Centomiglia Anniversary Celebrates Five Decades of Lake Garda Sailing
A cover-worthy Garda – lapis lazuli blue, sky blue with an intensity reminiscent of the gentle breezes of the Tyrrhenian – cracks open the halls of the Grand Hotel Terme, making the place appear as a vast, elegant nautical cabin. A breeze from the north blows down, the waves broach, and endless shimmering lights dance across the ceilings.
Preparations and Atmosphere of the Centomiglia
Optimism is high for the fifty-year Centomiglia—an anniversary and maturity celebration expecting eight hundred boats to line up at the starting line, one week earlier (September 2) than its traditional date, which, in the shadowy calendar of seasonal change, features hot and windy days, as well as stormy, impulsive atmospheres that typically push spinnakers to their fullest.
The early date stems from the necessity for champions to race in Lake Garda waters while respecting their subsequent Olympic commitments. There are precedents in the history of the Centomiglia for such scheduling. In 1960, the regatta was even moved up to July.
Journalist Sandro Pellegrini hosts the event with his usual ease. He has a great passion for sailing and puts in substantial effort to promote the sport.
Interventions and Statements from Participants
Mayor Ferrari, at the start of the presentation—which follows a greeting from the host, Filippo Maria Ferné—confesses a distant love for sailing and admits personally being allergic to the gusts of wind from the windward side, recalling how, in his past, he experienced a nasty fear aboard the silver mast school boat. (And on Lake Garda, seemingly gentle, moments of fear are never absent).
Provincial councilor Buffoli also confesses to loving to keep his feet firmly planted on sacred ground; he praises athletes and the competition itself, also considering its positive impact on tourism by projecting Garda’s image worldwide. Ermido Cocca, speaking for the Garda Community, talks about an event capable of engaging not only the lakeside communities but also inland towns, which increasingly feel connected to the lacustrine basin.
History, Heritage, and Challenges of the Centomiglia
The floor then passes to Cvg president Andrea Damiani, one of the founders of the modern Centomiglia, characterized by spectacular sailing and major challenges on flying machines. Damiani recalls the competition’s fifty-year tradition—oh, and by the way: the Italian postal service issued a special cancellation mark on August 26 and September 1—and considers this a significant milestone in Italy.
He also lists the changes within the race, its role as a testing ground for the development and trial of new materials and techniques. “That’s why,” he states, “we titled the book for the fiftieth anniversary ‘Fifty Years of Sailing’.”
The Centomiglia is a major figure in Italian sailing, having significantly contributed to the sport’s development in every aspect. Regarding the relaunch of the free class—an invention eminently rooted in Lake Garda—President Damiani emphasizes the importance of Velaevento, an organization capable of creating an international circuit for high-performance boats.
Organization and Participation
Cesare Pasotti of Velaevento highlights the initiatives carried out by his organization, which go beyond hosting international sailing events to transforming the sport into a grand spectacle, with strong support from the “land forces.” (Among late August events: concerts, a mechanical bull tournament, cabaret shows, and a talk show with the Luna Rossa crew).
The hall was densely packed with club officials, sailing champions, and—underscoring the event’s broad scope—the artistic director of the Vittoriale Theater, Bosisio.
Finally, during a Q&A with journalists, a cryptic question arose about the relationship between Centomiglia and Comune di Gargnano. A certain coolness—perfectly muted by President Damiani—seems to hover between the flying machines and the municipal authorities.
M. Bernardelli Curuz