Nazionale Giochi Velici Centomiglia: International Teams and Race Details
The fleets of the Nazionale Giochi Velici della Centomiglia lottery are ready to set sail. The organizers of the Comunità del Garda and the Circolo Vela Gargnano have received the final entries.
The Associazione 99 team will be formed by other crews representing six European nations. From Germany, Luitpold von Bayern will arrive, great-grandson of King Ludwig III, twice European champion with this vessel and current champion of his country.
Hungary will be represented by the Detre brothers, Olympic champions at Moscow 1980, multiple world and European champions with the illustrious F.D. Switzerland will field its national champion, Silvio Mueller, a two-time European champion.
International Participation
Austria and Slovenia will compete with two all-female teams formed by crews who have represented these countries at recent international championships, including some foreign sailors such as Gardesana Alessandra Gaoso, a two-time world champion in the Mini class of altura.
Finally, Italy will present the Sebino-Gardesano team of the multi-title holders Luca Valerio and Daniele Cassinari. The Dolphin 81 squad will represent some lakeside towns: Desenzano, Sirmione, Brenzone, Torbole, Limone, and Gargnano.
Skippers and Athletes in the Water
The skippers competing will include: Bruno Fezzardi and Nicola Borzani (former European and Italian champions with Asso, Dolphin, Strale, and 4.20), Castelletto champion Federica Salvà, Italian Dolphin champion Umberto Grumelli, former European Star champion Silvio Santoni from Trentino, ocean sailor Simone Bianchetti, and the youth of the Circolo Vela Gargnano sailing school.
Protagonist 7.50 Class and Special Participants
In the Protagonist 7.50 class, there will be VIPs and ambassadors of Goletta Verde, one of the main partners of the national lottery, a team of blind sailors from the Homerus group, actress Barbara Blanc (star of «Un posto al sole»), World Cup footballer «Spillo» Alessandro Altobelli, industrialist Giovanni Rana, and Alessandra Sensini, Olympic gold medalist in windsurfing at Sydney, who will be honored during an evening for her genuine “devotion” to the waters of Lake Garda.
Lastly, the young sailors from the Optimist class will represent the sailing schools of Peschiera, Riva, Salò, Maderno, Gargnano, and Lake Iseo.
Race Schedule and Ticket Sales
The «Centomiglia Games» schedule includes an initial series of races on August 24, with the final race on the afternoon of August 25, following the pairing of the six teams.
Tickets for the Garda National Lottery are still on sale for a few more days across Italy and can be purchased at traditional outlets: tobacconists, roadside service stations, many newsstands, and until August 25, at the Comunità del Garda and the Circolo Vela Gargnano.
The first prize amounts to 2 billion lire.
