#WomenInSailing - Nicole Grio

Nicole Grio is 32 years old, she is the only woman sailor aboard Arca, the only woman who has won two editions of the Barcolana, and the only woman who is competing for a third victory, with Furio Benussi at the helm once again. “Last year I was in charge of coordinating the crew in the bow, so I experienced our victory from the mast. This year I am working in the cockpit, in the mainsail area, and it is a great challenge.”

An architecture graduate from Trieste, she soon discovered a deep passion for sailing. “My vocation is and always has been the sea. I have sailed with many crews, both in regattas and in charter activities; the Barcolana is and will always be part of my history.”

At the age of 15, Nicole won a school contest for the best essay, the reward of which would somehow change her life. “The reward was the chance to participate in the Barcolana on board Skandia, the first boat ever fitted out by the Benussi brothers in order to win the Barcolana. I put my heart into that essay, boarded Skandia and won my first edition at the age of 15. An emotion that cannot be described.”

Her passion has then turned into a job, and Nicole is now the one woman in the winning crew. “I just see myself as a member of the crew, and the fact that I am a woman makes no difference. What matters is skill, determination, focus, and dedication. I do not lack physical strength, it is enough for what is required of me, for my role. You need a lot of empathy and team spirit, and those are the qualities I bring on board in addition to my competence.”