Giovanni Soldini
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Giovanni Soldini (born 16 May 1966) is an Italian sailor who competes in single-handed and crewed ocean racing. He is best known for winning the 1998–1999 Around Alone round-the-world race and for rescuing French sailor Isabelle Autissier during the competition. He has also competed in the OSTAR, BOC Challenge, ORMA 60 trimaran circuit and Class40 races, and has established sailing records on several ocean routes.[1]
Early life
[edit]Giovanni Soldini was born in Milan, Italy, on 16 May 1966. He began sailing as a child and made his first Atlantic crossing at the age of 16.
In 1989, he won the Atlantic Rally for Cruisers, a transatlantic sailing event for cruising yachts. He made his debut in solo ocean racing in the La Baule–Dakar race in 1991.
Solo ocean racing
[edit]Soldini competed in the OSTAR, the solo transatlantic race, finishing second in the 50-foot class in 1992. In the 1994–1995 BOC Challenge, a solo round-the-world race sailed in stages, he finished second in the 50-foot class aboard Stupefacente-Kodak.
In 1996, Soldini won the OSTAR in the 50-foot class and established a class record.
Around Alone and rescue of Isabelle Autissier
[edit]In 1998–1999, Soldini competed in the Around Alone, a solo round-the-world race sailed in stages, aboard the 60-foot yacht Fila. During the third leg, from Auckland to Punta del Este, French sailor Isabelle Autissier capsized her yacht PRB in the South Pacific Ocean.[2]
Soldini diverted from the race and searched for Autissier. He located her on 16 February 1999 and rescued her from her overturned yacht after she had spent approximately 24 hours in the capsized vessel. The rescue took place approximately 1,900 miles west of Cape Horn.[3]
The rescue attracted extensive international attention and became a significant event in Soldini's career.[1][4]
Soldini subsequently resumed the race. He won the third leg from Auckland to Punta del Este and later won the overall Around Alone competition.[1][4]
Multihull and Class40 racing
[edit]From 2001 to 2005, Soldini competed in the ORMA 60 trimaran class. He was the first Italian sailor to compete in the class. His trimaran was initially sponsored by Fila and later by TIM.
From 2007 to 2009, Soldini competed in the Class40 fleet aboard Telecom Italia. During this period, he won the 2007 Transat Jacques Vabre, the 2008 Artemis Transat, the 2008 and 2009 Grand Prix Petit Navire, the 2009 Transmanche and the 2009 Les Sables–Horta–Les Sables race. He also finished second in the 2009 Rolex Fastnet Race and the 2009 La Solidaire du Chocolat.[5][6]
Maserati
[edit]In 2012, Soldini began an ocean-racing programme aboard the VOR 70 monohull Maserati. In 2013, Soldini and his crew established a monohull record on the Golden Route, the route from New York City to San Francisco via Cape Horn, covering 13,225 nautical miles in 47 days, 42 minutes and 29 seconds.[7][8][9]
In 2014, Maserati won the Cape2Rio Yacht Race and established a new course record of 10 days, 11 hours, 29 minutes and 57 seconds.[10] Soldini also competed in the Transpacific Yacht Race and the Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race, finishing second in the monohull class of the 2013 Transpac and fourth in the 2015 Sydney–Hobart.
Maserati Multi70
[edit]In 2016, Soldini began a new programme aboard Maserati Multi70, a 70-foot ocean-racing trimaran. The boat was subsequently equipped with hydrofoils and was used for offshore races and sailing-record attempts.
In 2018, Soldini and his crew set a World Sailing Speed Record Council-ratified record on the Hong Kong–London route, covering 12,948 nautical miles in 36 days, 2 hours, 37 minutes and 12 seconds.[11]
In 2021, Soldini established a new record on the original Fastnet Race course aboard Maserati Multi70, completing the 595-nautical-mile course in 23 hours, 51 minutes and 16 seconds.[12]
In 2022, Maserati Multi70 was converted to a full-electric racing system. The project also included the collection of oceanographic data in connection with the United Nations Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development.
In January 2023, Soldini and Maserati Multi70 won the Multihull Line Honours in the RORC Transatlantic Race, setting a new race record of 5 days, 5 hours, 46 minutes and 26 seconds.[13]
During 2023, Soldini also completed a circumnavigation aboard the electrically powered Maserati Multi70.
Ferrari Hypersail
[edit]From 2024 to 2026, Soldini served as Team Principal of the Ferrari Hypersail project, Ferrari's ocean-sailing development programme. His collaboration with Ferrari ended on 2 April 2026.[14]
Honours and awards
[edit]Soldini was appointed a Knight of the French Légion d'honneur in 2000 in recognition of his rescue of French sailor Isabelle Autissier during the 1998–1999 Around Alone race.[15]
He was appointed an Officer of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic on 1 June 2002.[16]
Soldini received the Gold Medal of Merit of the Italian Navy on two occasions. The first was conferred in 1999 for his rescue of Isabelle Autissier in the South Pacific during the 1998–1999 Around Alone race.[17] The second was conferred in 2008 in recognition of his sailing achievements and his rescue of a sailor in the South Pacific.[18] The medal was presented to Soldini by President of the Italian Republic Giorgio Napolitano on 10 June 2008, during the Festa della Marina.[19]
Bibliography
[edit]- Soldini, Giovanni (2000). Nel blu. Una storia di vita e di mare. Milan: Longanesi.
- Soldini, Giovanni (2013). Sulla rotta dell'oro. New York–San Francisco via Cape Horn. Milan: Longanesi.
- Soldini, Giovanni (2024). Oltre i limiti. Dieci anni in oceano con Maserati. Nutrimenti Mare.
References
[edit]- 1 2 3 "Giovanni Soldini, "Around alone", 1999". Rai Teche. Retrieved 10 September 2026.
- ↑ Mathieu, Bénédicte (17 February 1999). "L'incertitude pèse toujours sur le sort d'Isabelle Autissier". Le Monde. Retrieved 10 September 2026.
- ↑ Phillips, Angus (17 February 1999). "Sailor Saved in Dramatic Rescue". The Washington Post. Retrieved 10 September 2026.
- 1 2 Mathieu, Bénédicte (5 March 1999). "Giovanni Soldini a ramené Isabelle Autissier à bon port". Le Monde. Retrieved 10 September 2026.
- ↑ "Giovanni Soldini". Class40. Retrieved 12 September 2026.
- ↑ "Vela, Soldini & Fauconnier vincono la maxi-regata". Sky Sport. 22 July 2009. Retrieved 12 September 2026.
- ↑ "WSSRC Ratified World Passage Records". World Sailing Speed Record Council. Retrieved 12 September 2026.
- ↑ Carter, Beth (19 February 2013). "Sailboat Crew Breaks Speed Record in NY-to-SF Voyage". Wired. Retrieved 12 September 2026.
- ↑ "Vela: Soldini arriva a San Francisco, è record". Il Sole 24 Ore. 16 February 2013. Retrieved 12 September 2026.
- ↑ "Race Winners". Cape2Rio Race. Retrieved 10 September 2026.
- ↑ "WSSRC Ratified World Passage Records". World Sailing Speed Record Council. Retrieved 12 September 2026.
- ↑ "WSSRC Ratified World Passage Records". World Sailing Speed Record Council. Retrieved 12 September 2026.
- ↑ "The Record-Breaking 2023 RORC Transatlantic Race". RORC Transatlantic Race. Retrieved 10 September 2026.
- ↑ Piccardi, Gaia (2 April 2026). "Ferrari Hypersail, a sorpresa lascia il capitano Giovanni Soldini. Il progetto affidato a Voltolini (ex Luna Rossa)". Corriere della Sera. Retrieved 10 September 2026.
- ↑ "Voile Soldini dédie sa Légion d'honneur à Frères des hommes". L'Orient-Le Jour. 1 March 2000. Retrieved 12 September 2026.
- ↑ "Soldini Sig. Giovanni". Presidenza della Repubblica Italiana. Retrieved 12 September 2026.
- ↑ "Conferimento di onorificenza al merito di Marina". Gazzetta Ufficiale della Repubblica Italiana. 19 November 1999. Retrieved 12 September 2026.
- ↑ "Conferimento di onorificenza al merito di Marina". Gazzetta Ufficiale della Repubblica Italiana. 26 May 2008. Retrieved 12 September 2026.
- ↑ "Il Presidente Giorgio Napolitano consegna l'Onorificenza a Giovanni Soldini, sportivo di notevole prestigio internazionale nel mondo della vela in occasione della Festa della Marina". Portale storico della Presidenza della Repubblica. 10 June 2008. Retrieved 12 September 2026.