It is with profound sadness that we announce that celebrated sailing regatta photographer Carlo Borlenghi has passed away, aged 70. The founder of Studio Borlenghi, his career spanned over four decades across some of sailing's greatest sporting moments, and his visual storytelling became synonymous with the sport itself, touching countless lives.
Shirley Robertson, double Olympic gold medallist and manager of the Superyacht Racing Association, who worked closely with Borlenghi and featured him in an episode of her documentary series, CNN Mainsail, explained to BOAT International how the legendary lensman helped transform sailing photography. She described how Borlenghi elevated it to a fine art, bringing cinematic composition, dramatic lighting, and emotional depth to a sport that had rarely been captured with such artistry.
"I once asked Carlo what made an outstanding image and he replied 'one that needed no caption - it told its own story without the need for words.' It shared the intensity. The emotion. His imagery always oozed all of that in abundance."
It's a sentiment shared by many, with tributes pouring in from all corners of the yachting industry and beyond in the days after his passing.
Born in 1956 in Bellano on the eastern Como Lake shoreline, in the 1970s the fresh-faced photographer travelled the world covering the nautical industry with Uomo Mare Vogue. From 1983 onwards, he photographed every America's Cup regatta and would go on to document the Cup's most iconic moments across the globe, from Fremantle to Barcelona.
In the mid nineties, Borlenghi followed Giovanni Soldini's boats and round-the-world adventures, documenting multiple editions of the Whitbread Round the World Race for the likes of Gatorade, Brooksfield and Merit Cup, and in 2000 shadowed Grant Dalton's Club Med for The Race. He was official photographer for Amer Sport One and Amer Sport Too during the Volvo Ocean Race 2001-02.
His extraordinary body of work earned him numerous accolades throughout his career. In 2003, he won the Omega Award for Best Sports Photographer in Italy, followed in 2007 by the Grand Prix de l'Image Course au Large at the Paris Boat Show.
That same year, Italian President Giorgio Napolitano presented him with special recognition "for his many years of intense activity in support of the world of sailing."
His photographs transcended the pages of sailing magazines, finding their place in galleries and museums across Europe, including exhibitions at the Louis Vuitton space in Paris in 2007 and a retrospective at Bilbao Metro as part of the SAIL In Festival in 2019.
His work, however, extended beyond the world of sport and found a place in the hearts of many, none more than fellow photographer Guillaume Plisson. Speaking to BOAT International, the founder of Guillaume Plisson Studio explained how he idolised Borlenghi growing up, inspired by the veteran photographer's art, with posters of his work adorning the walls of his family home. For over a decade, Plisson worked together with Borlenghi, sitting side by side in tenders and helicopters following regattas across the globe.
"I feel really bizarre at this loss, to be honest," he told BOAT. "We went to the funeral, and when you look around at all the people that were there, the people he had touched through his life, and I thought to myself, I don't even know this many people."
"Most of the time when we were together, we were on a helicopter or on a tender, but never with a lot of people around us, so our relationship was quite intimate. And then you have this feeling you are part of his life, and in the meantime, you are also a little bit of a stranger. So I feel really bizarre at this loss."
Plisson explained how Borlenghi's never-ending enthusiasm led him to be always open-minded towards new adventures and innovations. Photography is such a complex art form that only intensifies on the water, particularly in challenging conditions where you must be patient and primed in equal measure.
Capturing a moment is so much more than simply clicking a shutter. You need meticulous preparation, patience, and being primed for when that perfect moment arrives. Plisson explained how Borlenghi's style wasn't simply about observation and he always found a way to reveal his subjects in a different light, making each image both aesthetic and deeply emotional. His work, Plisson said, is hard to put into words - quantifying art is a challenge in itself. But whenever you saw Borlenghi's images, you couldn't help but pause at their beauty.
"Carlo with a camera was an artist, but Carlo as a man was the humblest guy in the world," said Plisson. "There was never any arrogance. He was always cool and calm. He was a low-profile guy working. And when you saw him, you'd have so much respect for how he worked. What we must remember is the incredible work he did, all his legacy. And to stay at the very top level until the end. I don't know any photographer like this, until 70, with the same power in his eyes. Carlo had the power to show you a photograph that would leave you speechless. The way he could capture emotion. It was a gift."
Plisson recalled a recent regatta in challenging circumstances. Plisson and Borlenghi were on a tender in a swell of four metres with 30 knots of wind. "Most of us were stressed and we were all conscious that we had to protect ourselves and our equipment and our subject. Okay, there's a huge swell, the water is full of boats around us. And then you have to bring back the images of this moment, which means finding the right angle, the right light. It was a high-tension situation. But not for Carlo. He was always so cool, so calm. No words were needed.
"He was a real, real photographer. Not just because he had a camera. No, he was a photographer in his vision. The way he could see things and then make you see them through his lens. Will there be anyone like him again? I don't know. But Carlo's style will always be Carlo's style. Nothing can be the same."
"His high standards and love of what he did were both inspiring and unwavering throughout his long career," added Robertson. "A true artist, the maestro, he portrayed my sport in a way no one else could. Carlo's legacy will be enjoyed for a very long time. We were lucky to have him in our world."