Two young sailors take on a new challenge

Ready to Fly, Episode 02

In this second episode, we continue our journey into the world of Switch foiling with Mattia Cesana’s interview, and we meet another rising talent: Gregorio Moreschi. Both grew up racing Optimist and ILCA for Fraglia Vela Riva — and now, like many others, they’re flying on the Switch.

Flying can be addicting

You only have to get up in the air once... and you never want to come down again.

Just ask Gregorio Moreschi. After years of chasing the gusts in the Optimist class, fighting for every metre in ILCA, today he's having the time of his life foiling. Fast, physical, clean: he and the Switch speak the same language. And, just like him, more and more young sailors are discovering a new way of sailing.

This is no passing trend. The foiling experience younger generations and beyond are enjoying is an entirely different way of sailing.

Let’s continue our interview with Mattia Cesana, 2025 national ranking leader, who in this first half of the racing season has been able to field test the performance of our foil line, especially the SLAM Top and Long John wetsuits. Sharing his sensations, manoeuvres and impressions, he tells us a bit more about himself and sailing.

AN INTERVIEW WITH MATTIA CESANA - PART 2

Where do you think this experience will take you?

I hope this experience will be my starting point. This isn’t an end point, it’s never the end. I hope it turns out to be just the beginning of a great journey. My goal is for this class to become an Olympic class and then for it to open doors for me in terms of the America's Cup.

Would you recommend other sailors to try the foil Switch?

I would definitely recommend a lot of people not only try foiling but try as many boats as possible. Don't focus on one discipline but try to experience a range of options. Because a true sailor is not just a sailor in his or her own class, but a person who can adapt as much as possible to any boat, and therefore to all the challenges that come his or her way.

What were the key moments in your youth career that led you to compete at such a high level?

There are so many people I have to thank who have allowed me to continue practising this passion of mine. My parents because they have always supported me both financially and motivationally. They have always believed in me and continue to do so to this day. And then there is a great person who opened the doors to this world for me, who for me remains 'THE' coach. So, thank you, Fabio Zeni, thank you so much. He was able to give me a 360 degree view of what sailing truly is. He brought me up as if I were not just one of his athletes but a true friend. We formed a really strong bond that is still there today and that I hope will continue forever. I think it's the best thing that can happen to an athlete. To have not a coach but a friend: your coach tries to spur you on as much as possible, but when you come back ashore you go out for a pizza, you go cycling together, you go to the gym. These are the most important things that really define you as a person.

How do you reconcile sporting commitments with the personal and social commitments that are typical at your age?

Reconciling these two aspects is definitely not an easy task: a sportsman wants to be a sportsman in everything. So when you try your hand at cycling or wing foiling, you always want to aim for the best. And so you are left with very few free moments for life outside sport; you have to try to balance the two.

So you also enjoy wing foiling for fun?

Yes, wing foiling is not only fun, but it has also helped me to learn more, to learn new things; it's an activity that you don't practice at a competitive level and therefore you can enjoy it without too much pressure, with friends, but at the same time you want to learn how it works, you want to discover something, something new. For example, wing foiling has helped me a lot when it comes to tacking with the Switch, because the sensations are very similar and if you understand the sensation in a certain discipline, like when wing foiling, you can then bring it back with you on the Switch: you have to try to adapt to all situations.

To be continued in Episode 03 | Ready to Fly