Venetian Rowing Highlights at Lake Palio: Top Crews and Race Overview
On the racing course opposite Lungolago Regina Adelaide, the second heat tonight at 9 p.m., part of the race circuit for the bisse, a competition valid for the awarding of the Lake Flag. Sixteen crews are competing, representing eleven rowing clubs, divided into four heats.
The teams and main competitions
The most anticipated race is the closing event of the festival, featuring the four boats that last Saturday, during the opening race of the 33rd edition of the Palio del lago reserved for Venetian rowing, won their respective heats and are thus at the top of the provisional standings with 30 points each.
Four bisse with prestigious results achieved in recent editions: starting with Ichtya, the boat from Peschiera piloted by the same crew (Paolo Tacconi, Massimo Raimondi, and brothers Osvaldo and Stefano Mazzurega) that won last year’s Palio, securing victory in six of the eight regattas held.
The Arilicense crew, however, will have to contend with Bardolino, the runner-up boat, holder of the 1998 Flag, won with a quartet of rowers wearing the blue-yellow colors for several years (Bruno Maffezzoli, Silvano Dall’Agnola, Mauro Faraoni, and Francesco Maffezzoli).
The opponents and other boats
Another top contender is Garda, the boat surprising everyone at the opening regatta, supported by local fans, and returning with the four rowers from last year’s edition.
Fourth in the heat is Villanella of Gargnano, with brothers Luca and Alberto Domenici, sons of the legendary Franz, along with cousin Cristian and Mario Banalotti: four young rowers who have gained experience and are showing remarkable progress.
To open the rowing festival, following the parade of crews on land and in the water, will be a group of all-Verona boats, including Torricella and Betty of Cassone di Malcesine, together with Preonda, the second boat from the Centro Nautico di Bardolino participating in its first Palio, and Lacisium of Lazise, aiming to recover credibility after its unfortunate debut last Saturday.
The subsequent heats and other boats
In the second heat, the challenging task concerns the Adelaide bisse, facing three crews all from Brescia: Benacense from Toscolano-Maderno, Serenissima from Salò, and Sebina from Lake Iseo.
In the following race, defending the Verona colors will be Birba of Lazise, competing fiercely against three Lombard boats: Portesina from Portese, Sirenetta from Gardone Riviera, and Clusanina, another Iseo bisse.
Alvaro Joppi
