prassel, and Adriano Condello - all well-known on racecourses across various sailing disciplines. Supporting the athletes is an on-water crew formed by Marco Tarlao and Stefano Zugna, with technical assistance from Andrea Cella of Reptile Wetever. Following last Tuesday's official kickoff event for the SVBG SquadrON, technical training sessions have already begun.
"The idea behind this new competitive team," explained SVBG Vice President Dean Bassi, "is to train new athletes of all ages, from former dinghy sailors to masters, turning the recreational aspect of going to sea with a wing foil into a new form of competition. This year, we also introduced wing foil into our summer sailing school to raise awareness of foil-based disciplines, of which wing foil is a part. It is a sport recognized by the Italian Sailing Federation and the International Sailing Federation, growing rapidly, and could potentially become an Olympic discipline in the future."
Wing foil is a water and wind sport in which participants use an inflatable wing, held in the hands to harness the wind's power. The athlete stands on a board equipped with a hydrofoil - a wing-like structure beneath the board - that lifts them above the water's surface, reducing drag and creating the sensation of flying. The sail is not attached to the board but held freely by the rider. Wing foil combines elements of windsurfing and kitesurfing and has quickly gained popularity thanks to its accessibility and structural simplicity: it allows navigation even in light winds, offering great freedom of movement. This popularity as a recreational activity has been elevated to competitive sport status by sailing federations. In the Gulf, from Trieste to Grado, including Marina Julia, there are at least a hundred riders who take to the water with the morning breeze at 6 a.m. or during Bora wind days, often joined by fellow enthusiasts from Austria, Slovenia, and Croatia who follow the wind to the area's best-known spots.
"The goal of the Società Velica di Barcola e Grignano" concluded Vice President Dean Bassi, "is to compete in 2026 in various stages of the Italian Cup for the discipline, as well as in some of the most popular international events such as Le Défi Wind in France and the One Hour on Lake Garda, while also aiming to organize a regional championship."