Shosholoza At Trieste Barcolana

The world’s only regatta to set a single start line for over 2000 yachts

September 30, 2008

Photo: ©2008 Shosholoza

South Africa’s yacht Shosholoza RSA 83 will be in Italy again next week to race in the Trieste Barcolana -- one of Europe’s biggest international sailing events and the only regatta in the world to set a single start line for over 2000 boats

News reports in the ancient northern Italian port city are referring to Shosholoza as an Illustrious guest of honor for the 16 nautical mile race on Sunday 12 October which  attracts over 20 000 sailors on craft ranging from famous super yachts to small family crewed yachts and more than 300 000 spectators annually.

Shosholoza will also play a prominent role in next week’s land and sea based festivities leading up to the regatta which is best referred to as a massive celebration of Triestine seafaring traditions and all things nautical.

Describing the South African Americas Cup team as the revelation of the 2007 Americas Cup, the organisers of the event believe Shosholoza’s participation will provide the finishing touch to the events historic 40th birthday celebrations.

It is the first time that a complete Americas Cup team has taken part in the event, and it will be wonderful to see the boat that did so well in Valencia sailing here in Trieste, said Gastone Novelli, president of the Barcola and Grignano Yacht Club.

It is with great pleasure that the Barcolana accepted Shosholoza’s request to take part in the regatta, he said.

Italy was Shosholoza’s biggest fan base outside South Africa during the Americas Cup and there is already much excitement that team founder and managing director Captain Salvatore Sarno and some of the South African crew will be in Trieste next week.

Big news too is that two of Italy's best known yachtsmen Paolo Cian and Tommaso Chieffi, who brought expertise in helming and tactics to Shosholoza at the 2007 Americas Cup, will also be on board in Trieste.  Cian and Chieffi are famous in sailing circles for their national, Olympic and multiple Americas Cup achievements

Yacht Shosholoza RSA 83, the super hi-tech Americas Cup class yacht designed and built in South Africa will be on display from Tuesday 7 October at the Shosholoza stand in the vast kilometer long hospitality village on the Triestine Waterfront.

Shosholoza displays will tell the story of South Africa’s first ever Americas Cup challenger and its four year international campaign that successfully showcased the country’s new democracy.  How the team became known as the soul of sailing and how they ultimately won the respect of world yachting by finishing 7th on the Louis Vuitton Cup leader board.

Shosholoza managing director Captain Salvatore Sarno said it was a great honor for Shosholoza to be competing in Triestes Barcolana.

It is an important opportunity for us to move forward in our campaign.  We want to show the Italians our African Dream, allow people to touch our boat, meet our team and share a little bit of South Africa.

Current events have been widely publicized in Europe and we want people to be assured that we have a strong and stable country.  We will be inviting people to join us in South Africa, both now, and in 2010 for the Soccer World Cup

Capt Sarno said the team wanted to maintain the image it had built at the 2007 Americas Cup.

This is why we sailed in the Naples Velalonga in June this year.  Now we hope to bring our Shosholoza spirit to Trieste too.  We want to meet our Italian fans and thank them for their great support.

Offshore events during the week leading up to the Trieste Barcolana on Sunday 12th October include a Barcolina for young sailors in dinghy and windsurfing classes; the Barcolana Classic which has become one of the most eagerly awaited classic boat gatherings in the Mediterranean and even a night-time regatta on the eve of Barcolana.

Italy’s world famous ski champion Denise Karbon, a multiple winner of the Ski World Cup Giant Slalom, will also be a guest of honor competing in the Trieste Barcolana.

Onshore events include the Barcolana Festivals three days of free concerts in Triestes Piazza Unita d’Italia.  Unique too will be afternoon readings of popular Triestine anecdotes -- the so-called Maldobrie in historical cafes around the city. 

Team Shosholoza will be proudly wearing the branding of their new sponsors MSC Crociere and Breil Milano.

Team Shosholoza is also proud to announce a partnership agreement for the Trieste Barcolana with Murphy & Nye, the famous Italian owned sail wear brand

Murphy & Nye have been a sponsor of La Barcolana for many years and believe their partnership with Shosholoza at the 2008 event will make its presence in Trieste a dominant one.