News MARCO RIZZOTTI TROPHY

MARCO RIZZOTTI TROPHY

The cup is back in Italy!!

The overall winners: team Italia

After a long journey around the world the silver cup of the Trofeo Marco Rizzotti has finally come back to its home nation, Italy, where it will stay for at least one year, until the next edition of one of the most important team racing events sailed in Optimist. It has been three years since team New York from USA took the cup overseas after their victory over an Italian team. The following year the efforts of the “Azzurrini” (Italians) to get back the cup were frustrated by Singapore, that was represented at the event by two strong teams and took the cup overseas, this time to the East. 2009 saw the cup once again crossing the ocean, this time to be displayed for one year at the premises of the Lauderdale Yacht Club in Florida, USA.

Due to a last-minute withdrawal of a registered team, the championship was sailed by only 15 teams (entry is open to 16 teams): Italia, Emilia Romagna, Liguria, Garda, Veneto, Piemonte/Lombardia, Posillipo (all of them from Italy) USA FOR, USA LYC, Croatia, Serbia, Poland, Romania, France and Ireland. Notwithstanding this drawback the balance of this XXIV edition of the Trophy, that this year had its on-shore base at Marina del Cavallino, is highly positive.

Weather conditions on the three days of racing, especially on Saturday with lots of rain and big swell, put the Race Committee to a test but both RC teams, chaired by Dodi Villani and Massimo Scarpa in Areas Yellow and Green respectively managed to run the scheduled races and complete the format without alterations. They were accompanied by a staff of on-the-water volunteers in charge of safety and of offering help to sailors when needed.

The on-shore organisation didn't have anything to envy to the off-shore team. Sailors were welcomed with Italian pasta or hot beverages on coming back to shore, much appreciated after so many hours on the water. On Saturday the teams were taken on a tour around Venice which, however short, allowed sailors from all over the world to enjoy this wonderful city.

Speaking about the sailing skills and behaviour of the competitors, participating teams proved to have ample knowledge of the rules. Chief Umpire Piero Occhetto commented: “The respect and education shown by the sailors is worth a mention. Even the less experienced teams showed a good understanding of the rules and behaved perfectly well”.

Results:

In the Gold fleet the victory went to team Italia, overall winners of the Trofeo Rizzotti. The team members were Maximilian Kuester, from the Circolo Vela di Bellano, Giacomo Ferrari from the L.N.I. di Ostia, Enrico Canu from Cagliari, Luigi Michelini and Matteo Pincherle, from Numana. The team was accompanied by coach Erio Tamburin.

Second overall, with honours, were team USA from Lauderdale Yacht Club, who were also awarded the trophy to the best foreign team (second time they received it). Emilia Romagna, an all-girl but one team, was third overall and winner of the Coppa Italia, awarded to the best team of the region.

In the Silver fleet it was Croatia who took the first prize, followed by France and Garda.

See here the complete table of results, stage by stage.

The Panathlon Club di Venezia awarded two “fair play” trophies in the memory of Gianpaolo Righetti. One of the trophies went to team USA FOR, for their impeccable behaviour on shore, and the other to Romanian sailor Robert Mihailica, for the sporting spirit shown on the water.

Corrado Scrascia, the general coordinator of the event (who by the way is already thinking about next year’s edition of the trophy) thanked all his staff for their professionalism and enthusiasm, especially to Marino Filippi (on shore coordinator) Roberta Righetti (Secretary), and Franco Dal Bon (accommodation). He also expressed his gratitude to Camping Marina di Venezia and Marina del Cavallino.

No doubts all the clubs in the world with an interest in Optimist team racing are already making plans for the next year’s Trofeo Marco Rizzotti. The quest to win the XXV edition of the Trophy has officially begun!!

The trophy has been scheduled for May 12-15 2011. Don't miss it out!!