Giro dei Venti 2023: sailing and cycling to discover the best of Salento

The Giro dei Venti, the combined cyclo-sailing event linking Puglia and Greece, is preparing to experience its second edition at its best, scheduled for May 27 to June 3, 2023. This year’s route, which includes a mix of sailing (lasting about 3-4 hours) and bicycle touring stages, will touch on some of the most beautiful areas of the Salento and Greek coasts.

What it is and how it works

The event involves teams consisting of a pair of sailing friends and a pair of cycling friends, which are drawn before the start to form teams of four. The Giro dei Venti 2023 is a competition divided into six stages-three at sea and three on land-that score teams to make up the final standings.

Alongside Knight Sergio Filograna, founder of Workness and creator of the competition, among others participating in the Giro dei Venti organionie are Riccardo Magrini as Head of the Cycling Section and Roberto Ferrarese, as Head of the Sailing Section.

Just to Roberto, who besides being a very strong sailor who has participated in Olympics and America’s Cup campaigns, has a second life as a sports psychologist and athletic motivator, we asked a few questions about the event. About 15 years old, in fact, he began the study of psychology, and for the past 7 years he has devoted himself to his career as a clinical and sports psychologist. Here is what he told us about the physical and mental aspects that will be at play during the 2023 Giro dei venti.

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Given your experience in the field, what do you think the physical and psychological preparation of the sailor and the cyclist have in common? What, however, differentiates them?

This is an interesting question that offers great food for thought.

With regard to physical preparation, it is difficult to make a comparison. Sailing itself, with its countless classes of boats, requires different physical skills each time, and in some sailing classes, the power in watts approaches that required of a “good” cyclist. Not surprisingly, even the America’s Cup recently recognized the connection between the two sports, retracing its steps on the presence of“cyclers” on the various boats, who, instead of their upper limbs, will be able to create more speed through the strength of their legs alone.

On the psychological front, both preparations require the ability to become accustomed to prolonged physical exertion, from a mental standpoint first, and then physical, the ability to accept and accommodate the countless setbacks and sometimes injustices. Both cycling and sailing even before physical preparation require mental strength and willingness to confront what Kipling calls “Triumph and Ruin.”

The pairs participating in the competition, consisting of cyclists and sailors, are drawn to fate. Although they are different disciplines, a certain team spirit will develop among team members on race days. How can we help each other?

Going from a group of 4 strangers to an effective team is a major challenge. An aspect that each participant will have to work on, but certainly one of the most fascinating parts of The Giro dei Venti for me.

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We help each other by respecting differences and suspending judgment. Each will need to arm themselves with tolerance and inclusion. Recognizing a common goal early on will be crucial, as will, from an organizational point of view, well defining everyone’s roles.

What are the routes you planned to propose for the sailings in the program and what characteristics should the routes have?

The routes I planned to propose respond to two priority values for the event: well-being and fun. Therefore, unlike last year, this year’s sailings will have shorter times and routes: we are talking about 3 to 4 hours depending on weather conditions. Having Leuca as our base of operations we will decide according to the wind direction: in case of a strong mistral we will prefer the Ionian route to have a calmer sea, otherwise, if there is a sirocco the sailings will move to the Adriatic.

The routes will be simple and linear and will not require excessive maneuvering. Sailors, while accustomed to handling longer sea times, will always need to remember to have fellow cyclists with them who are often new to sailing.

What is the schedule for the Giro dei Venti 2023

The route designed for the Giro dei Venti 2023-both at sea and on land-highlights some of Puglia‘s most beautiful locations. Well-known and lesser-known destinations of national and international tourism, appreciated for natural landscapes, architectural beauty and culinary delights. The sports event is designed as a true active tourism experience, an opportunity to discover the Salento territories and their traditions.

The first Leuca-Otranto cycling stage travels up the dreamy landscape of Salento’s eastern coast, the one that faces the Adriatic, to the easternmost city in Italy, then back to Leuca. The approximately 50-kilometer route begins and ends in Santa Maria di Leuca between the two promontories Punta Meliso and Punta Ristola, the southernmost point of Puglia and where the Ionian and Adriatic seas meet. On the same day, the first sail will also have to be tackled , with direction Otranto or Gallipoli depending on the wind. The teams will dine and spend the night glamping under the stars in the area of Grotta dei Cervi, a natural cave in the Otranto municipality.

The following day will be dedicated to discovering the stretch of coastline between Porto Badisco and Torre Sant’Emiliano, with various activities Among those on the program are an excursion to the Salento caves, olive tree planting in collaboration with the OlivaMi association and Blue Therapy with freediving champion Umberto Pelizzari. The freediver will give a clinic on the importance of breath awareness and then take participants by dinghy for a short dive. Overnight each crew will sail their boat to Corfu, where the second sail will take place the next day-in the afternoon.

The second day in Corfu sees the cyclists busy in the morning, with the second cycle tour, and a relaxing afternoon exploring the island; in the evening a boat ride back to Leuca is planned. Before the last stops there will be time to discover the Leccese, with a transfer to the Municipality of Castri and visit to the Hypogeum Oil Mill dating back to the 17th-18th centuries and guided tour with aperitif in the City of Lecce. The last day of the competition includes the third stage Leuca-Gallipoli in the morning for cyclists and the third sail in the afternoon. In the evening it is planned to move to Spongano, where there will be a closing party inside the 18th-century Palazzo Filograna.

• To register for the Giro dei Venti 2023 click here

• If you’re looking for tourist information for visiting Puglia, learn more at viaggiareinpuglia.it