The World Rowing Coastal Championships and Beach Sprint Finals are approaching. Genoa is ready to host this global sporting event from September 6 to 15 at San Nazaro Beach, in the beautiful location of Corso Italia.

This dual event will feature endurance races during the first weekend and beach sprints during the second. Athletes and teams from Genoa will be participating, aiming to make their mark in these World Championships on home turf.

In the endurance, representing the singles will be Davide Mumolo, a prominent figure in national rowing, who is part of the Fiamme Oro team and recently competed in the 2024 Paris Olympics. For him, it’s a new challenge in coastal rowing, competing in the singles, but in a familiar setting: his hometown of Genoa.

“For me, it will be a new challenge as I’ve never competed in this discipline before”, Mumolo says. “I was very keen to participate in the World Championships at home because it will be an honor to compete with the support of the local fans.” He adds, “I hope many people will come out to support me and all the Genoese athletes competing. We hope to bring pride to a city that is increasingly becoming a central figure in the national sports scene, thanks also to the Genoa 2024 European Capital of Sport program.”

In the beach sprint, defending the Italian colors in the CMix2x (mixed double sculls) will be Silvia Tripi. A Genoese athlete, affiliated with Società Canottieri Genovesi Elpis, she will be racing with Federico Ceccarino from Circolo Canottieri Napoli, aiming for a significant result in this discipline, which has just been added to the Olympic program, after earning the Italian jersey at the Trials in Donoratico a few months ago.

“This is my first World Championship, and I’m happy to have qualified”, Tripi states. “It would be amazing to at least match the bronze I won at the European Championships”. When asked how she started rowing, she explains, “I actually came from another sport, which I had to give up due to an injury. There was an opportunity to switch, and this new path led me to the Beach Sprint World Championship”. Her first World Championship appearance is particularly special, as it takes place in her hometown. “It will be very emotional since all my loved ones will be there to support me”, the athlete adds. “Moreover, I have the honor of representing my city, which fills me with great pride”.

In endurance, two Genoese clubs will aim to raise the city’s flag high: Rowing Club Genovese and Società Sportiva Murcarolo. The first club, founded in 1890, aims to defend the world title they won in Barletta in 2023 in the 4x. The crew will consist of Edoardo Marchetti, Giacomo Costa, Lorenzo Gaione, and Edoardo Rocchi, with Alessandro Calder as coxswain.

Among the Genoese crew is Giacomo Costa, who won the world title in the 4x in Barletta in 2023 and in Hong Kong in 2019, also securing a second place in 2022 in Saundersfoot, Wales. “We have prepared even better than last year”, the athlete says. “We know that repeating our success is incredibly difficult, but we are very eager to perform well at home, and we are grateful to the club for providing us with the resources to work even better”.

“This year, having the chance to defend the title in our Genoa gives us tremendous motivation”, comments Lorenzo Gaione. “It won’t be easy, but we are ready and determined to repeat last year’s feat”. “Starting with the weight of the world title we won last year on our shoulders isn’t simple”, adds Edoardo Rocchi, “but we are ready and determined to try to confirm our success”. “Having the support of our friends and family helps and motivates us to give our best”, he concludes. “We are very happy and excited to compete in Genoa, and we hope to put on a great show for those who follow and cheer for us”.

The 4x crew of Sportiva Murcarolo, which won bronze in the 2023 edition in Barletta, will also be at the start. The Genoese club will field Guglielmo Melegari, Pietro Sitia, Andrea Licatalosi, and Giovanni Melegari, with Fabio Siracusa as coxswain.”The level will be very high”, says Pietro Sitia, “but we are not here just to make up the numbers; we aim to confirm ourselves with an almost unchanged crew compared to Barletta”. “We will have the chance to confirm ourselves, if not improve on what we did in Barletta”, says Giovanni Melegari, “and doing it in front of the people of our city and our families, who don’t often get to watch us in person, will be something truly special”. “We hope to perform as well as we did in 2023”, concludes Fabio Siracusa. “It will be a different emotion to race in our city, and we hope that the community will show up in support”.

(PH: Canottaggio.org | Mimmo Perna)