Variable-geometry duos (5th part)

Alesandro Di Benedetto (Team Plastique) : "I’ve known Alberto for a long time, since the preparation for my circumnavigation of the globe aboard a 6.50m monohull. He really gave me a lot of help in his yard in Bologna through making the boat’s daggerboards, rudders and so on. He was also there at the start of the Vendée Globe with several of his employees to assist me with the preparation of the 60 footer. He’s a very specialised technician who works for the major teams, including those from the America’s Cup in particular. I got a chance to see the true extent of his motivation to participate in the Transat Jacques Vabre when he turned down a job working for the Luna Rossa syndicate back in the summer so as he could prepare for our qualifier in the best possible conditions. I know that I’ll have a very good co-skipper alongside me as well as a real friend. We’re going to being doing a lot of talking aboard too, in Italian! We naturally communicate a great deal, which will be a massive advantage when it comes to knowing exactly where we are in terms of the weather, the trimming, etc. My ethos aboard the boat really revolves around sharing, so that we’re both on a level footing. We don’t perform the roles of a skipper or a crewmate, we’re both skippers and that’s really important to me".