The award ceremony of Barcolana54

An event dedicated to sports, sharing and solidarity, under the banner of sustainability and inclusion. The award ceremony of the 54^th edition of the Barcolana presented by Generali took place in Trieste, crowning the first woman at the helm to ever win the regatta: American businesswoman and philanthropist Wendy Schmidt, sailing on Deep Blue, who also received the Generali "Women in Sailing" Trophy, awarded to the first mixed team captained by a helmswoman. A historic first female victory celebrating gender equality in sports and the values of diversity and inclusion that Generali celebrates through Barcolana.

This year’s edition will also remain memorable thanks to the announcement of €250,000 raised through the Rete del Dono initiative, in which The Human Safety Net participated. As part of this activity, the crews themselves became ambassadors of solidarity projects to be associated with the sporting challenge.

A little less than 50 days after the regatta, which took place on October 10^th, top finishers in the various categories made their way onto the podium. The Generali “Women in Sailing” Trophy was also officially awarded to Wendy Schmidt, represented in Trieste by sailor Andrea Visinitini. Through a video message shared during the event, Schmidt announced a $100,000 donation to support the educational and conservation activities of the Biodiversitario Marino (BioMa), in the Miramare Marine Protected Area managed by WWF Italy.

Simone Bemporad, Generali Group spokesperson, affirmed: “Barcolana signs-off another a successful edition for sport and for shared participation. A celebrated event that understands the emergencies society faces and what everyone, in their own way, can do to face them. This is proven by the sheer generosity of donations made. A virtuous example that goes well with the spirit of the ‘Generali Women in Sailing Trophy’, won by shipowner and skipper Wendy Schmidt, whose goal is to enhance collaboration and different skills, inclusion, and the recognition of merit as the right way towards a more resilient and sustainable society. Generali, which has been alongside Barcolana for over 40 years, is pleased to collaborate in its international growth.”