Gian Piovanetti Wins RenaissanceRe Gold Cup
Gian Marco Piovanetti, a 15-year-old Optimist sailor from Puerto Rico, won the 2023 RenaissanceRe Junior Gold Cup with a dominant performance, particularly in the heavier winds of Day 2.
A spokesperson said, “Piovanetti [below] counted seven top-three finishes, including four race wins, in the eight-race series and finished with the low net score of 12 points. He finished 20 points ahead of Mariana Pinto of Portugal in second place, who finished 1 point ahead of Frederick Hastrup of Denmark in third place.
“This is Piovanetti’s last year racing the Optimist dinghy and he said that this championship represents the highlight win of his young sailing career.”
“It’s special because of all the different nations that were here and because I sailed so well,” said Piovanetti, who is only the second sailor from Puerto Rico to sail the regatta first held in 2002. “I came here knowing that there are very good sailors in the fleet. I always hope to win, but what I’m amazed by is the amount of points that I won by.”
The spokesperson said, “The 18th RenaissanceRe Junior Gold Cup attracted a total of 44 entries, one each from 15 overseas countries and 29 from Bermuda. The regatta was founded in 2002 to create a boutique world class youth regatta in Bermuda and to give Bermudian sailors an opportunity to race against some of the world’s best on their home waters of Great Sound.”
Piovanetti excelled particularly on Day 2 [Thursday, Oct. 5], when he finished 1-2-1-1 in strong winds of 20 knots. “On the second day my hiking and bailing technique was the main thing,” he said of his ability to keep the boat as flat as possible while also emptying water out at the same time. “Everyone has to do it, but I feel that my technique gave me a strength over the others.”
The spokesperson said, “Pinto, who won the award for the Top Female Sailor, also had a consistent regatta with three top three finishes and all finishes in the top nine, but Piovanetti was just more consistent. Hastrup of Denmark counted five top-two finishes but finished one point behind Pinto due to two 12ths in his scoreline.
“The award to the top sailor representing Bermuda went to Nina Gotfredsen. She finished ninth overall with a net score of 74 points. Although unofficial, Edward Hirsch of Switzerland gets the “tough sailor” award for racing with a cast on his left leg after an accident suffered at home.
“Piovanetti said that he has three regattas remaining in Europe to finish out the year. After that he hopes to sail the ILCA, an Olympic-class singlehanded dinghy formerly known as the Laser, as well as the 420, a popular doublehanded dinghy.”
“I enjoy sailing because I’m able to travel a lot and make friends outside of Puerto Rico, particularly in North America and Europe,” said Piovanetti. “When I’m sailing, I feel in touch with the water. It’s a fun experience.”
18th RenaissanceRe Junior Gold Cup – Provisional Final Results:
- Gian Marco Piovanetti [PUR] – 12 points
- Mariana Pinto [POR] – 32
- Frederick Hastrup [DEN] – 33
- Leandro Scialpi [ITA] – 40
- Minx Anthony [USA] – 42
