Budding sailors on trip of a lifetime

A group of three young people from the Sail Training Association of Italy have been to Malta on a trip of a lifetime.

The STA is a voluntary organisation and its benefactors give young people the chance to sail with them on their private yachts, an opportunity that many of them would otherwise never have.

One such benefactor, Gian Franco Massimino, brought the youths, aged between 18 and 20, to Malta on his yacht Cikka Tikka II, a 15-metre sloop.

The youngsters only pay to get to the port of origin and, after that, get to enjoy the luxury "working" holiday of a lifetime as crew.

The association was set up in 1996 by the Italian Navy and the Yacht Club Italiano. It was the natural progression from the Tall Ships, which enable them to get a taste of the navy. However, STA does not use only these naval training vessels when they are available, but also the privately-owned ones.

While in Malta, the youngsters got a taste of dinghy sailing, courtesy of the Vikings Sailing Club, at Haywharf. The club also organised tours to places of interest and even took them to a village feast.

The club is looking into the possibility of organising other sailing exchanges between the club and the association.