Garda Rowing Championship Nears Finish as Three Boats Still Compete
After the mid-August break, the Garda rowing championship resumes. It continues with the penultimate race, following the eight heats already held, tonight under the floodlights in the lake stretch in front of the port of the provincial capital, featuring the showdown primarily among three Veronese boats: Ichtya from Peschiera, Garda, and Bardolino, the top three in the standings. “It has never happened before that a bi-race championship,” states Bruno Maffezzoli at the Bardolino’s oar, “saw three boats contesting the Lake Banner with two races remaining. In previous championships, the final usually involved just two contenders, but most often one boat dominated all the others.”
What was supposed to be the turning point for the Millennium Championship, had it not been for the upset in Gardone where Ichtya was relegated to the lower heat due to poor weather conditions, when they had already secured a significant lead for the trophy. That race proved to be fatal for the Arilicense crew, putting the championship back into play and simultaneously reviving Garda and Bardolino’s chances. At this stage, what are your expectations? “We are the worst off among the trio,” admits the captain of the Bardolino boat, “not only because we are one point behind the other two, but also because of a right leg strain sustained during training. It’s not that I can’t row, but I am not in the best physical condition. Nonetheless, Ichtya has shown to be very strong, and if the crew keeps its nerves steady, it will be hard to beat them. Moreover, since Garda is also going fast and we’ve split the second-place positions in most races, we’ve played into Ichtya’s hands; otherwise, after Gardone’s setback, they would be at least two or three points behind and thus unable to claim the Lake Banner.”
Garda is ready to take advantage of any mistakes from the competitors. “The situation is brighter than expected,” says Alberto Malfer at the fourth oar from Garda, the most experienced among Veronese rowers. “Competitive sports always bring surprises that must be accepted with sportsmanship. Unfavorable weather conditions can recur and affect one competitor or another, or misfortune may strike more on some than others. That’s why anything can still happen, and we won’t be standing by waiting.”
The atmosphere in Ichtya’s camp is highly positive. “So far, only adverse environmental conditions have challenged us,” says Gianfranco De Iseppi, patron of the Peschiera Rowing Club. “I am pleased that more boats are emerging rather than just trying to achieve better results. What matters most is the growth of a sporting consciousness among the rowers, allowing them to evaluate challenges and not throw away the efforts of an entire season.”
Osvaldo Mazzurega, more straightforward at the third oar of Ichtya, sums it up: “Do we have to win? At least this much we’ve been able to demonstrate in all races, except the one where we were beaten by the weather conditions. Hopefully, that won’t happen again, and the rest of the time, we’ll do our duty, as we are motivated to the max.”
No matter what happens, the Bardolino regatta will not decide who will carry the banner of Lake Garda. Most likely, we will have to wait for the final scheduled for next Saturday, the 26th, in Peschiera’s waters.