The glorious history of Italy I-20From the launch to the Olympics (1936)Launch preparationMany of those who see it for the first time, perhaps by pure chance passing through the pier of Castellammare di Stabia or Procida or one of the many that we visit during the year, ask: .Even the most inexperienced eye can only notice that in itself this hull proves to be a "different" boat from the others. Certainly made of wood, but other than that it is unusually essential in its lines. It is certainly striking how "not very wide" it is. Already from the bow it can be seen that the "edge" that collects its lines seems to be an arrow seen from above and a sharp blade in profile.Ah if they could see it from the top of the tree! A show!Curiosity takes many. Someone more erudite in the field notes an impressive length-to-beam ratio and a very low side.Italia was launched on a project wanted by the Royal Italian Sailing Federation who wanted a hull capable of competing in the Olympics against the most excellent fruits of international naval technology of the time.On 20 June 1936, just a few months before the opening of the Berlin Olympics, Italy entered the water.It was launched by the shipyard of Attilio Costaguta located in Voltri (GE) ( see dedicated page ) with sails built in that same shipyard, it immediately proves to be a yacht with excellent performance especially with medium-strong winds.From 4 to 10 August of that year the Olympics were held in the Kiel Fjord in Germany (see Sailing Olympics in Kiel ). The participants and their positioning at the various regattas was as follows:Olympic documentResult tablePoster of the 1936 Olympics There was great indecision for the final result since in the fifth regatta a series of protests by the crews of different nationalities. During this day a series of maneuvers between closely spaced hulls had led to the collision of some of them. The racing continued for the remaining days without a verdict from the jury.This skein to unravel was unraveled only at the end of all the races. Thanks to the footage shot from the top of an airship by the German director Leni Riefenstahl as she was directing a film entitled Olympia, the jury was able to better ascertain who was responsible for that event and decreed that Italy's collision with the Norwegian boat had been inevitable because the maneuver was induced by the Danish yacht. Thus it was that in not suffering the penalty our boat managed to assert the result of that day which, with the other points accumulated, took her to the top of the standings.The boats under the airshipHere the crew that measured themselves against the international champions and distinguished themselves in those days for their preparation, steadfastness and courage.Behold the glorious crewLeo ReggioBruno BianchiLuigi de ManicoDominic MordiniEnrico Massimo PoggiLuigi Mino PoggiThe Hindenburg cupAgostino Straulino and with crewAt the end of the Olympic regattas in Kiel Bay, another series of regattas was held for the assignment of the Hindenburg cup in which the navy crews of the nations of Brazil, Denmark, France, Great Britain, Italy, Yugoslavia, Holland, Sweden, USA and Uruguay.Ensign Agostino Straulino was placed at the helm of Italy and with him Luigi de Manincor, Paolo Marsi, Carlo Mantegazzini, Carlo Strena and GB Franchini. On this occasion, Italy ranked second.The other competitionsItaly took part in other regattas scattered throughout the peninsula but soon the Royal Italian Sailing Federation proposed, as early as December 1937, the sale for a price that was around 100,000 lire. In February 1938 the yacht passed into the hands of Angelo Rizzoli, a wealthy publisher from Milan.Thanks to this event, Italy resumed competing in the 8-metre event like Bona and Orietta. In 1939 she big boat parade.Numerous eight meters compete in Genoa for the assignments of the Duca degli Abruzzi Cup, the Rylard Cup and the Caterina Pozzani Cup.racing yachtsMany other sailing competitions were held in the following years until the goal moved to Naples. In the fifties the best hulls built in Italy were concentrated in the hands of the Neapolitan circles. The Circolo Nautico buys the Olympic Italy which is entrusted to the helmsman Renato Cosentino. The Circolo Nautico Posillipo instead proposes Bona at the helm of Vittorio Postiglione, Miranda III passes to the Reale Yacht Club Canottieri Savoia which will also purchase another eight meters such as Aria and Licea. Orietta at the Circolo Canottieri Napoli and the Circolo del Remo and della Vela Italiana presents itself with Sylphea III. In this climate, for many years these splendid boats were raced far and wide across the Neapolitan gulf.In 1971 the owner club of Italia put it up for sale for 3,000,000 lire but concluded the deal for 2,300,000 lire in favor of Eugenio and Salvatore Di Leva. The event is also generated by the forfeiture of this tonnage which is excluded from the Olympic categories. Italia thus arrives in Sorrento where much more than maintenance work is immediately arranged. The hull had in fact been left stationary for some time and therefore the engine was repaired and the deck and beams were rebuilt.The shipowner Sisimbro AntonioAgostino Straulino and with crewAgostino Straulino and with crewTime passes and the commitments of the two owners lead them to sell the yacht to an enthusiast who has been courting that important vessel for some time. In 1980 Antonio Sisimbro became the owner of Italy and still now takes care of every inch of wood of this boat (see also legend " the history of Italy"). In the hands of the tobacconist, as many call him, Italy has certainly received more attention and care than any other previous owner. Daily care, of hours and hours spent sanding and painting under the sun or in the winter climate care for those who spent the night on the boat awake for fear of the mad storm, care for those who healed the wounds that time had inflicted on the hull Italy was seen again in Imperia at the beginning of the nineties for no less than two sometimes always accompanied by her owner who found himself at the top of competitions unthinkable for him.In 2001, on the proposal of the Nautical Traditions Study Center of the Italian Naval League of Naples, a procedure was started for Italy, with the help of the FIV, which would lead to her being recognized by the Superintendency of Cultural Heritage as a vessel of important historical interest (03 December 2002) as a result of Law 490/1999At present, Italy is among the faithful boats that follow the "caravan" of the Naval League cell of Naples which brings sailing to all the ports of the Neapolitan gulf and annually competes in Torre del Greco, Castellammare, Seiano, Capri, Ischia, Procida and Ventotene. In addition, he participates in the regattas of vintage boats such as: Edoardo De Martino in Sorrento, the one at the Circolo Savoia in Naples and Le Vele D'epoca organized by the LNI in Gaeta. Finally, take part in the event in honor of Peppe Cappiello in Sorrento.