It’s always a gift returning home to Italy - the roots run deep
In January, Italy gifted me three days packed with interviews and meetings, but what I’ve come away with most of all are the deep human connections I made, from within the bright lights of television studios to the packed press room at the Mapei Stadium.
My two days in Milan were a proper marathon of words, across radio waves, air waves, and in print! The first big moment was sitting on the sofa at the popular Kilimangiaro program on Rai 3 all about outdoor life, travel, and the environment. Bringing a bit of the ‘blue’ into everyone’s homes, sharing my story - and the fragility of our ocean - is a mission that feels more important to me every day and one I’m really happy to share.
The pace then shifted, becoming more intimate, during my chat with Corriere della Sera - the national newspaper - when we looked ahead to the future and the Vendée Globe 2028, reflecting on what it actually means to be a sailor today. The interview with Radio Popolare was candid and unfiltered - the perfect space to talk about activism and inclusion, themes that for me are worth just as much as a strong racing performance.
In the midst of this Milanese whirlwind, one particularly special moment was visiting the headquarters of my publishers, Tea Libri. Stepping into the place where my words first took shape on paper, before heading over to Libreria del Mare in the heart of Milan for the book launch, felt like a perfect circle closing. Meeting readers in person, answering their questions, and seeing the look in their eyes reminded me why I feel the need to share my challenges: I do it so I don't feel alone. In only a few hours I met some incredible people - journalists, technicians, editors, and dreamers - with whom I clicked immediately.
In between appointments, racing from one side of the city to the other, I even managed a quick visit to the Milano Cortina 2026 Media Centre. As a former Olympian, it was fascinating to glimpse the ‘engine room’ of the information hub that will tell the story of the next Winter Olympic Games. It was a brief plunge back into that five-ring atmosphere that always brings back such emotional memories.
Frankie, Simona Giorgetta from MAPEI and artistic swimmer Giorgio Minisini | ©Foto Vignoli for MAPEI
On the third day, the journey continued to Reggio Emilia for the ‘1-1 Parole al centro’ event, held in the press room of the Mapei Stadium. Taking the stage to talk not just about sport, but about rights, was incredibly moving - as was tackling the issue of combating gender-based violence and how sport must serve as a platform for respect and equality. At sea, we are all equal in the face of the elements, and I firmly believe that sport on dry land needs to learn this lesson: it doesn’t matter who you are, what matters is how you head towards change.
The hospitality from Mapei was extraordinary. I shook hands and exchanged ideas with people who share my vision of the world, and with whom I hope a long-lasting collaboration and friendship has begun.
I’ve now headed back to my other home in the USA, carrying with me the faces and stories of everyone I met over those three days: authentic people I hope to cross paths with again very soon …
Frankie
