Italian A-Class National Championship – Gaeta.
Close racingLamberto Cesari reports.
The Italian A-Class Championship took place in Gaeta, between Rome and Naples, but the opening day was unfortunately lost due to the windless weather. Racing finally got underway on Saturday, when three races were successfully completed.
In the Open fleet, it immediately developed into a close head-to-head battle between Lamberto Cesari and Marco Anessi, with Cesari ending the day just one point ahead. In the Classic fleet, Marco Radman dominated Saturday’s racing with an impressive 1-1-1 scoreline, while Teo Di Battista kept the pressure on with three second places, setting up an exciting battle for the title on the final day.
Sunday’s first race made things even tighter. Cesari took the win in the Open fleet, while Di Battista won in the Classics with Radman finishing further down the fleet. Everything was therefore left down to the final race. With no discard available due to the number of available races, there was absolutely no room for error, and the championship turned into a thriller in both fleets.
In the Open fleet, a last place in the final race, due to a fishing net tangled in the rudder, dropped Cesari to the bottom of that race's results. Marco Anessi took full advantage, winning the race and with it the Italian Championship. Lamberto Cesari finished runner-up, while Paolo Penco secured an excellent third place overall.
The Classic fleet produced an equally dramatic finale. Marco Radman won the final race ahead of Teo Di Battista, but Di Battista was scored OCS for an early start, a costly mistake that ultimately ended his hopes of taking the title. Marco Radman was therefore crowned Italian Champion in the Classic fleet, with Roberto Casadei taking second overall and Teo Di Battista third.
A fantastic championship, decided only in the final race in both fleets, and a great event thanks to the excellent organisation in Gaeta.
