GALLERY Show Primavela, the future of sailing is here

The great feast of Italian Under-12 sailing has come to an end: more than 350 kids competed in the waters of Lake Como in Dervio for the Primavela Cup. Final successes for Anselmo-Cucco (L’Equipe U12), Alessandro Melis and Marco Guida di Ronza (Techno 293), Marco Franceschini, Marco Gradoni and Agata Scalmazzi (Optimist). From Thursday, also in Dervio, clear the way for the regattas of the Youth National Championships classes in doubles, reserved for the best Under 19s on the Italian scene.

FACES FROM PRIMAVELA (credit MARCO MASSETTI / AGNETWORK / FIV)

THE BUDGET.
A Primavela Cup that goes into the archives with its great numbers and hundreds of smiles that for three days turned Dervio into the venue for the “youth games” of Italian sailing. A colorful microcosm of boats, boards, wetsuits, gloves, carts, minibuses, life jackets and visors, a cheerful and contagious caravan, a perfect spot for a sport ideal for the growth and education of new generations, to live in contact with the elements and learn to respect them. Then there are also the regattas, of course, and the ones we witnessed over these three days showed talented Under-12s with great prospects, provided that-let it be understood-they continue to enjoy sailing, a basic aspect of growing and improving. Youngsters such as Marco Franceschini of Fraglia Vela di Riva del Garda, Marco Gradoni of Club Nautico Fanese G. Vivani and Agata Scalmazzi of the Fraglia di Riva, the top finishers in the three categories into which the more than 230 Optimists racing on Lake Como were divided (Primavela Cup, President’s Cup and Cadet Cup, respectively), or such as Nicolò Anselmo and Giacomo Cucco of the Circolo Nautico Loano, first in the L’Equipe Under 12 class, and Alessandro Melis of Windsurfing Club Cagliari and Marco Guida di Ronza of Nauticlub Castelfusano, who won the two Techno 293 board classifications (President’s Cup and Primavela Cup, respectively). Mention and special prizes also for Sofia Renna of Circolo Surf Torbole (first female Techno 293 President’s Cup), Lucia Napoli of Lega Navale Italiana of Carloforte (first female Techno 293 Primavela Cup), Margherita Pezzella and Letizia Maltese of Circolo Velico Torre del Lago Puccini (first female L’Equipe U12 crew), Giada Babini (first female Optimist Primavela Cup) and Beatrice Sposato of Club Velico Crotone (first female Optimist President’s Cup) and Massimiliano Antoniazzi of Yacht Club Adriaco (first male Optimist Cadets).

Marco Massetti/AGNetwork/FIV