Marcello Bertinetti

Born in Vercelli, fencer Marcello Bertinetti followed both his grandfather Marcello, and father Franco to compete in épée at the Olympics. Marcello junior was coached in his early years by the master Visconti at U.S. Pro Vercelli, before moving to new coach Arturo Volpini. Bertinetti became Italian champion, and CISM (military) gold medal winner, in 1973, and also won a bronze medal with the Italian épée team at the Summer Universiade that same year. Unfortunately, he did not emulate his father and grandfather at the 1976 Montréal Olympics and returned home without a medal.

Bertinetti was only 24 when he finished his career to study mechanical engineering. After obtaining his degree, however, he had a change of direction and became a photojournalist, and in 1982 founded the White Star publishing house in Vercelli. After enjoying international success, largely after attending the Frankfurt Book Fair ever year from 1982, he sold the business to the renowned De Agostini group in 2009 and continued working for them as a publisher from then until 2013. In 2014 he became a publisher with Nui Nui books, a Swiss company who published works in French and Italian languages.