Garda Rowing Championship Celebrates Athletes and Historic Traditions

A night dedicated entirely to them, to the hundred or so athletes and club officials who animated the Garda rowing championship throughout the summer.

A celebration with just under 250 people held the other evening at the Park Hotel Casimiro in Portese, the picturesque locality in the Municipality of S. Felice, east of Lake Salò.

The celebration of the rowing championship

Leading the event are the 16 crews representing 11 rowing associations (5 from Verona and 6 from Brescia), main participants in the 10 races of the millennium rowing championship for the awarding of the Bandiera del lago 2000, the highest trophy reserved for Venetian rowing.

This is the thirty-third edition in history, with Verona crews dominating, having monopolized the podium.

On the top step is the «Ichtya», the bissa from Peschiera, with rowers Paolo Tacconi, Massimo Raimondi, Osvaldo and Stefano Mazzurega, re-confirmed, after their victory last year, as Garda champions.

Awards and comments

“These athletes have demonstrated — emphasized Franco Poli, president of the Lega bisse del Garda when presenting the Bandiera — passion, enthusiasm, and preparation, again proving to be the best.

So, applause also goes to their officials who managed to inspire the right sporting and competitive spirit».

The Silver Flag was awarded for the fourth time, after those won in 1992, 97/99, to the bissa «Bardolino», with the crew featuring for over ten years the same team composed of Bruno Maffezzoli, Silvano Dall’Agnola, Mauro Faraoni, and Francesco Maffezzoli from the Centro nautico bardolinese.

«Proudly engaged in a sporting activity — explained Bardolino Mayor Armando Ferrari — that unites lake resorts in the defense of traditions.»

Awards and recognitions

Bronze medal awarded to the Armo di Garda (Matteo Pincini, Michele Bertoncelli, Ferdinando Sala, and Alberto Malfer), presented by Councillor Pierlorenzo Vantini, who assured, as a sportsman, the involvement and support of the public administration for the development of Venetian-style rowing, a tradition very felt among younger generations too.

Words of encouragement and praise for the Lega Bisse also came from Peschiera Vice Mayor Carlo Nosé, who highlighted the efforts of rowing clubs and the sacrifices athletes must endure to keep alive a sport tied to local culture.

When awarding the Community of Garda trophy to the youngest crew, Prenda from Bardolino, and the oldest, Clusanina from Lake Iseo, President Adelio Zanelli highlighted how the «bissa rowing competition, besides being a sport for all ages, is among the most important sporting events in the Garda area.»

In awarding the «Lacisium» and the «Birba», or presenting the plaque to Claudia Todesco — the first woman to participate in a Garda lake rowing race — Lacisium Councillor Renzo Franceschini congratulated the leaders and athletes for their achievements.

A special thanks was reserved by President of the Lega Bisse to the Community of Garda for its valuable work in secretarial support, information dissemination, and financial backing, «in that spirit of support for initiatives and projects aimed at uniting the lake and promoting its unified image.»