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About us
The main organiser of the Moscow Sailing Cup is the business club ITAM.
The business club ITAM is a Russia-based non-profit organisation that operates since 2008. The club is active in the organisation of social events aimed at supporting the interaction of Italian professionals working in Moscow with other business communities, in order to favour the exchange of experiences and the establishment of a functional network of business relations. Since the beginning of its existence, Club ITAM organizes events and regular meetings, often jointly with other international business associations in Moscow.
Please see:
Club ITAM’s website at www.itamosca.ru
Interview with Giovanni Stornante, President of Club ITAM
In the organization of the Moscow Sailing Regatta, Club ITAM is joined and supported by
Interview with Giovanni Stornante, President of Club ITAM
This race is the first event of this kind in Russia, how did the idea of organising a Regatta of Business Clubs came up?
We were talking about sailing with my friend Mattheo (Mattheo Mirella, also in the organizing committe of the regatta and skipper of the Italian boat) and he was telling me how much he desired to start sailing again in Russia. He was telling me about all of the yacht clubs in the north of Moscow, and that he wanted to choose one of them to become a member and be able to follow his passion in the spare time. It was then, that I had the idea of proposing this event to the other business associations with which we already often cooperate on different events. I felt, that the idea would be gladly welcomed.
Why did you decide to organise the regatta in Moscow and not in Italy for instance?
We are all based and work in Moscow, so it seemed natural to explore this possibility here without distracting us too much from our everyday jobs. Also we were sure that our connections here would be very helpful in organising this event, that is why we went this way
Do you sail yourself? Will you participate in the regatta?
No, I am not a sailor myself. I sailed a few times in my life and always enjoyed it, but I cannot be considered an expert in this sport. I decided not to take part in the Italian crew to leave room for a more competent member. After all, I want my club's crew to be competitive and possibly to win!
What was the response like? Were the business clubs excited about the new regatta?
The response was enthusiastic from the beginning and the business communities that we have contacted immediately agreed to take part in the organisation. Being the first edition of the event, we decided to limit the number of participants in order not to complicate things too much. Since the regatta has generated a great interest also among other communities, we will definitely increase the number of participants in the next years.
Are you familiar with all the participants? How did you select the teams?
I am familiar with most of them, as they are partly my friends, partly colleagues and business associates. The crews have been selected by each business club individually cherry-picking from their own member base.
What will be most interesting in this regatta for the participants? Why should such an event be useful or attractive?
First of all, the sailing enthusiasts who will be lucky enough to pass the selection and be on the water will have a great time and will enjoy competing for their club and country. For most of these people sailing is something related to their home country or holiday destination and this event allows them to get to know more about how to cultivate this passion in Russia. Secondly, this will be a great occasion for several international business communities to get together in a beautiful location at an open-air happening. The sport and the competition is a good excuse to gather all of these communities together and allow them to network. In the third place sponsoring companies and the regatta co-organizers will increase their visibility and raise their profile towards their communities and clients, and acquire new associates. Last but not least, this will be a family day out of the city, an occasion to spend some quality time with family and friends in a relaxed atmosphere.
What do you find interesting in a non-professional race? Have you ever been to or have you ever experienced any event of this kind or is it something absolutely new for you?
Not in Russia. Personally, I have attended some of these events elsewhere abroad, for instance the "Barcolana" in Trieste (Italy). My organising partners could give you an impressive list, instead. What I like about the non-professional cut of this event is that it allows a better competition among the participants and it increases the fun for everybody, spectators included.
Who is on the jury? How will the race go?
The jury is provided by the yacht club and will be formed by a team of competent sailors. I honestly cannot say how the race will end as competition is very high and I am hearing of good crews being formed. Obviously my heart and my hopes are with the Italian boat!
Do you plan to organize the regatta every year? How do you see the future of this initiative?
We want this to be only the first of a long series of events focused on sailing. There is a lot of space for expansion in this field, and given the interest that these first efforts have raised, we are sure that this event will become a regular appointment for the international business community in the next years.
What is special in this regatta for you?
This regatta is the first experiment in this field for us and we are really engaging to the maximum to achieve the best of results. For me and my team, as the main organisers, the most important thing is the success of the initiative itself. I really believe in the potential that this type of event has and I just want things to work in the best of ways. I do realise, that we have already covered a lot of ground, but there is always space for new ideas. On the other hand, the trust we have been given by the other business associations, by the Russian Federation of Sailing, media partners and sponsors is very encouraging.
Since you will not be sailing, what will you do on that day?
I guess, I will have to supervise the activities, but I really hope I will have the chance to enjoy the race with my family and friends eating an ice-cream on the shore, in a warm June afternoon blessed by nice weather and a festive atmosphere.
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Club ITAM presents: