Giovanni Calabria - Italian National Champion, for the third time.

In difficult winds, the Italian Nationals were a success.  Pier Faccin reports.

It was held in Porto Corsini the A Class Italian Championship with the organization of the Adriatico Wind Club. The only issue of the event has been the wind strength, which was just above the limits set by the International Class, with the exception of the last day, when the pressure has been enough to allow the helmsmen to sail on the trapeze. 

Despite to such difficult conditions, thanks to a very professional Race Committee, all 9 races under the program have been completed, thus enabling the discard of the 2 worst results from the final classification. 

With 33 crews on the starting line, this edition of the Italian Championship confirms the persistent interest in this Class, despite of the continuing evolution in terms of materials. Worthy of note, the almost equal division of the fleet between classic and foiling boats. 

The history of the three day event sees the deserved success of Giovanni Calabria, from the Associazione Nautica Sebina sailing club, which with this great victory won for the third time the title of Italian Champion. Behind Giovanni, his club mate Paolo Penco, followed by Alessandro Rosi, from Circolo Nautico Donoratico sailing club. For Alessandro an excellent Championship: he has been the ranking leader until the last day when, with the wind blowing around 8 knots, he has been not able to confirm his top speed. Alessandro’s final score was only 4 points from Giovanni, and just one point from Paolo. 

Behind the top three, Norbert Bauer, from Germany, top scorer among the classic boat fleet, followed by Marco Gaeti, then the locals Luigi Camisotti, Stefano Casadei and Roberto Pagani, followed then by Paolo Sorcinelli and Daniel Pascucci for the first ten position. Worthy of note are the performance of Paola Longhi, from Unione Velica Maccagno sailing club, which has closed an excellent Championship on the 15th position, as well as the 19th position of Willy Pozder, from Lega Navale Italiana Desenzano sailing club, the first of the Juniores. 

The complete rankings along with numerous pictures of the regatta can be found either on the Facebook page, or on the institutional website (http://www.adriaticowindclub.com) of the Adriatico Wind Club. 

From a technical standpoint, Giovanni Calabria has clearly shown a perfect tuning of his DNA MY 2015, which has been here equipped with a deck sweeper sail from Polish’s Bryt Sails fitted on a Fiberfoam mast. Very impressive his speed during the second race on Sunday, when the conditions have finally allowed the full foiling. Very much admired on the boats park the Paolo Penco’s DNA F1, much more resembling to stealth fighter than an A Class catamaran. To complete his set, a deck sweeper Misha Sail, fitted on a Fiberfoam mast. For Alessandro Rosi less esoteric material, but no less effective: a foiling Exploder platform with a deck sweeper Brewin Sails fitted to a Fiberfoam mast. 

Excellent in every aspect, the event organization set by the Adriatico Wind Club: the course area and race management was perfect, along with the accommodation of the crews and their family, in line with the best tradition of Romagna. All of them have found the perfect conditions to spend also a holiday period. Noteworthy the really authentic fun moments experienced during the Pricegiving ceremony. 

With this event, the 2016 agonistic season ends: the new Board of A Cat Italia, just elected in Porto Corsini, is already working to define the calendar for the new year. Please refer to the Italian Cat A website (http://classeaitalia.it/) for all updates.