The yacht club of San Marino, one of the world's smallest and oldest republics, will present the South African America's Cup challenger Team Shosholoza with their premier “Golden Sail” award at a special ceremony in the tiny fortified city-state in central Italy on June 2 this week.

Team Managing director, Captain Salvatore Sarno together with crew members Solomon Dipeere, Marcello Burricks and Siphiwe “Ed” Mthandi will accept the award on behalf of the team.

An official announcement issued earlier this year by the San Marino yacht club said: "We have decided to give this award to a team that not only has an excellent sailing preparation but one that also has a deeply human ethic and social conscience. In addition it reflects the tradition of freedom, peace and respect for human rights that has always existed in the Republic of San Marino."

Team Shosholoza’s Italian born Captain is very proud: “It is a big honour for our team to receive this award. We are the first African team ever to take place in the America’s Cup and we are very proud that we have come so far.”

Team Shosholoza has sailed into the hearts of the Italian sailing community

At the Trapani Louis Vuitton Acts in Sicily in October 2005 the Shosholoza crew were continually mobbed for autographs and the Italian media enthusiastically adopted them as "their fourth Italian team." Italian support for the team increased this year following Team Shosholoza’s appointment of two Italian professional sailors: helmsmen Tommaso Chieffi who has competed in three previous America’s Cup’s and Paolo Cian who is ranked fifth on the world match racing circuit.

Also Team Shosholoza’s Captain is well known in Italy. In December last year Capt Sarno received the highest honour of his home country when he was created a Knight of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic. The Knighthood was in honour of his distinguished entrepreneurial skills as chairman of Mediterranean Shipping Company, South Africa, and for his many philanthropic activities, among them the setting up of the Izivunguvungu MSC Foundation for Youth in Simonstown.