My name is Riccardo Ravagnan and I’m a Weather Strategist

GEOSINERTEC PROJECT

Geosinertec represents the first of my attempts to build a team, fostered by the desire to combine passion, skills and knowledge.

Micrometeorology and Environmental Fluid Dynamics are the basis of this project. Geomatics and Geotechnologies are the necessary tools for studying physical-environmental phenomena.

I wanted to use geographic information systems to recreate regatta fields and put together the best racing strategy by studying the local phenomena behind the specific marine weather conditions. Being aware of local peculiarities enables me to perfect the weather forecasts and have a complete picture of the physical phenomena that could affect the racing strategies.

Over time, I decided to expand Geosinertec’s field of work, by letting it reach the mainland. I wanted to continue working in the world of geology, a world in which I felt more confident because it had granted me a title and therefore a role.

I therefore forged a new brand, WMind, for managing the sailing scene. There already were meteorology services dedicated only to sailing, but their limit was only focusing on the physical principles of the atmosphere. What set WMind apart from the rest was the observation of regatta fields through an holistic scientific lens.

ALEX BELLINI

Being part of the team that followed Alex Bellini in his expedition to Iceland, “Freeze the Moment”, one among many other thrilling experiences, marked a turning point for both my professional and personal life. I became his Scientific Advisor in 2017 and guided him across the Icelandic giant Vatnajokull, the largest glacier in Europe, destined to disappear by the end of the century. Through satellite communication, I provided Alex with advice on when to proceed or stop to set camp and with wind and precipitation forecasts.

It was an extremely exciting and highly educational experience. I had to deal with brand new dynamics that up to that moment I never had a chance to examine up-close, having almost only exclusively worked the marine context of regattas. I was finally able to find a close-knit team which enabled me to be truly involved with the work I was doing and the adventure that Alex was conducting on that ice giant.

There certainly was no shortage of tension, what with Alex falling into a crevasse and his final sprint, dragging himself and the sled towards the end that never seemed close enough. But in the evenings, when Alex used to send voice messages reporting his day and state of health, he always managed to share words of great inspiration, e moments of great tension, between the fall into a crevasse and final sprint fragging the sled that did not show the end. But in the evening, in the voice messages in which he reported his day and his state of health, Alex always managed to share words inspiring us to show even just an ounce of his strength and resilience.

I was once again part of Alex’s supporting team when he crossed the Pacific Ocean, rowing by himself towards the Plastic Island.

SUPERNIKKA

In 2017 I had the pleasure and honor of being part of the shore team that won first place at the Maxi Yacht Rolex World Cup aboard SuperNikka, second place at the Absolute Italian Offshore Sailing Championship and third place at the ORC World Cup aboard Sheraa.

In Costa Smeralda I found myself working alongside some high-profile professionals, among which Enrico Zennaro, which gave me the opportunity to analyze strengths and weaknesses of my work.

Hearing such positive feedback coming from the professionals of this endeavour was an enormous satisfaction and gratification. Especially, since it took place in such a complex regatta field, where orographic components play a massive role compared to standard forecasting methods.

OCEAN RIB EXPERIENCE

The chance to venture again came with Sergio Davì during his Ocean Rib Experience, the Italy – Brazil expedition on a rigid inflatable boat. A unique, complex and dangerous experience that required 300 hours total of navigation to cover 4.4300 nautical miles. Setting sail from Palermo, he planned the route as to pass through Sardinia, the Balearic Islands, Spain, Morocco, the Canary Islands, the Cape Verde Islands, in order to reach his final stop in Brazil.
Sergio sailed aboard a 10-meters long inflatable boat powered by two Suzuki engines of 200hp each. I supported him in his journey by analyzing the marine weather conditions that I promptly reported to communicated to him every day through satellite phone calls.

Sports competions and various consultancies

I managed to expand my activity as a consultant and weather strategist to other environments and disciplines, from skiing to car racing, to collaboration projects with NASA for the training of astronauts. In 2017, I supported the Cetilar Racing team in some stages of the endurance car circuit (4h of Monza, 6h of Spa) and during the 24h of LeMans.

TOKYO OLYMPIC GAMES 2020-21

The year 2021 marked my first Olympic experience as a weather strategist, the achievement of a goal I didn’t even know I had. For years I only worked with offshore sailing teams, so naturally my professional target was the America’s Cup. It never occurred to me that I could aim as high as to reach the Olympics. When I received the call from the Spanish Olympic Sailing Team in 2019, I still didn’t believe I would have got to fulfill that dream, the Olympic Circles were still a chimera.

I have done everything in my power to feel up to the challenge and, mostly, to measure up to the Spanish Team and the great opportunity that they granted me. The pandemic sure didn’t make it easier on me to prepare for the event, preventing me from really being present for the team. However, every effort and sacrifice that I made has definitely been repaid.

I brought my A game, bringing into play software developers and analysts to help me optimize the technology: we were able to create a reliable forecasting model, more intuitive dashboards for data analysis, a data visualization system for phenomena on a macroscale. All of this enabled me, during the Games, to correctly interpret as the first forecasting scenario what the Japanese only considered a second hypothetic scenario. Moreover, our technology allowed the athletes to have a better grasp of the particular aspects behind the local meteorological phenomena, thus enabling them to feel even more conscious and confident at sea during the races. I also had to learn a completely new language: my Spanish is far from perfect, but I was able to communicate without misunderstandings on the field and to build a solid team with athletes and coaches.

I am well aware that in life not all goals are to be reached alone. There are people in my professional life that have helped me raise the bar of my ambition. I will always be grateful to the Spanish Team for that, for taking a chance on a young nobody, for believing in him and making him part of their family.

I spent three weeks in Tokyo, in a whirlwind of emotions. The absurd rhythm and logistic of it all strained me both physically and mentally. My daily routine would start at 5 am with the analysis and interpretation of the forecasting models handed to me by Meteomed, in order to create forecasts that could identify every possible meteorological scenario, or the relevant one, for the day. After an hour-long bus ride, I would reach the Olympic field for the first briefing with the coaches, to comment on the forecast, its interpretation and the consequent strategic tips. I would then follow the team out at sea to continue observing the weather conditions right on the spot, looking for confirmation or signs that could alter the first interpretation. Back on land, another hour on the bus awaited to reach the Olympic residence and devote my evening to the analysis and debriefing of the day, in preparation to the next.

Fatigue, stress and tiredness were enormous, but still insignificant compared to the contempt and satisfaction that derived from this adventure: a professional challenge at such an agonistic level that will always be a great landmark in my life. Today I can say I took part in the Olympics and that I contributed to the win of two bronze medals for the sailing team. Today I can say I reached my chimera.