Garda Trentino Yacht Finishes Sixth at Giro d’Italia Sailing Race
The adventure of “Trentino”, the boat sponsored by the Garda Trentino Apt, which participated in the recent Giro d’Italia, concluded with an honorable sixth place overall. The vessel traveled fifteen hundred miles. Skipper Gianni Torboli from Riva was at the helm, assisted by Paolo Cenini, a young Riva native with a background in «4.70» dinghies, serving as navigator, tailer, and crew member, along with Samuel Meoni from Castelletto, also performing roles as tailer or bowman.
Team and Roles
The crew also included Massimo Favetta of Garda (bowsprit), Chicca Salvà of Castelletto (tactics and helm), Flavio Scala of Malcesine (helmsman), Roberto Benamati of Malcesine (helmsman), Ivan Venturi and Carlo Tomelleri (tailer and bow). For the initial and final legs, Federico Torboli also helmed the boat, along with Aurelio Bini, a resilient Sardinian who participates with Gianni in vintage boat regattas on the island.
Finale and Results
The team, therefore, was not a secondary squad and, by just one point, missed qualifying among the top four that advanced to the match-race final — won by “Pescara”. Unlike the other boats, which featured crew members highlighting the boat’s origin, the crew was predominantly composed of Russian, Ukrainian, and Belarusian professionals. For the finals, a Croatian helmsman, a specialist in match-race, also joined the team.
Breakdowns and Disappointment
Some major technical failures, including a broken shackle on the gennaker and subsequent sail tear, forced “Trentino” to withdraw. These setbacks deprived the Garda team of the satisfaction of finishing the race, as they narrowly missed advancing to the final by just one point.
Results in Cruising Races
Similarly, the team assembled by Torboli demonstrated its potential, improving performance when others were slowing down. Three victories in four days — in the Anzio to Castiglione della Pescaia cruising race, in the “bastone” and Castiglione regattas, and in the subsequent trip to Piombino with a circumnavigation of Elba — underscored their determination to secure fourth place.
Arrival at Piombino and a Curious Episode
It’s worth noting that “Trentino” arrived at the Piombino finish line with a time of one hour and forty minutes ahead of second-place “Grado”. An amusing incident occurred here: the Friulian crew, having seen no boats in front of them at the finish, was celebrating victory when, like a cold splash, the committee informed them that the Garda boat had already finished breakfast a while earlier.
Victory and Final Classification
The “Giro” was ultimately won by “Pescara”, followed by “Fiamme Gialle”, “Reggio Calabria” (which featured Federico Strocchi, the helmsman of “Trentino” during the finals), and finally “Trieste”.
Conclusions and Future Prospects
For the Garda team, finishing in sixth place was a significant achievement. With continued sponsorship and funding, they aim to perform better in a future edition of “GiroVela”.
