Once celebrated as “The Divine Dodi” of Italian fencing, Dorina Vaccaroni has embarked on an audacious new chapter, trading the precision of the piste for the grueling, boundless demands of ultracycling. Her journey is a testament to an indomitable spirit that consistently seeks new horizons and pushes the very limits of human endurance.
In the annals of Italian sport, few names resonate with the unique blend of talent, charisma, and defiance as Dorina Vaccaroni. Even before her 14th birthday, she was gracing the fencing strips of the World Championships in Buenos Aires. By 16, she was at the 1980 Moscow Olympics, finishing a commendable sixth against competitors old enough to be her mother. Vaccaroni wasn`t just a fencer; she was a phenomenon. Beautiful, elegant, immensely gifted, and undeniably audacious, she brought a tempest of glamour and femininity to the otherwise staid world of Italian fencing. Her signature braid, short hair, abundant rings, earrings, painted nails, and even good-luck teddy bears by the strip carved an image quite unlike any other athlete of her era. She was, quite simply, “The Divine Dodi,” and for two decades, her formidable personality and exhilarating triumphs, including an individual world title and Olympic team gold, captivated a nation.
Yet, the glittering world of competitive fencing, with all its accolades, eventually felt too constricting for a spirit as restless as Vaccaroni`s. In the late 1990s, she bid farewell to the sport that had defined her youth, not because she was losing her edge, but because she had conquered all she desired. “I had the fire within,” she remarked, “I couldn`t stand being confined to a gym anymore. And everything I wanted to win, I had already won.” This unyielding pursuit of self-actualization led her to an entirely new, and arguably far more physically demanding, passion: ultracycling.
The Unconventional Path: Embracing the Extreme
The transition from the explosive, agile movements of fencing to the relentless, meditative grind of ultracycling might seem improbable. Vaccaroni, now 61, discovered her innate aerobic prowess during a spinning class some 25 years ago – a revelation, considering her fencing days were often marred by cramps. She dabbled in traditional cycling, even competing professionally for a couple of seasons and participating in Masters World Championships. But for Vaccaroni, “a couple of seasons” soon meant “stretching the mileage” to extraordinary lengths, a phrase uttered with a laugh that belies the monumental effort involved.
Her dedication to ultracycling is, by her own admission, “maniacal.” For ten months of the year, she trains relentlessly in San Diego, California, her adopted home for the past decade, with periodic retreats to Asiago, Italy. Her recent exploit, the Ultracycling Dolomitica, saw her traverse 718 kilometers, conquer 22 mountain passes, and ascend nearly 20,000 meters of elevation – all in just over 47 hours. The toll was severe – “the leg pain, I felt it all. Rain, cold, then heat… But infinite emotions.”
Chasing the Horizon: The Race Across America
When asked about the challenge of enduring such races without sleep, Vaccaroni`s response is delivered with a casual confidence that would make mere mortals marvel: “Up to 1000 kilometers, I can resist sleep. And I can go four nights without sleeping.” While such claims might raise an eyebrow or two among those who cherish their eight hours, for ultracyclists, this extreme deprivation is part of the challenge, a mental battle as intense as the physical one.
Her ultimate test of endurance is the Race Across America (RAAM), a staggering 5,000-kilometer, coast-to-coast odyssey from the Pacific to the Atlantic, boasting over 50,000 meters of elevation gain across 12 states. Vaccaroni has not only competed in four editions of RAAM but has emerged victorious twice. She describes it not just as a race, but as “a journey within yourself, a test of resistance and resilience.” Her sights are firmly set on her fifth RAAM in June 2026, with an ambitious goal: to complete it in a mere ten days, improving on her personal best of eleven. “I can do it,” she asserts, “I believe in myself.” Remarkably, she claims never to have experienced critical moments or considered retiring during these epic battles, instead feeling “good and at peace with myself” on the bike, always eager for the next challenge.
A Life Unfiltered: California, Coaching, and Independence
Her annual cycling mileage averages around 50,000 kilometers – a figure that, for many, would constitute a lifetime of driving, let alone pedaling. To achieve this, her training regimen is unforgiving, often starting at 6 AM and lasting until 4 PM. Beyond the saddle, Vaccaroni is a fencing instructor and mental coach in a San Diego gym, imparting her wisdom to a new generation. Her move to California a decade ago, prompted by a desire for a better climate and a perceived lack of opportunities in Italy – particularly the “absurd” bureaucratic hurdles that prevented her from coaching rising stars like Martina Favaretto – underscores her independent spirit. She embraced her new home wholeheartedly, even gaining American citizenship while retaining her Italian passport.
Vaccaroni has always been fiercely authentic, unapologetically frank in her opinions. When asked if this outspokenness ever cost her, she shrugs it off: “I don`t know if it cost me, maybe a little, but I don`t care: I would never have given up saying things as they are.” This directness extended to her fencing career, where she famously insisted on having a private room at competitions, a privilege granted by her coach, Attilio Fini, who valued her medal-winning prowess above all else. The envy from other athletes, she concedes, was likely due to her popularity, but “that`s part of life, I never cared much.” Even her approach to motherhood is unconventional; her daughters, Jessica and Annette, are encouraged to “fly on their own,” a philosophy rooted in her belief that “children are brought into the world, helped to grow, but then they must fly away by themselves. I am not a clucking hen mother.”
The Enduring Legacy of “The Divine Dodi”
Dorina Vaccaroni’s journey from a glamorous fencing prodigy to an ultracycling powerhouse is more than just a change of sport; it’s a living manifesto of resilience, self-discovery, and an unwavering commitment to challenge limits. She continues to inspire, not just through her astonishing athletic feats, but also through her candid persona and her resolute refusal to conform. “The Divine Dodi,” it seems, remains as divinely defiant and captivating as ever, proving that true champions are not merely defined by their victories, but by their relentless pursuit of what lies beyond the horizon, both physically and personally.
