Eighty-year-old Italian offshore sailor Pasquale De Gregorio reflects on his sailing career; most notable is his completion of the 2000/01 Vendée Globe race, where De Gregorio was considerably older than the other competitors.
“I was born in Abruzzo, on the slopes of the Majella, so I was more of a mountaineer and I had a relationship with the sea as a normal citizen. I used to go on vacation to the beach in the summer and I’m not even a very good swimmer, there was more desire for knowledge, initially.
“I have a degree in law and for almost twenty years I worked in the legal service of the Bank of Italy,” recalls Pasquale De Gregorio.
“In 1973, I was 32, I was undecided whether to buy a van equipped for traveling or to take a sailing course. I chose the second option and went to the famous Caprera school and for me it was a dazzling experience. Caprera worked the miracle, also thanks to a shift manager, Piero Bianchessi.”
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