TitAelium is the new trapeze cleat developed by Gottifredi Maffioli to meet the demands of today’s most high-performance dinghies. It was born from the collaboration between Gottifredi Maffioli, Olympic gold medallist Ruggero Tita (Tokyo and Paris), and ProM Facility, Trentino Sviluppo’s mechatronic prototyping and product development centre. The cleat comes pre-equipped with a Dyneema® Gottifredi Maffioli line and is ready to use. It will be marketed exclusively by Gottifredi Maffioli.
When Regatta Meets Innovation
TitAelium is the result of over nine months of development, three design iterations, and hundreds of hours of simulation and regatta testing. It all started with a real-world need, as described by Ruggero Tita:
“Ever since I was a child sailing Optimists, I’ve always enjoyed taking boats apart to understand how they were made and to improve every single part. When I began my Olympic campaign with Caterina Banti, it became a necessity: ensuring that every component was perfect. After years in Olympic classes, I felt the need for a cleat that was more efficient, lighter, and aerodynamically optimized. With ProM Facility’s support, we started from a standard cleat to develop and test several designs, eventually arriving at titanium: the ideal material for lightness, strength, and compactness. I’ve worked with Gottifredi Maffioli for years – they’re like family to me. What I’ve always appreciated is the chance to develop technical solutions together. TitAelium was born from a real need and became reality thanks to great teamwork.”
TitAelium: Technology and Composition
Made from aerospace-grade titanium alloy Ti6Al4V, TitAelium is produced using L-PBF (Laser Powder Bed Fusion) 3D printing technology, which enables the creation of a single-block structure with no moving parts. This ensures:
- Maximum corrosion resistance;
- Zero maintenance;
- Reduced aerodynamic drag.
The cleat weighs only 18 grams and measures 55 x 12.5 x 27 mm. The integrated ergonomic surface texture provides a secure grip in all conditions.
Technical Accessories and Ready-to-Use Functionality
TitAelium comes in a complete, ready-to-use kit, which includes:
- Two washers of different sizes and 3D-printed nylon rope-locking bushings;
- Novabraid 78 mm 2.5, 1x1x24 M line with Dyneema® cover and a spliced eye for cow hitch connection to the personal trapeze ring;
- A section of cover 1×0.5×24 L for 2–3 mm lines to protect the cable loop.
This configuration reflects the project’s performance-oriented spirit and stems from a technical collaboration that began in 2015 between Gottifredi Maffioli and Ruggero Tita.
The Meaning Behind the Name
TitAelium combines ‘Titanium’ and ‘Aeolus’, the Greek god of the winds, with the ligature Æ also evoking Helios, the sun god. It’s a name that conjures lightness, power, and the marine environment, an identity that reflects the spirit of the product.
A Philosophy of Lightness and Collaboration
“TitAelium perfectly embodies one of our core values: lightness—not just in our textile and now metallic products, but in the way we approach challenges with an open and flexible mindset, free from unnecessary burden. It’s a value that drives innovation and fosters a positive work environment where creativity and strong relationships can thrive. This vision enabled the unique partnership between our company, Ruggero, and ProM Facility. Once again, Gottifredi Maffioli has served as a meeting ground for innovators, a research lab where material innovation is transformed into performance.” – Rossella Maffioli, Commercial Director, Gottifredi Maffioli.
“We started collaborating with Ruggero Tita during the Tokyo Olympic campaign, which led to his first gold medal, with the aim of leveraging ProM Facility’s expertise and technologies to improve sailing components through 3D printing. One of these developments showed broader application potential, which attracted the interest of Gottifredi Maffioli. We formed a partnership to bring this innovation to the market. This represents a virtuous cycle of technology, sport, competition, and market transfer.” – Paolo Gregori, Director, ProM Facility.
The Dyneema® Partnership
Gottifredi Maffioli chose Dyneema® as its technical partner to complete the TitAelium system with a high-performance line, confirming a long-standing collaboration rooted in Olympic sailing. For over ten years, the combination of Dyneema®’s material quality and Gottifredi Maffioli’s expertise has delivered reliable, lightweight solutions ready for the most extreme challenges.
Official Launch: Foiling Week 2025
TitAelium was officially launched on June 26, 2025 during Foiling Week in Malcesine, at the Summer Lightness Party. The product is available for pre-order and will officially go on sale in mid-July 2025 at titaelium.gottifredimaffioli.com.
