Andrea Giuseppe "Beppe" Croce (

Genoa Genoa ( ; it, Genova ; lij, Zêna ). is the capital of the Italian region of Liguria and the sixth-largest city in Italy. In 2015, 594,733 people lived within the city's administrative limits. As of the 2011 Italian census, the Province of ...

11 December 1914 –

Portofino Portofino (; ) is a ''comune'' located in the Metropolitan City of Genoa on the Italian Riviera. The town is clustered around its small harbour, and is known for the colourfully painted buildings that line the shore. Since the late 19th century ...

16 September 1986) was a sailor and yachtsman from

, Italy.

Biography

In 1939 Croce won the Italian University Star Class championship. He also won the 1969 5.50 class Italian Championship on Lake Garda, where three years earlier he had won the Centomiglia regatta (finished by only three out of fifty participant boats, due to very severe weather conditions).
Beppe served as an army officer during

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the World War II by country, vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great power ...

. After the 1943 armistice, he remained faithful to the King

Vittorio Emanuele III Victor Emmanuel III (Vittorio Emanuele Ferdinando Maria Gennaro di Savoia; 11 November 1869 – 28 December 1947) was King of Italy from 29 July 1900 until his abdication on 9 May 1946. He also reigned as Emperor of Ethiopia (1936–1941) and ...

and fought the

Nazis Nazism ( ; german: Nazismus), the common name in English for National Socialism (german: Nationalsozialismus, ), is the far-right totalitarian political ideology and practices associated with Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party (NSDAP) in N ...

as a liberal partisan. From 1946 to 1980, Beppe served as president of

Lloyd Italico Lloyd Italico, Compagnia di assicurazioni e riassicurazioni known as Lloyd Italico was an Italian insurance company. It was specialized in maritime insurance. In 2006, the company was acquired by Assicurazioni Generali and maintained its brand ...

, an insurance company founded by his grandfather. Croce also competed in the 6 metre class at the

1948 Summer Olympics The 1948 Summer Olympics (officially the Games of the XIV Olympiad and also known as London 1948) were an international multi-sport event held from 29 July to 14 August 1948 in London, England, United Kingdom. Following a twelve-year hiatus ...

and contributed organizing the 1960 Naples sailing Olympics as the president of the Olympic Committee. In 1952, together with his friend René Levainville, Croce founded the famous Giraglia Cup, a regatta between

St. Tropez , INSEE = 83119 , postal code = 83990 , image coat of arms = Blason ville fr Saint-Tropez-A (Var).svg , image flag=Flag of Saint-Tropez.svg Saint-Tropez (; oc, Sant Tropetz, ; ) is a commune in the Var department and the region of Provence-Alp ...

and

Genova Genoa ( ; it, Genova ; lij, Zêna ). is the capital of the Italian region of Liguria and the sixth-largest city in Italy. In 2015, 594,733 people lived within the city's administrative limits. As of the 2011 Italian census, the Province of G ...

organized by the

Yacht Club Italiano The Yacht Club Italiano is a yacht club in Genoa, Italy. History It was founded in 1879 and is one of the oldest sailing clubs in the Mediterranean. This club was bestowed Royal Patronage by HRH King Umberto I of Italy since its inception. Th ...

in collaboration with the

Yacht Club de France The Yacht Club de France is the senior nautical club in France, and one of the most important yacht clubs in the world. History The club was established in 1867, during the Second French Empire. It was bestowed Royal Patronage by Emperor Napol ...

, which nowadays involves hundreds of sailors and maxi yachts. Croce played also a key role in the organization of the 1982 Azzurra America's Cup Challenge, the first Italian America's Cup challenge. Financed by his friend and former

Fiat Fiat Automobiles S.p.A. (, , ; originally FIAT, it, Fabbrica Italiana Automobili di Torino, lit=Italian Automobiles Factory of Turin) is an Italian automobile manufacturer, formerly part of Fiat Chrysler Automobiles, and since 2021 a subsidiar ...

president,

Gianni Agnelli Giovanni "Gianni" Agnelli (; 12 March 192124 January 2003), nicknamed ("The Lawyer"), was an Italian industrialist and principal shareholder of Fiat. As the head of Fiat, he controlled 4.4% of Italy's GDP, 3.1% of its industrial workforce a ...

, the boat competed under the patronage of the

Yacht Club Costa Smeralda Yacht Club Costa Smeralda was established by the Aga Khan in 1967. It is situated at Porto Cervo in Costa Smeralda, northern Sardinia and provides services for recreational sailors. The club challenged for the 1983 America's Cup with ''Azzurra'' ...

. From 1969 to his death in 1986, Croce was the first non-British president of the

International Sailing Federation International is an adjective (also used as a noun) meaning "between nations". International may also refer to: Music Albums * ''International'' (Kevin Michael album), 2011 * ''International'' (New Order album), 2002 * ''International'' (The T ...

. Croce was also the president of the Italian Sailing Federation ( Federazione Italiana Vela) from 1957 to 1981, and of the

from 1958 to 1986. He also was the longtime vice president of the Comitato Olimpico Nazionale Italiano (CONI). In memory of Beppe Croce, since 1989 the International Sailing Federation annually awards its ISAF Beppe Croce Trophy to an individual who has made an outstanding voluntary contribution to the sport of sailing. During his life Croce assembled a unique collection of Yacht Portrait Paintings from 1800, which adorned the walls of his house in

, where he also owned the Hotel Splendido. His family later donated to the Galata Museo del Mare more than 100 paintings from such collection, which are now permanently displayed at the museum's Beppe Croce Gallery.

Personal life

Married to Countess Umberta Raggio, Croce had three sons, Luigi, Carlo and Manuela and several grandsons and great-grandsons. Following in his father's footsteps, Beppe's son Carlo has been President of the ISAF -

from 2013 to 2016, of the Fiv - Italian Sailing Federation from 2009 to 2016. He was President of the

(since 1997).

References

External links

*
Biography (in Italian)
{{DEFAULTSORT:Croce, Beppe 1914 births 1986 deaths Sportspeople from Genoa Italian male sailors (sport) Olympic sailors of Italy Sailors at the 1948 Summer Olympics – 6 Metre Italian military personnel of World War II Presidents of World Sailing Italian sports executives and administrators