From Thursday June 5th to Sunday June 8th. 23 competitors (included our nice Australian friend Tibor Ferenczy) took part to 2008 edition of Italian FW Open Championships, raced in San Cataldo, near Lecce (Puglia), one of the southernmost spot in Italian East coast. San Cataldo has been a new entry for a national regatta and the wind hasn’t fall short of competitors’ expectations. Nine races during four regatta days are a very good performance, in a wonderful holiday resort area with the sea emerald green.
On Thursday June 5th early afternoon a thermic levanter was blowing between 8 and 10 knots. Garda Lake-based windsurfer Thomas Fauster won the race opening up a lead on the other competitors, followed by Davide Beverino, Giuseppe Pugliese, Luciano Treggiari and Andrea Volpini. His win has been a kind of annunciation of the championships final results. On the night mixed grill party near the pool gathered all people.
The following day, Friday June 6th, thermic levanter again between 10 and 11 knots and two more races completed. It has been the day as a lion for Davide Beverino. Two times winner, the Italian Air Force Sailing Club standard-bearer first comes in the first daily regatta Marco Begalli, Pugliese, Fauster and Treggiari, and in the second one Fauster, Begalli, Pugliese and Alessandro Giovini. Race Committee, headed by Claudio Alessandrello, sent ashore the fleet hoping wind stays constant, but unfortunately it dropped and so stop to the competition. In the night typical food taste in an oil mill.
Opening the third regatta day, an announced storm and a leaden sky had to put back the starting of competition, but the weather made stable and so it has been possible to sail four races with levanter between 15 and 20 knots. This has been Fauster’s big Friday: three-times first and a serious claim on the championships. After the winner there were hard fought competitions. In the first race second place for Beverino, followed by Begalli, Roberto Pierani and Malte Reuscher. In the second one Beverino again second, Begalli, Pugliese and Pierani. In the third one: Begalli, Beverino, Reuscher and Pugliese. We had to wait for the fourth race in order to change the winner: Begalli first, Beverino second, Fauster third, Pugliese fourth and Reuscher fifth. Just regatta ended, a big downpour and after a shining rainbow welcomed ashore the competitors.
In the last regatta day skippers’ meeting has come early morning at 8.30 a.m. Hoping a thermic northwest mistral, despite forecast not good, at 9.00 a.m. it was possible to start. Begalli won followed by Beverino, Fauster, Pugliese and Reuscher. Beverino were the winner of the following race, but Fauster controlled the situation and he was second, Pugliese third, Reuscher fourth and Treggiari fifth. Race Committee tried for a new race. But, when Pugliese clearly headed the competition, wind dropped and so the championships wrote the word end.
So we honour Thomas Fauster as the new Italian FW Champion for 2008, a well-deserved prize for a competitor, this year novice in master age, that since about twenty years (he was Funboard Italian Youth Champion in 1991!) is one of the best, fair and reputable competitor all over the fleet. Second place for Davide Beverino and umpteenth podium for Marco Begalli. Giuseppe Pugliese, fourth, is the best in lightweight division. First Grandmaster, Luciano Treggiari, local “landlord”, seventh after Malte Reuscher and Emanuele Arciprete. Many thanks to Tibor too, that for the fifth time in a row raced in Italian FW Championship, bringing as a dowry his pleasant person and enduring friendship.
