Italia Challenge starts training in Palermo

Team Italia presented yesterday its crew in the premises of the Club Canottieri Roggero di Lauria di Palermo, taking advantage of the training sessions the team is currently carrying out, aboard 2 TP52 yachts off the Palermo coast. "It's an honor for us to be able to host this group of sailors so closely related to our nation", stated Gabriele Guccione Alù, President of the Club Canottieri Roggero di Lauria.

The team's schedule calls for a series of training sessions both offshore and ashore (sailing, physical training and tactics) until the 22nd of December. It will then move to Valencia and Auckland for the final training sessions before the start of races.

For Vasco Vascotto, Italia Challenge skipper and tactician, "this test represents an important phase in our sport and technical preparation and will be fundamental in the cohesion of the crew". According to Vascotto, organizing this phase hasn't been an easy task at all and required a great effort from the entire team. All they wish now is to take full advantage of all available time.

According to Francesco Bruni, helmsman of the team, "these will be very intense days where every moment is valuable for the team". The schedule is obviously very tight but for Bruni "the guys are uniquely professional". The team will move to Auckland at the beginning of the year in order to train on the Hauraki Gulf, "a beautiful adventure", according to Bruni.