FRANCE: FRENCH YACHTSWOMEN ISABELLE AUTISSIER PAYS MOVING TRIBUTE TO GIOVANNI SOLDINI WHO SAVED HER DURING AROUND ALONE SAILING RACE

Record ID: 637038

  • Title: FRANCE: FRENCH YACHTSWOMEN ISABELLE AUTISSIER PAYS MOVING TRIBUTE TO GIOVANNI SOLDINI WHO SAVED HER DURING AROUND ALONE SAILING RACE
  • Date: 9th March 1999
  • Summary: PARIS, FRANCE (MARCH 9, 1999) (RTV) 1. WIDE SHOT OF PEOPLE IN MAIN LOBBY BEFORE PRESS CONFERENCE 2. MEDIUM SHOT OF ISABELLE AUTISSIER AND GIOVANNI SOLDINI TALKING 3. WIDE OF CONFERENCE ROOM 4. (SOUNDBITE) (FRENCH) GIOVANNI SOLDINI SAYING: "I am a sailor and the first obligation (of a sailor) is to rescue somebody who is in trouble. It is an important value that we should never forget even if we are competing in a race. A race is a game but sometimes the sea is telling us - "stop playing". 5. CUTAWAY PRESS 6. ISBELLE AUSTISSIER LISTENING TO SOLDINI 7. (SOUNDBITE) (FRENCH) SOLDINI CONTINUES: "I'm so happy to have found Isabelle. When we met, it was super fun. We were in our own world and it was a real pleasure" 8. CONFERENCE ROOM SHOWING PICTURE OF SOLDINI ON BIG SCREEN 9. (SOUNDBITE) (FRENCH) ISABELLE AUTISSIER SAYING: "He was wonderful, he found the right words to say, he had the right attitude, the generosity and the humanity you are looking for. We had a great time even if it was difficult. We discussed a lot, it was really super. You have priorities in your life and his was to save a life. It's great. I want to thank him for what he did because there are very few people like him on earth. If we had more people like him it would go better." 10. ISABELLE AUTISSIER STANDING UP THANKS SOLIDINI WHO IS SEATED NEAR HER
  • Embargoed: 24th March 1999 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: PARIS, FRANCE
  • Country: France
  • Topics: General,Sports
  • Reuters ID: LVA6TOG4HSOD3V9XJQMK190YVKI
  • Story Text: French yachtswoman Isabelle Autissier has paid a
    moving tribute to her friend Giovanni Soldini who dramatically
    rescued her during the Around Alone sailing race.

    At a press conference in Paris on Tuesday (March 9),
    Autissier heaped praise on her Italian friend, saying Soldini
    was brilliant and that the world would be a better place if
    there were more people with his attitude.

    Soldini said that the main priority for a sailor is to
    rescue people.

    He said that the race is a game but above all, in an
    emergency, your first duty is to save life.

    Autissier said that Soldini is a wonderful sailor and has
    great seamanship spirit.

    Soldini was acclaimed a national hero in Italy for the
    rescue of maritime writer Autissier from her overturned yacht
    halfway between New Zealand and Cape Horn on the February 16.

    Soldini went on to win the third leg of the single-handed
    circumnavigation race, arriving in Punta del Este on March 4.

    Soldini, who was 200 miles away from Autissier's striken
    boat, responded immediately to a request to rescue her when
    her Open 60, PRB capsized 1,900 miles west of Cape Horn.

    Autissier has since announced her retirement from
    single-handed ocean racing.
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