Annibale Pelaschier

Annibale Pelaschier worked from 1926-61 at the Monfalcone shipyard as a master carpenter. As a sailor he began in 1934 with the SVOC of Monfalcone in the dinghy class and won various races. In Star class he won Trieste-Zara, and the Trieste and Genova Gulf Championships, alongside Edo Cernischi. He won the International regatta of Campione d’Italia in a pair with Bruno Trani.

In 1952 Pelaschier moved to the Dragon Class and joined the Yacht Club Adriatico of Trieste. On the boat Tergeste he won the well-known Heriot Cup in France, along with Sergio Sorrentino and Piero Gorgatto. The trio also won the World Championships that year. Three years later on the new boat Aretusa he was seventh at the Gold Cup in København and won the Marblehead Trophy. In 1956 he won several international races and was sixth at the Melbourne Olympics with Sorrentino and Gorgatto.

In 1958 Pelaschier won Kiel Week, the Heriot Cup, and again won the Gold Cup, this time with Sorrentino and Sergio Trevisan. He was a substitute at the Roma Olympics, but in 1964 on the boat Argeste he again placed sixth at the Tokyo Olympics.

Pelaschier was awarded the Italian Olympic Committee (CONI) diploma for sports merit, and in 1978 was given the title of Knight of the Republic of Italy. He passed away in his Monfalcone home at 82 years of age. In 2010 the journalist Roberto Covaz wrote a biography about him entitled Annibale Pelaschier. L’Hannibal del mare.