A New Sailing Academy Sets Sail in Italy
A new sailing academy by Red Bull and SailGP Italy has officially opened at Marine Monfalcone in northern Italy, aiming to become one of Europe’s leading training centers for foiling, kitefoiling, and Olympic sailing.
The Red Bull Sailing Academy will serve as a high-performance training base for the Red Bull Italy SailGP team as well as a platform for identifying and developing new talent in professional sailing. The opening event, held last Saturday (5 July 2025), attracted a large public turnout, along with several notable figures from the international sailing community.
Among those attending were Olympic champion Ruggero Tita, two-time America’s Cup winner Jimmy Spithill, and Hans Peter Steinacher, CEO of Marine Monfalcone. The facility will focus on advanced sailing programs for sailors targeting elite competitions such as the America’s Cup, SailGP, and the Olympic Games. A timely development as Italy gears up for America’s Cup 2027 on home waters in Naples.
Speaking at the opening, Steinacher emphasized the academy’s role in developing international talent and explained: “The sport has evolved tremendously since 2013 when foiling changed everything, and here in the Bay of Trieste, we have the ideal conditions to train at the highest level.”
Tita describes the academy as a much-needed addition for competitive sailing in Italy and adds: “It’s a place built by sailors, for sailors, and it will become a top-level performance center. With names like Thomas Zajac, Santiago Lange, Roman Hagara, and Hans-Peter Steinacher sharing their experience here, it’s a unique opportunity for the next generation to learn from the best.”
Spithill highlights the significance of a fixed, year-round training base, noting professional sailing traditionally operates on a global circuit without a central home facility. “That’s what makes the Red Bull Sailing Academy here such a game-changer – not just for SailGP athletes, but for the next generation of Olympic contenders and world champions. The facility in Marina Monfalcone really completes the entire picture, from foiling and kite surfing to health, wellness, and preparation,” he comments.
The opening celebration featured public displays, including cliff diving exhibitions, wakeboarding, and waterski demonstrations, as well as opportunities for visitors to tour the new academy and meet the participating athletes.
The Red Bull Academy also plans to run programs for kite and wind foiling athletes and will continue hosting public sailing instruction through the Scuola Vela Tito Nordio.