The championship final of the A1 series championship number 105 is Pro Recco-Savona. For Pro Recco it is the eighteenth in a row. Rari Nantes Savona, led by Alberto Angelini, eliminated the Italian vice-champions AN Brescia, winners of the Italian Cup, and returned to play in the championship final thirteen years later. The last one was in 2011, again with Pro Recco, lost 2-1. The last championship won by the red and white dates back to 2005 when they beat Posillipo 3-2 in the final.
The Biancoceleste battleship, coached by Sandro Sukno, already champion of Italy 35 times and 11 times of Europe, gained the pass for the final by beating Ortigia 1928 18-11 at the “Caldarella” in Syracuse, after the 12-5 of ‘gone. Ten movement players scored with Zalanki’s poker. Little room for maneuver for the Sicilians who collapsed in the face of an overflowing Recco intent on immediately closing the match. Inaba’s quality and Ferrero’s precision are not enough to close the gap for Ortigia. Pro Recco makes very few mistakes, despite Di Fulvio’s 5-metre crossbar at the end of the third half and the various opportunities granted to the home team. For Stefano Piccardo’s Ortigia, fourth in the championship round, the next appointment will be the final with Alessandro Bovo’s AN Brescia for third place which puts qualification for the Champions League preliminaries at stake.
At the “Mompiano” Rari Nantes Savova concedes an encore, prevails 6-4 and wins the series with Brescia 2-0. Tough match, balanced until the third half. Game closed, the stakes are very high. The tension is palpable. Only one goal in the first half, that of Savona in superiority with Figlioli’s trajectory to beat Tesanovic. Tense atmosphere in the second half with the expulsions of Renzuto Iodice from Brescia and Bruni from Savona. Nicosia neutralizes the penalty taken by Dolce. Savona keeps the 1-0 intact at the end of the second set. Lightning strikes from Figlioli and Rizzo at the end of the third period put the red and whites at 3-0. Brescia broke free in the last quarter driven by its captain Alesiani who scored a brace, Savona responded blow for blow first with Rocchi (Bedouin) and then again with Figlioli. Irving keeps Brescia’s hopes alive with the -2 goal. Figlioli (poker) scored the goal from a penalty that sent Savona towards the Scudetto final. Faraglia scores the goal to make it 4-6 close to the siren, but there is no more time. Savona will play for the tricolor epilogue.
RECCO-SAVONA 13 YEARS LATER. The final act of the A1 championship returns to speak entirely Ligurian 13 years after the last time. It will therefore be Pro Recco and Rari Nantes Savona who will compete for the tricolour. The two teams will face each other for the fourth time in the history of the playoffs in a championship final. In the previous three, one success for Savona in the 1991-1992 season and two for Recco in the 2009-2010 and 2010-2011 seasons. Recchellini chasing his 36th title and third in a row. Savona’s last championship victory, with three championships under its belt, dates back to the 2004-2005 season.
In positions from fifth to eighth, Iren Genova Quinto, winners of the relegation round, closes the series with Telimar. After the success on penalties in Sicily 16-15, the Ligurians beat Telimar 15-14 also in game 2 at the “Ferro” in Punta Sant’Anna. Access to the final for fifth place and qualification for the next edition of the Euro Cup for the red and white team. Game 1 of the final for fifth place is scheduled for Wednesday 22 May with the Bittarello team playing away. Many protests and two penalties neutralized by Massaro affected Telimar’s mood. Dragged by Ravina’s team, Iren Genova Quinto leads 9-5 at the half-time interval. Telimar clings to Hooper, scorer of seven goals, and comes back to make it 12-11 with which the third quarter ends. Molina Rios as an extra player and Nora on a penalty restore the Ligurian +3 in the last set. Baldineti’s boys don’t give up: the goals from Occhione and Giorgetti are worth the new -1 for the Palermo players. The Genoese Nora (poker) scores the score 15-13, Hooper converts the penalty in the final which sets the final result at 15-14.
Match point for De Akker Bologna who at 9.00 pm at the Sterlino defend the success of game 1 at home to Polo Nuoto Trieste (13-10). The victory would allow Mistrangelo’s Bolognese team to access the final for fifth place which could qualify for the Len Cup if the European Aquatics format is confirmed for the 2024/2025 season.
The situation in the playouts is very hot with CN Posillipo equalizing the series in the Campania derby against Check Up Salerno by winning 12-9 at the “Vitale”. Roma Vis Nova’s match is underway in Monterotondo and will try to secure their away success and close the series with Nuoto Catania, already beaten 16-14 at the Scuderi. The game is played at 8.30pm; Colombo and Daniele Bianco will referee.
(IN THE PHOTO ALBERTO ANGELINI; coach Rari Nantes Savona)
Complete timetables, TV and roll of honor follow.
Playoff semi-finals
Race 2 – Wednesday 8 May
1st place
CC Ortigia 1928-Pro Recco 11-18 (series 0-2) – live Raisport +HD
AN Brescia-RN Savona 4-6 (series 0-2)
5th place
Iren Genova Quinto-Telimar 15-14 (series 2-0)
9.00pm De Akker Team-Waterpolo Trieste (series 1-0)
Slave and Piano
Possible race 3 – Saturday 11 May
5th place
Water polo Trieste-De Akker Team
Race 1 – Wednesday 1 May
1st place
Pro Recco-CC Ortigia 1928 12-5
RN Savona-AN Brescia 6-5 – live Raisport +HD
5th place
Telimar-Iren Genova Fifth 16-15 dtr (11-11)
Water polo Trieste-De Akker Team 10-13
Playout semi-finals
Race 2 – Wednesday 8 May
Check-Up RN Salerno-CN Posillipo 9-12 (series 1-1)
8.30pm Rome Vis Nova Water Polo-Swimming Catania (series 1-0)
Colombo and D. Bianco
Possible race 3 – Saturday 11 May 2024
7.00pm CN Posillipo-Check-Up RN Salerno
8.30pm Swimming Catania-Rome Vis Nova Water polo
Race 1 – Wednesday 1 May
CN Posillipo-Check-Up RN Salerno 9-11
Swimming Catania-Roma Vis Nova Water polo Catania 14-16
Scudetto final – all live on Raisport +HD
(22, 25 and possibly 29 May)
The order of the matches will be chosen by the team best classified in the championship pool
Pro Recco-RN Savona
