Events
Matteo LUZZERI since 25th November 2026 to start of 30th January 2027
Born and raised as a Jolly Ski athlete in Brescia, Italy, Matteo started skiing at age 7. In his first year as a Junior National Team member, he won the Under 14 European Championship in slalom in Vilvoorde, Belgium. His second European title came in the Under 21 category, on the then-new waters of San Gervasio. While slalom skiing has always been his passion and the event that he pursued with most rigor, he was an overall skier until the age of 23. Through this dedication to overall skiing, he won the Italian Championships, a Bronze medal at the 2009 Under 21 Europeans, and a National Collegiate Championship with the University of Louisiana at Lafayette in 2010. In 2011 he specialized in slalom, obtaining since then numerous final spots at Pro Tour stops, two podiums in 2014, and one in 2022. Currently, his personal best is 3 buoys at 10.25m
Matteo lived in the United States from 2007 to early 2020. He has a Doctoral Degree in Sport Psychology from Florida State University. His research line involves meaning attribution to sport, and how it can affect important psychological characteristics, such as athletic identity, burnout, stress, and the appreciation of competitive athletics.
Currently, Matteo helps with the management of Jolly Ski School in San Gervasio Bresciano, Italy. Among his duties, his favorite one is to help the next generation of overall skiers to maximize their potential. Drawing from his experiences as an athlete and his experience in sport psychology, Matteo provides a unique blend of expertise to help skiers improve and succeed.
Claudio Benatti 20th January 2027 to 22th February 2027.
Claudio Benatti is the founder and head coach of Jolly Ski School, the world-class water ski school in San Gervasio Bresciano, Italy.
During his career as a coach, he has started and carried forward the careers of countless household names of the sport, including our dear friend Matteo Luzzeri, his son Nicholas Benatti, Florian Parth, and Edoardo La Malfa.
Claudio has been trusted by many skiers across Europe and beyond for guidance and technical improvement, and his ability to highlight and explain the intricacies of our sport is second to none.
Claudio will be at Thayang Ski from January 20th to February 22nd.