For nearly a decade we’ve had the pleasure of featuring Matias Capizzano’s work in the Ultimate Sailing Calendar. Featuring dinghies – like our July Optis – frequently manned by young sailors; it’s a great equalizer to the big boats and offshore venues you typically find in the calendar.
Even though these are small boats, the vigor and excitement these competitors display are no less intense than America’s Cup or Volvo Ocean racers. No matter what size your vessel, sailboat racing can be an intense sport! And dinghy sailing is an inspiring tribute to our origins as sailors. No one started their racing career on a TP52! The juniors featured in Matias’ images are the rock stars of tomorrow.
Matias himself began sailing Optis at the age of seven, later graduating to Lasers. At 15 he began covering regattas; in his hometown of Mar de Plata – along the spectacular Atlantic coast of Argentina – and beyond.
He attributes his unique perspective and style to the solidarity he feels with the competitors. The most important thing in achieving superior images, he said, is to know the sport and know the boats.
And you won’t find Matias sitting on a big yacht, photographing a regatta. More often than not he’ll be sitting cross-legged on the damp bottom of an inflatable dinghy, surrounded by his gear. This unique viewpoint practically puts him in the boat with the competitors! And sometimes even, in the water; as he dons the camera housing and gear, and leaps onto the course to capture his outrageous, in-the-water images.
It’s no surprise Matias Capizzano is the Official Photographer of the Optimist World Championships; traveling the globe with the fleet: from the Persian Gulf, Italy, Canada, Argentina, Portugal, Dominican Republic and New Zealand. We’re eager to see where the Optis (and others) take him next – and what spectacular new images are in store for the Ultimate Sailing Calendar.
See Matias’ work in the Ultimate Sailing Calendar, and at www.capizzano.com.
The January pages of the 2025 Ultimate Sailing Calendar: in Luca Butto’s featured image the crew hikes hard, defying the explosion of spray buffeting the maxi yacht Cannonball, as it plows to weather at the Tre Golfi Sailing Week in Naples. In the inset image, at the bottom, Stefano Gattini captures the Club Swan 36 Farstar in hot pursuit at the Swan Croatia Challenge.
Sailing is a magnificent, colorful and dramatic sport. This unique sport has many variables with the constantly changing elements, sea conditions, boats, events, competitors and locations. The challenge is to capture on film electrifying moments that take your breath away. Those moments and opportunities are very few, but when they happen... it is ultimate sailing." ~ Sharon Green
Sharon Green has been capturing electrifying images of performance sailing for more than 40 years. Her annual Ultimate Sailing Calendar, featuring the highlights of competitive sailing, is eagerly anticipated by yachting and photography enthusiasts worldwide. Sharon has been published in major boating publications, both locally and internationally, since she first took up a camera while still in high school.
The pursuit of 'Ultimate Sailing' images never seems to grow old. Four decades and I still love the challenge of creating memorable images for my clients and the calendar."
Sharon is happiest when she is on the water or hanging from a helicopter in search of the elusive image that can be called 'Ultimate Sailing'. "My greatest satisfaction is when it all comes together: the anticipation, planning, organizing, traveling and epic conditions that combine to create a thrilling photograph.
The passage of time eludes our grasp: we can only look back in awe and look forward in anticipation. Never did I expect, 40 years ago, that my vision of creating the Ultimate Sailing Calendar would endure and provide such an extraordinary life experience. boundless advancements in sailing, and concurrently radical developments in camera and photographic technology, have kept me on my toes and the years have swept by! I find myself at this landmark anniversary: humbled by your patronage and inspired by your support. To my many friends, colleagues, clients, and subjects who have sustained and fueled this endless passion for capturing the ultimate Sailing image, I extend my deepest love and gratitude.
View the images by clicking the 40th button
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