There's an Italian, an American, and a Japanese... it sounds like the start of a joke, but it's actually the beginning of a story. An Italian story, one of the many we've told in these two years of "Courageous Captains". An Italian, an American, and a Japanese who find themselves essentially in the industrious Veneto, in that shoe district that has made its mark on the world. Strong hands and sharp minds, iron will. Gianni Piva, born in 1947 (born in Crocetta del Montello on May 15th, ed.), also has this DNA.

He is Mr. Northwave, the Italian who intercepted the American and the Japanese, who essentially changed his life, just as he contributed to making theirs much better. We meet him in the beautiful headquarters of his company in Pederobba, in the province of Treviso. A gentleman without a single white hair because he has no hair at all, but what interests us is his story, and that, you'll realize, is entirely worth telling.

How was your childhood?

"Beautiful and serene. As children, life is good, and I was fortunate to be born in the immediate post-war period, a time of great enthusiasm for our country. There was nothing, but there was a desire to start over, and those with determination succeeded. Mom Agnese was a housewife who raised four children as best she could: Anna, Ornella, and Sergio. I was the last, the youngest, the most pampered. Dad Alberto had migrated to Belgium, to Marcinelle, to work as a miner, but not for long. He escaped from coal thanks to his passion for trucks. He always worked hard and eventually owned four trucks, transporting mostly fruit. During the war, he lost everything and was reimbursed with 500,000 lire. However, he didn't give up; he was tough and resolute. He liked trucks and returned to work with them. I grew up in Ponte di Pietra di Nogaré, a fraction of Crocetta del Montello. I went to school until fifth grade, then started working, to my joy. At 12, I was already working at Dolomite, which at the time was already a huge company with over 160 employees. We worked a lot, even on Sunday mornings, cutting grass at the company. Complain? Never! We came from hunger, and having a job was a privilege. Happy to bring home some money, and I was extremely happy to be useful to my family."

The American arrives.

"Jack Burton is a number one in the production of snowboards and accessories for this innovative sport that hasn't yet emerged here. We do what we know how to do: we work. We are subcontractors and we make ourselves available to Burton, who asks us to create anything. Meanwhile, we continue to work for absolutely top-level companies like Salomon, Nordica, and Tecnica. But it's snowboarding that makes us known to the general public, thanks to the first soft snowboard boot created in 1978".

And what does the Japanese have to do with it?

"He's relevant, very much so. In those years, Kano Yamanaka from Levante Inc, a Japanese who loves our country and speaks Italian better than me, comes to me. He says: there's a great American brand we can buy. It sounds good, he tells me: I'll take it for Japan and you for the rest of the world. Fine, I say, with what money? If you don't have it, I'll give it to you! he responds. In 1985, for 130,000 dollars, we acquire the Northwave brand from an eccentric Californian character who made windsurf boards and sails. That's the turning point: from Calzature Piva to Northwave. Actually, we had already started producing snow products not only for Burton but also for our own brand created specifically for the snow market: 'HotLine'. But having bought the Northwave brand, from that moment on we only produce with the new brand, and it's an immediate success. A real boom. Think about how much we grew to become the number one brand in the USA. Then in the Eighties, we didn't sit around twiddling our thumbs, lots of work and some acquisitions. We took Drake, a very well-known snowboard brand, and Bakoda, famous for outdoor equipment".

And when do the cycling shoes arrive?

"In 1993, by popular demand, we launch the first mountain bike shoe: the bi-color Northwave Integral. Recognizable by its two colors - yellow on the right and red on the left - the first MTB shoe is followed a few years later by a version suitable for purely road use: the Northwave Compact. Paola Pezzo brings the company to world heights by winning the Mountain Bike World Championship in '95 and repeating at the Atlanta Olympics '96, always in the same discipline. To see Northwave dominate in road cycling, we have to wait until 1997 when Ivan Gotti wins the Pink Jersey at the Giro d'Italia".

But Mario Cipollini also gives you a great hand...

"A huge hand, with countless victories. Mario was a great athlete, in my opinion the fastest sprinter of all time, but he was especially an excellent image ambassador: personality and charisma to spare. Before opening the new millennium, which will be marked by countless successes, there's time to see the debut of Northwave Evolution. In 1999, the shoe is born - created on multiple occasions with exclusive and very creative liveries - that will accompany Mario Cipollini to a multitude of victories. For example, in 2002, when the 'Lion King' triumphs at the Milan-Sanremo and the World Championship in Zolder. From the 2000s onwards, many road cycling talents will wear our shoes. Think of Tom Boonen, the Belgian hunter of northern classics, and Fabian Cancellara, the Swiss hunter of Olympic golds, world jerseys, and northern classics, the Schleck brothers and the Belgian superstar Philippe Gilbert, passing through mountain bike with champions like Gunn-Rita Dahle, gold in Cross Country at the Sydney 2000 Olympics and José Hermida, to arrive in recent times, with athletes of the caliber of Filippo Ganna, Elisa Longo Borghini or Matej Mohoric".

In 2000, they also began dressing athletes.

"Exactly, the first clothing collection was born: comfort and breathability were the keywords. A young, sporty line, both for sports and leisure. Wearing Northwave is a way of being and interpreting life, made of colors, technical products, and exclusive designs."

Is there something he can't stand?

"Lies. I love direct people who say what they think to your face."

What does he love?

"Spending time with my family and grandchildren. Or with lifelong friends, drinking a good glass of prosecco."

Just one?

"Let's say at least three."

A dish.

"I love eating white meat, particularly chickens that I raise myself."

Flowers.

"Geraniums."

Movies.

"'Giant' and 'East of Eden', with James Dean."

So, James Dean as an actor...

"Exactly, plus Marlon Brando."

Actress.

"Sophia Loren and Claudia Cardinale."

Music.

"I really like it, I listen to everything. My favorites? Mina and Celentano."

The song.

"'The Sky in a Room', sung clearly by Mina."

Does he have a favorite cyclist?

"I really liked Mario Cipollini, I would have wanted an athlete like Miguel Indurain among my champions."

Sportsman of all time.

"Omar Sivori."

Is he a Juventus fan?

"Quite, although lately it has given me more disappointments than joys."

Does he have a dream for his Northwave?

"I have it every day when I enter the company: seeing all these young, talented, and motivated people working for the good of a company that has always been oriented towards youth, I really like that. This is a dream that renews itself every day. Believe me, I couldn't ask for more from life: I have a great company and a wonderful family. We design dreams, and every morning I go from office to office to say hello: it's my personal thank you to young people who keep a company with a great history young. I'm happy with my family, my grandchildren. As Jovanotti would sing, I'm a lucky guy. I'm not young anymore? Not true, I feel very young: it's my guys who keep me this way."

Who does he need to thank?

"So many people, from my parents to my wife and daughters. However, I owe a thank you to Burton and Levante: I was good at seizing the moment, they came looking for me."

How would he start his story?

"Once upon a time, and there is still, a great company called Northwave..."

And if I told you: there's an Italian, an American, and a Japanese?

"That's perfect: let's start like that."

End.