The Fiat 'Freestyle Team' has entered a new sporting arena after the latest new team member, Piercarlo Ricasoli, took part in the recent Kitesurf World Cup at Lake Como.

Set up recently to support Italian athletes, the 'Fiat Freestyle Team' includes well-regarded Italian surfing champion Nicola Bresciani, and internationally reputed skater George Zattoni, amongst its members. These also include snowboarders Giacomo Kratter, Tania Detomas and Simone Malusà, and freestylers Mattia Pegorari and Claudius Bosia, all of whom  are now preparing - away from their home 'limelight' - for Torino 2006, when the XX Winter Olympics will be staged in Fiat's home town, an event that the Italian carmaker is pleased to be supporting as a corporate sponsor. In fact Fiat, along with their Alfa Romeo and Iveco divisions, will be providing the athletes and organisers with transport around Turin: from cars to buses.

Meanwhile, as the summer basks over Italy and the white snows are far from the public spotlight, it is the turn of Piercarlo Ricasoli to attract the keen attention. Born in Rome on 30th October 1975, Ricasoli is a mechanical engineering graduate who began his kitesurf career back in 2001.
 

His early Kiteboarding successes include first place in the 2002 'Campionato Regionale Lazio FKI' and a similar victory the same year in the 'Ostia Contest - Lazio Local Champioship FKI'. Last year he scored two useful third places: 'Best Trick KIC di Ostia' and 'Campionato Italiano Freestyle FKI'.

The Budweiser-sponsored Kitesurf World Championships were disputed for the first time in Italy, from the 28 June to the 3 July, at Gera Lario-Sorico, above Lake Como in the North, and it gave Piercarlo Ricasoli the ideal chance to experience first hand the world of the Kiteboarding 'circuit' in preparation for him stepping up to join up with the 'World Tour' (KPWT) on 'home soil' - although still it was a real baptism of fire.