Olympic great guiding next generation of Italian sailing stars

Alessandra Sensini is relishing the challenge of guiding the next generation of Italian sailing talent.

For those who have catapulted through the Italian ranks over the past decade, the 54-year-old has been a guiding presence as the Italian Sailing Federation's (FIV) Youth Technical Director.

Those whose memory stretches a little further may hold dear the memories of her golden Olympic Mistral triumph at Sydney 2000, one of six Olympic appearances which rounded off at London 2012.

The Grosseto-born windsurfer knows more than most what it takes to rise through to Olympic-level sailing and insists not much has changed when laying the foundations to reach those senior heights.

At the Youth Sailing World Championships 2024, the windsurfing mainstay believes the Lake Garda event on familiar waters has the ability to help young and emerging talent realise their potential.

"It's something that can push you, can motivate you to dream the Olympics," she said.

"You represent your nation and, mentally, it's very different from representing your club, you have more pressure but it's good.

"It's a nice pressure because you are there and it means that you deserve it and you're going to do something good regardless of the results - it's something you have lived."

Sensini had her fair share of Youth Sailing World Championships experience in her early career, travelling to Australia, Spain and Greece as an up-and-coming talent.

And her experiences on the water as well as off it remain a formative part of her development, not only as a sailor, but as a person.

"For me it was an incredible event, I started to go around the world and we started to know athletes from all around the world," she said.

"At the beginning we were staying in rooms with other people from other countries.

"I remember the first time, I was staying with someone from Finland and Denmark and I didn't speak one word of English, it was an adventure - it was good, it's like the beginning of a journey.

"Sometimes the people that you get to know in that moment, you make a friendship that lasts forever.

"My best friends around the world are from the world of windsurfing like Lanee Butler and Jessica Crisp."

Sensini's priority over the past decade has been honing Italian sailing talent, tuning the finer details ahead of their pinnacle Youth Sailing World Championships event each year.

On home waters, the four-time winners of the Championships' Nations Trophy during her tenure have been given an extra boost by senior sailors preparing for their Paris 2024 run-in in less than two weeks.

Official ambassadors of the event include Sensini herself, Nicolo Renna, Ruggero Tita and Chiara Benini Floriani.

And the Youth Technical Director believes the power of their support can boost a young team on Lake Garda this week.

"I hope I've been able to give something to this younger generation and I always try my best," she said.

"I've been trying this year and the years gone by, you get further away from that generation but in a way, you have to be able to change yourself and your approach.

"These guys have the chance to see a lot of people who have gone before them and then the guys that are going to the Olympics, the youngsters need to have the example.

"When you have it here, it's a good opportunity.

"The sport is always the same, you have to put a lot of effort in, you have to sacrifice yourself to be strong and to try and try and try, stand up for your friends, nothing is different."

You can follow the Youth Sailing World Championships via the livestream on the Sail-World.com and YachtsandYachting.com homepages and via the dedicated event website.