Roby Zucchi

Luigi Zucchi was called Roby from a young age because it was a nickname given by his grandfather, who reckoned he walked like a robot as a youngster. Despite his robotic walk, Zucchi went on to not only become the best Italian slalom water skier of all-time, but one of the world’s finest in the 1970s.

Zucchi’s active career stretched from 1965-79, with two seasons out of the sport, in 1973-74 and 1977-78. Throughout his career he won countless domestic titles and his collection of international trophies was second-to-none amongst European slalom skiers. He began to ski on Lake Maggiore at the age of 10 and a year later was an Italian schools champion. At 15 he won the first of his 25 Italian titles in slalom and tricks. He won 12 slalom titles in succession, and also won jumping and combined titles.

At the 1968 European Championships at Bedford, England, Zucchi won gold in the slalom and combined. This started a long run of European successes that saw him win 12 titles including four consecutive combined championships (1968-71). He also won six slalom titles (1968, 1970-72, 1976 and 1979) plus the tricks title in 1969, and jumping in 1971. At the World Championships Zucchi won the slalom at the village of Thorpe in Surrey, England, in 1975. He won a World bronze in 1979. At the 1972 Olympics, where water skiing was a demonstration sport, Zucchi won the slalom gold medal, the event at which he was particularly dominant at that time.

Following his second temporary retirement from competition in 1977, Zucchi graduated with a law degree. He became an active member of the Italian Water Ski Federation, serving on technical and competition committees from 1977-92, and was also vice-president. From 1992-2004, he was president of the Italian Federation of Water Ski and Wakeboard (FISW). In 1995 Zucchi was inducted into the Water Ski Hall of Fame. From 1970 he managed a water ski school at Lake Mergozzo (Novara), and from 1991 promoted the sport among disabled skiers. He was awarded the Gold Medal of the Italian Olympic Committee for his athletic achievements.