Italian Nationals – Final

Rimini, July 9-12, 2015. Results and regatta report by Alberto Perdisa Brazilians Alexandre Tinoco and Nicholas Grael win the Open Championship. Pietro Fantoni and Marinella Gorgatto take the Italian title. Final results after 9 races (2 discards) 1. Alexandre Tinoco & Nicholas Grael, 14 2. Pietro Fantoni & Marinella Gorgatto, 22 3. Enrico Solerio & Paolo Lambertenghi, 22 4. Bart Janssen & Eva Jacobs, 33 5. Fabrizio Onofri & Jacopo Di Giuseppe, 40 6. Giampiero Poggi & Eugenia Vanni, 43 The seventy-third edition of the Snipe Italian Nationals, magnificently organized by the Club Nautico Rimini, also celebrated, in the best way, the forty-ninth edition of its the historic trophy "Coppa Tamburini." These are impressive numbers that few other sailing classes can match and that is the measure of the importance of the Snipe in Italy and worldwide. A boat that, like the older sister Star, seems timeless. The Italian Open Championship was preceded by the Junior Championship and the victory of Michele Meotto and Alberto Cassandro from Lignano, as well as excellent participation. This was a success for those who believe that the Snipe can give opportunities for young people, after (and during) the youth and Olympic classes, for racing at a low cost and high technical level. The regattas were the last selection trials for both juniors and seniors, qualifying the ten teams that will represent Italy in the World Championship to be held in September on the waters of Talamone. ...

Italian Nationals – Final Image

Rimini, July 9-12, 2015. Results and regatta report by Alberto Perdisa

Brazilians Alexandre Tinoco and Nicholas Grael win the Open Championship.

Pietro Fantoni and Marinella Gorgatto take the Italian title.

Final results after 9 races (2 discards)

1. Alexandre Tinoco & Nicholas Grael, 14

2. Pietro Fantoni & Marinella Gorgatto, 22

3. Enrico Solerio & Paolo Lambertenghi, 22

4. Bart Janssen & Eva Jacobs, 33

5. Fabrizio Onofri & Jacopo Di Giuseppe, 40

6. Giampiero Poggi & Eugenia Vanni, 43

The seventy-third edition of the Snipe Italian Nationals, magnificently organized by the Club Nautico Rimini, also celebrated, in the best way, the forty-ninth edition of its the historic trophy “Coppa Tamburini.” These are impressive numbers that few other sailing classes can match and that is the measure of the importance of the Snipe in Italy and worldwide. A boat that, like the older sister Star, seems timeless.

The Italian Open Championship was preceded by the Junior Championship and the victory of Michele Meotto and Alberto Cassandro from Lignano, as well as excellent participation. This was a success for those who believe that the Snipe can give opportunities for young people, after (and during) the youth and Olympic classes, for racing at a low cost and high technical level. The regattas were the last selection trials for both juniors and seniors, qualifying the ten teams that will represent Italy in the World Championship to be held in September on the waters of Talamone.

After weighing boats and measuring sails, led by the chief measurer Gino Costantini and supported by Giuseppe Dimilta, Gian Marco Pepe and Marco Prosperi, the forty-four teams had to wait until the second day of racing to take to the water, because of the strong wind from the northeast with high waves and breakers that characterized Thursday.

In the following days the excellent wind and sea conditions made it possible to complete all the races in the program.

The races were technical and difficult with strong current and short confused waves. The strategy was never easy to understand and never the same, because the wind, different from the typical sea breeze of this season, was influenced by the residual effects of the front that crossed northeast Italy in the evening Wednesday and throughout the next day.

In addition to the best Italian teams, some foreign champions were present: Belgians Bart Janssens/Eva Jacobs and Ben Van Cauwemberg/Nadia Deferm, and Brazilians Alexandre Tinoco/Nicholas Grael.

It was the Brazilian Tinoco, world champion in 2011, who won the regatta, well supported by a young crew with a famous family name, Nicholas Grael: son of Lars, nephew of Torben. The Brazilians won three races through an excellent reading of the race course.

A few points behind the Brazilians, Pietro Fantoni and Marinella Gorgatto, second in the overall standings, are the Italian Champions, always at the head of the fleet and also winners of three races. Pietro has spent many years at the top of the Italian regattas, and also serves as SCIRA Secretary; he has been very close to winning this title on several occasions but, for various reasons including bad luck, never managed until now.

Pietro and Marinella are members of Fleet Romagna and are well known in this region having sailed in many regattas. The skipper from Moruzzo has won the Coppa Tamburini four times. This is a magic year for Pietro; he won the South Europeans in Portoroz with Marinella and the Piada in Chioggia with Kathleen Tocke at the end of June. Then he saw his young pupils Meotto and Cassandro excel at Junior Nationals as if it were a prelude to his triumph at the Senior championship.

In third place in the standings but second Italians, tied on points with the new champions but “penalized” by only one race win, were Enrico Solerio – Paolo Lambertenghi. Enrico is an eight time Italian champion and one of the best helmsmen in Europe and worldwide, while Paolo is also a great helmsman. Together they make a very strong team for the 2015 Worlds in September.

Fourth were the Belgians Bart Janssens and Eva Jacobs. They are very skilled sailors and we remember them as winners of the 2010 Piada Trophy, just in front of Fantoni – Gorgatto.

Fifth but on the podium of the Italian Nationals were Fabrizio Onofri and Jacopo Di Giuseppe from Ancona. Both are newcomers in the class, but they adapted quickly to the Snipe and showed great consistency confirming their good results in the previous Regate Nazionali in Livorno and Talamone.

Giampiero Poggi and Eugenia Vanni were sixth, after an excellent first day when they were leading the fleet and winners of the third race of the series. After that something did not go the right way, but this team has been among the best for years and I have to emphasize their third place at the European Championship in Cervia in 2012.

Enrico Michel and the young Antonia Contin were seventh (fifth Italians). The skipper from Trieste is the most successful with nine titles. He is also the builder of Db Marine boats which are often at the top of the standings around the world.

The first local team finished eighth. Stefano Marchetti and Paolo Sangiorgi had several good races despite sailing only a few regattas. Stefano, former helmsman of 470, has been for years the coach for the 420 class and Paolo has a long experience in dinghies and on the various “Moro di Venezia” of Raoul Gardini.

Rounding out the top ten were Alberto Schiaffino/Giampietro Pasquon and Dario Bruni/Carlo Collota. The “Rockets”, Fabio and Daniela Rochelli, took eleventh place with some good races. But this great championship will be especially remembered for the ten young teams, junior and under 30, all aggressive and competitive. In particular evidence were Lapo Savorani/Federico Milone, Filippo Perdisa/Marco Rinaldi, Michele Meotto/Alberto Cassandro, and the young team from Rimini formed by Riccardo Mellina/Aurora Mignani. Also Alessandro Bari had a great regatta with his expert father Antonio as crew.

At the prize giving ceremony the Italian National Secretary Francesco Fontana, along with the Romagna Fleet Captain Alberto Perdisa, emphasized the extraordinary hospitality of the Club Nautico Rimini. The commodore of the Club Pietro Palloni hoped that the cup Tamburini is confirmed always as one of the main events of the Snipe in Italy, especially since next year will mark the fiftieth anniversary of the regatta. Giancarlo and Giovanni De Carolis, Snipe sailors, poets and artists, rewarded the winners of the championship Pietro and Marinella with a beautiful ceramic plate based on a design by Giovanni. Another special award, always a ceramic plate with a different subject each time, went to the young Stefania Padoan, only fifteen years old, who helmed the Snipe of his father Giorgio.

I think the whole Italian Snipe Class should be grateful to the Club Nautico Rimini, who welcomed us warmly and offered a sumptuous dinner and plentiful snacks at the opening ceremony and at the prize giving; to its commodore and all the staff on land and sea; to the Race Committee with the PRO Fabio Traini and members Davide Dalla Rosa, Giuseppe Dimilta, Roberto Boschetti and Walter Fabbri; and also to the jury chaired by Dario Caroti, with Marco Alberti and Edo Stramazzo.

Alberto Perdisa

Image Gallery courtesy of Roberto Baroncini

More photos by Roberto Baroncini

 

Video Day 1

Video Day 2

Interview with the winners of the Italian Nationals

Final Results
Italian Ranking

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