An ever increasing number of companies invest in sports sponsorships, technically defined as sport marketing, which have grown steadily over the last 50 years.
1984 marked a pivotal moment, when the Olympic Games organized in Los Angeles were fully financed by private funds from the Olympic Committee, which in order to reduce confusion and maximize sponsor exposure, decided to limit total sponsors to 30, with exclusivity of product category.
Could we perhaps lag behind this trend?
No, we focused on Pietro Dutto, who on May 16, 2021, won a new medal in the Cy.Pag.’s race shirt.
In fact, Pietro won the sixth edition of the Granfondo Squali Cattolica-Gabicce-Mare, a competition that has finally reopened its doors after a year of stoppage due to Covid.
Once again Pietro and Cy.Pag. gather together on the podium.
Pietro Dutto and Luca Pagni CEO of Cy.Pag. meet their self for the first time in flight in 2016. Pietro, a young biathlon champion, is traveling with his team to reach the Norwegian capital, where the Biathlon World Championships await him.
Norway has always been the favorite destination for so-called “white sports” because in addition to the breathtaking landscapes, it “enjoys” temperatures that guarantee fresh snow for several months of the year.
Born in 1989, Pietro during those 3 hours of flight tells Luca Pagni that he started as a child to be passionate about cycling and cross-country skiing, and it is the latter, together with rifle shooting, to proclaim him a biathlon professional.
From this conversation on the plane, a friendship was born that led the whole company Cy.Pag. to cheer for Pietro, supporting him as a sponsor in various competitions.
“We are very happy to support Pietro in his races because his sport commitment fully represents the spirit of our company” comments Luca Pagni.
With The Knowledge Of Pietro, We Have Strengthened The Sporting Spirit At Work
Sports spirit, not only in encouraging employees to move more, but above all to set a goal and try to achieve it: this is the greatest lesson that companies must draw from sport.
Just like an analyst, a sportsman strives to improve his times, technique or score more points: being able to measure every single element of performance is the key to improving performance, this is as true in sport as at work.
A sportsman like Pietro who is preparing to face an Olympics must follow a very specific preparation: each race is preceded by months, if not years of training, sweat, fatigue, concentration and times to improve. Only those who are really determined, physically and mentally prepared reach the podium.
In the same way, modern companies need top players, the times we are experiencing are full of challenges and opportunities that require proactive and spirit-of-initiative figures, capable of “scoring goals” to win the game with the market.
Pietro has succeeded in the great feat of being an athlete and a champion because he commits himself, knowledge, enhance and brings his best resources to the field.
In business organizations, those who play as a team and take an advantage of their skills are more likely to achieve their goals.
You Can Born Talented, But You Have To Become A Champions
The recipe has three ingredients: long-term goals, discipline and determination.
Pietro did not become casually a champion, his day from an early age was marked by a very specific routine where sport was not just a parenthesis but a daily commitment: wake up at 6.00, study for an hour, school, return, 30 minutes to eat and then study and sport again.
Following a well-defined program from an early age allowed him to find the right method to continue improving and better organize training sessions, combining sport with everyday life.
At the base of many victories we also find team spirit: the sense of belonging in a group, as a consequence of a good relationship with team mates (and colleagues), stimulates and supports the sportsman (and the employee) to win.
As many competitions show us, there is a very strong influence between team spirit and performance result. Winning and reaching a goal increases cohesion and a united group is more solid and more prone to winning performances.
Francesca Piccinini became champion also thanks to the lifts of her teammates, while if Steve Jobs hadn’t met Wozniak, Apple would not be the one we know today. Unity is strength!
To Summarise
Pietro lives in Trentino, among his greatest victories the best placement in the overall standings in the 2013 world cup and gold in the 2018 Italian biathlon championships (sprint) should be mentioned.
His new routine as world champion, sees him today coach of the gold flames and of the junior biathlon national team: “I train young people from 17/20 years, my goal is to take them to the Olympics, out of 12 boys, one or two succeed” adds Pietro.
For his future (in addition to the many victories we wish him) Pietro intends to continue his role as a coach and subsequently become a sports manager, while continuing to be an athlete because sport is his first true passion.
The next race that sees him busy is the Dolomites Marathon, a cycling race, classified as a Granfondo, which takes place in the Dolomites area, between Trentino-Alto Adige and Veneto, where in the last edition Pietro ranked third.
Cy.Pag. cheers for you, good luck Pietro!
