Frida Cup 2026, Fraglia Vela Riva’s young guns met the sailing rockstars
Riva del Garda – Yesterday afternoon proved to be an unmissable occasion for the young sailors of Fraglia Vela Riva who, following the opening ceremony of the 2026 Frida Cup – the event bringing together the world’s leading Star class specialists on the northern shores of Lake Garda from today through Saturday – had the unique opportunity to meet and learn from sailing legends Paul Cayard, Robert Scheidt and Roberto Benamati.
The initiative was promoted by Frida Cup founder and former Star World Champion Frithjof “Frida” Kleen together with Fraglia Vela Riva President Chiara Carloni, who, since taking office just a couple of months ago, has further strengthened the club’s already significant commitment to youth sailing. Also attended by Mario Caproni, Councillor of the Municipality of Riva del Garda, and Giampaolo Montagni, President of the Italian Sailing Federation’s XIV Zone, the event attracted an enthusiastic audience.
In front of a packed room filled with sailors, parents and sailing enthusiasts, journalist Mauro Melandri, who moderated the evening, welcomed Paul Cayard, well known in Italy for skippering Il Moro di Venezia in the America’s Cup and currently serving as President of the International Star Class; Robert Scheidt, five-time Olympic medallist and nine-time ILCA World Champion; and Roberto Benamati, one of Lake Garda’s sailing icons, who claimed the 1991 Star World Championship in Cannes by defeating the formidable Grael-Ferreira pairing.
Throughout their presentations, and while answering the many thoughtful questions from an engaged and curious audience, the speakers repeatedly stressed the importance of commitment, sacrifice and consistent training, emphasizing that sailors should continue working on their skills even when a coach is not present.
“A coach is certainly important,” explained Robert Scheidt, “but you don’t necessarily need one by your side every time you go sailing. I remember many occasions when I trained alone in my ILCA, simply trying to apply the instructions my coach had given me during previous sessions. My goal was to complete at least fifty tacks and fifty gybes. By staying fully focused, every single outing helped me improve. Don’t be afraid to try things on your own—or even to make mistakes. That’s part of the sport, and part of life.”
Drawing on more than fifty years of racing experience, Paul Cayard inspired the audience with stories and reflections from his extraordinary career while reminding the young sailors how easy it is to waste one’s talent by losing focus. He also commented on a series of historic Star class videos presented by Fraglia Vela Riva Vice President Paolo Matteotti, highlighting how technological advances, new materials and modern sail designs have completely transformed the way the Star is sailed over the years.
Roberto Benamati, after briefly retracing his own competitive career, reminded the young sailors how fortunate they are to train and grow on Lake Garda, a venue renowned worldwide for its reliable winds and exceptional sailing conditions.
“A special thank you goes to ‘Frida’ Kleen for making this inspiring meeting possible. Our young sailors were truly fascinated by the stories shared by what they rightly consider genuine legends of our sport. Listening to the experiences and lessons of athletes who, throughout their careers, have overcome challenges by turning them into opportunities for growth is an invaluable educational experience—not only for young sailors, but for adults as well,” commented Fraglia Vela Riva President Chiara Carloni.
