Lorenzo Ghirotti shines in Crotone at the second leg of the Italia Cup ILCA
Crotone – The Fraglia Vela Riva pennant flies high in Crotone, the site of the second leg of the ILCA Italia Cup, well-organized by the ever-hospitable Crotone Sailing Club, over the past weekend. Favorable weather conditions, always generous in these parts, allowed for numerous races to be held, including those not held on the only day affected by a shower that prevented the arrival of thermal winds.
Flying high was Lorenzo Ghirotti (FVR), who enjoyed a starring role among the ILCA 6 (nearly 140 registered) crew, dominating the eight-race Gold Fleet with a remarkable 2-1-1 record on the final day. This prestigious victory, achieved in a particularly competitive environment, allowed for a comfortable margin over Matteo Silvestro (CDVR) and his teammate Giovanni Bedoni (FVR). Claudio Crocco (6th), Matta Di Lorenzo (7th), and Leonardo Grossi (38th and 2nd in the Under 17 category) also performed well representing the Fraglia. Matteo Scialpi (68th) did well in qualifying for the Gold Fleet, while Giorgio Boggio finished eighty-first.
“The Italia Cup in Crotone was a tough challenge, both physically and mentally. Strong winds, difficult conditions, but I managed to stay calm and give it my all. It wouldn’t have been possible without my team and my coach Mauro Berteotti, whom I thank for their support,” explains a satisfied Lorenzo Ghirotti, adding, “Now I’m starting to think about the most important challenge: the ILCA 6 Men’s Senior European Championships, scheduled for May in Croatia. A month and a half of intense training will follow to be ready for the key events of the season: the Youth European Championships in Thessaloniki and the Youth World Championships in Aarhus.”
Among the ILCA 4 (almost 150 boats), also competing in eight races, Leandro Scialpi (FVR) finished second behind Alessio Lucantoni (CVP). Having had a near-perfect qualifying phase, the young Fraglia Vela Riva talent was unable to repeat his brilliance in the Gold Fleet, where Lauri Sepponen, another Fraglia Vela Riva athlete, finished third, having won the Under 16s. Marco Aloisi (FVR) also performed well, finishing fourth and second in the Under 16s. Giovanni Bo (21st) and Sofia Berteotti (22nd) also achieved top-tier finishes. Enrico Morina (32nd) and Mia Paoletti (63rd) also secured Gold Fleet honors.
Finally, Giulio Genna (SCM) won the Olympic-caliber ILCA 7, while Leonardo Malfer (FVR) finished seventh.
“We return from Crotone with a strong run of results and the knowledge that we performed well in all classes. There’s still some disappointment about the ILCA 4 where, despite finishing second, third, and fourth, the crew demonstrated they could aim even higher, but their attitude sometimes lacked. We’ll work on it. Returning to Crotone, I thank the entire club for their expertise and hospitality: we’ve been coming here for many years and feel at home. An environment enhanced by one of the most beautiful race courses in the world, in my opinion,” commented Mauro Berteotti, Technical Director and coach of the Fraglia Vela Riva ILCA team.
