Giorgio Zuccoli

Giorgio Zuccoli was one of the greatest Italian sailing champions in the 1980s and 1990s. After originally sailing in youth and 420 classes he then became a catamaran specialist and, at national and international level, competed in the Olympic Tornado class. In 1987 and 1988 he finished third, with Luca Santella, in the World Championships. In 1989 he was runner-up, this time with Angelo Glisoni, and the world title that had eluded him came at Cagliari in 1991, with Glisoni. The pair went to the Barcelona Olympics as favourites, but finished a disappointing 17th.

Zuccoli had a reputation as a fine sailmaker, and his sails won Tornado gold medals at the Barcelona and Atlanta Olympics. Despite being diagnosed with cancer in 1995, Zuccoli continued sailing in the new Melges 24 class, and after finishing second in the 1998 and 1999 Melges 24 World Championship, Zuccoli and his crew lifted the crown in 2000 at La Rochelle, France. It was an emotional victory for Zuccoli, who had to be injected with morphine before each race. Seven months later he succumbed to the disease.