Piada Trophy – Final

Portoverde, June 27-29, 2014. Final results after 7 races (1 discard). Regatta report by Alberto Perdisa (in English and Italian) (photo courtesy of Marzio Bondi) 1. ITA Enrico Solerio & Sergio Simonetti, 14 2. ITA-USA Pietro Fantoni & Kathleen Tocke, 14 3. BEL-ITA Manu Hens & Enrico Michel, 18 4. ITA Paolo Lambertenghi, 25 5. ITA Dario Bruni & Giuseppe Commisso, 30 Thirty-eight teams were at the starting line at this eighth edition of the Piada Trophy, certainly among the most popular Snipe regattas in Italy and abroad, thanks to the level of competition and fun social events. After six years in Cervia and 2012 in Talamone, this year the regatta was organized by Circolo Nautico Riccione and Real Yacht Club Portoverde, which joined forces for a "Piada" that met and indeed exceeded expectations. This a great sailing venue, one of the best in the Adriatic, and all seven races scheduled were completed. Wind conditions were from light to medium and included a race with the whimsical "Garbino," as it is called in Romagna, the south-west wind that blows from the land. ...

Piada Trophy – Final Image

Portoverde, June 27-29, 2014. Final results after 7 races (1 discard). Regatta report by Alberto Perdisa (in English and Italian)

(photo courtesy of Marzio Bondi)

1. ITA Enrico Solerio & Sergio Simonetti, 14

2. ITA-USA Pietro Fantoni & Kathleen Tocke, 14

3. BEL-ITA Manu Hens & Enrico Michel, 18

4. ITA Paolo Lambertenghi, 25

5. ITA Dario Bruni & Giuseppe Commisso, 30

Thirty-eight teams were at the starting line at this eighth edition of the Piada Trophy, certainly among the most popular Snipe regattas in Italy and abroad, thanks to the level of competition and fun social events.

After six years in Cervia and 2012 in Talamone, this year the regatta was organized by Circolo Nautico Riccione and Real Yacht Club Portoverde, which joined forces for a “Piada” that met and indeed exceeded expectations.

This a great sailing venue, one of the best in the Adriatic, and all seven races scheduled were completed. Wind conditions were from light to medium and included a race with the whimsical “Garbino,” as it is called in Romagna, the south-west wind that blows from the land.

The strategy was difficult and never obvious, and choppy waves allowed the best to put in evidence and it is the ranking to speak out.

Enrico Solerio and Sergio Simonetti for years have been at the top of the class in Italy and also at international level. With three first places they won the series, but they won by a hair’s breadth, because Pietro Fantoni with top-notch U.S. crew Kathleen Tocke also had excellent races and concluded with the same total points, but they had only won one race. So Solerio/Simonetti won the tiebreaker.

In third place was the Italian-Belgian team composed by Manu Hens and Enrico Michel, penalized by an OCS and other penalties but who won two bullets in the series.

Paolo Lambertenghi and Dario Bruni (who got a first place in a race) were also very consistent, both with new and young crews, as were Fabio and Daniela Rochelli. Also in the top ten were the teams of Alberto Schiaffino/Giampietro Pasquon, the locals Beppe Prosperi/Marco Ceccarelli, Stefano Longhi/Francesca Ruggiero. The young juniors Michele Meotto and Tullio Nutta. surprised many sailors for their improvements achieved thanks to coach Fantoni, who has given them for a couple of years not only his expertise but also his second boat and followed them until now.

From 10th to 20th place we find some teams that in some races finished among the best teams. Among these I would mention the veteran Roberto Tozzi with Marco Romani as crew, fast and aggressive as boys. Then Tom Stahl with his son Jacopo as crew, and the young Americans Jensen Mc Tighe/Brian Buckley.

Solerio/Simonetti were also awarded with the “Summer Circuit” perpetual trophy, donated by SCIRA Italy, thanks to their victory at the German in Caldonazzo and with the Trofeo Manlio Mignani, which is dedicated to a great race officer and international judge.

The events on the land were memorable as usual at the Piada. The famous “Piada Grand Prix” (video) saw, once again, the domain of Lollo Baldi who defeated a very fast Manu Hens and a “crazy” driver by the name of Stefano Longhi. There was beautiful podium with sparkling champagne and the Italian national anthem for the winner.

The dinner on Saturday night saw a “hot” interlude with two beautiful Brazilian dancers who enlivened the spirit of the sailors with Petrino Fantoni and Stefano Longhi. Someone filmed them.

Then raffle with many prizes, including wine of the Palazzona di Maggio and discount coupons for sails kindly provided by Olimpic Sails. Finally, more dancing with Nina Berardi, Aimone Fabbri, Greg Saldana, Johnny Estrella, Manu Hens, and Stefano and Alessandra Longhi among the main protagonists.

There was also an awards ceremony with prizes for the top ten and final buffet.

I close with thanks. We, people from Romagna, we are known for friendliness and frankness but I must say that we are often very efficient. It is difficult to match a chairman of the race committee as Giuseppe Dimilta and president of a club as Lorena De Gennaro. It was also great the job of Franco Pagliarini as president of the jury. The event had great success thanks to them and to all the staff at the Circolo Nautico Riccione and of the Real Yacht Club Portoverde.

Now we are expecting many juniors and young sailors under 30 years old for the Italian Junior Nationals and “DJ Regata” that will be held in the same waters on July 12-13, organized by the Club Nautico Cattolica. We are planning social events up to the reputation of Romagna.

(Photo gallery courtesy of Marzio Bondi)

Report by Greg Saldana

Final Results
Italian Ranking (Portoverde)

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