Our coaches
Our team consists of coaches with over 20 years of experience in the field, all certified instructors by FISSW (Italian Federation of Surfing, Water Skiing, and Wakeboarding).
technical director
Claudio Benatti
Claudio discovered water skiing in 1991 at Lake Caldonazzo (TN), where he was fascinated by the sport’s potential at the renowned school of Marco Degasperi. In 1993, he opened his first water ski school in Brescia. Over the years, in addition to serving as a National Team Coach for the youth sector, he has trained many young athletes and believes he has learned just as much from them as they have from him. Claudio has coached athletes who have won World, European, and national medals in youth, open, and senior categories, achieving prestigious placements in world and professional rankings.
coach
Genadi Guralia
Genadi’s coaching career began in 1996 in Agrinio, Greece. From 1999 to 2005, he was appointed Head Coach of the Greek National Team, leading his athletes to 30 individual medals in the Under-17 and Under-21 categories, along with 8 team medals. Since 2007, he has been working at Jolly Ski in San Gervasio, where his experience and expertise have helped our athletes achieve significant national-level results.
Beyond being an international-level coach, Genadi is also the strongest Over-35 water skier in the world, boasting an impressive record: 10 gold, 6 silver, and 3 bronze medals at the World Championships, 29 gold, 14 silver, and 1 bronze medal at the European Championships. He also holds the World Overall Record in the Over-35 and Over-45 categories. Genadi is fluent in five languages: Italian, English, Georgian, Russian, and Greek.
coach
Matteo Luzzeri
Matteo has been part of the Jolly Ski family since the age of 7 and joined the Italian National Team in 2002, winning his first European title in the Under-14 category. In 2007, he secured the gold medal at the U21 European Championships in San Gervasio. Although he competed in overall until the age of 23, slalom skiing has always been his greatest passion. This dedication led him to multiple achievements, including Italian titles, a bronze medal at the U21 European Championships, and a Collegiate National Team Championship with the University of Louisiana at Lafayette.
In 2011, he specialized in slalom skiing, reaching several finals in the Pro Tour and securing three podium finishes. Alongside his athletic career, Matteo pursued an academic path in the United States, earning a Ph.D. in Sport Psychology from Florida State University.
