Marsala – The 50th edition of the 2024 Italian Windsurfer Championship concluded in the waters of the Gulf of Mondello, with the overwhelming victory of Silvio Catalano, leading athlete of the Marsala Rowing Society.
A championship started in the best way for Catalano, who debuted with a bronze medal in the Slalom category. Still at the top of the provisional ranking, he however had to serve a penalty due to a protest and lost a position on the podium.
“I admit that I am really happy at the moment – declared Silvio -. It was my first regatta of the season and I don’t hide from saying that this result was unexpected. It was a truly exciting Championship, which started well with 2nd place in the Long Distance behind Alessandro Torzoni who deservedly won in strong and gusty wind conditions with a great gap. The following day, again Alessandro, won the first of the four tests of the Course Race, demonstrating his splendid form. I honestly expected it, because he had just recently won important victories in which he was the favourite”.
Silvio Catalano’s journey throughout the championship was characterized by one victory after another, managing to finish second overall in the Long Distance and finally, a triumph in the Course Race, which allowed him to deservedly win the title of Champion Italian Windsurfer 2024.
“I remained calm, I was happy to be in the water – continues Catalano -, I never got nervous about the mistakes made in the previous tests, I accepted them and moved forward without counting the rankings, but living test by test. So the results arrived that put me back in first place. I will never forget the third test of the Course Race in which I didn’t do anything wrong, I had a phenomenal pace and I raced free from the waste of my opponents. I won that race with a great gap from the rest of the group and I’m telling you this because it was a very exciting moment, in which I felt the adrenaline rising from the first stern. It reminded me of the feats I only achieved in the first regattas, as a child. I remember one Championship with particular joy, my first Italian Champion title at the Coppa Primavela, always there, in the waters of the Gulf of Mondello in 2004… only 20 years ago!”.
Silvio Catalano, in fact, has always accustomed us to great victories and excellent performances, beating everyone at the 2022 world championship, in which he also won the silver medal in Slalom; last year he won the podium at the European Championship in the light middleweight category, coming in third place. But his career as a windsurfer began as a child, unstoppable on the regatta fields, multiple national champion and former athlete of the national youth team.
“Thanks to those who have always been part of this exciting “crossing” and to those who have only come on board in recent years. Thanks to the Marsala Rowing Society, which continues to support me despite my advancing age.”
The Windsurfer Italian Open Championships 2024, organized by the Club Albaria Palermo/Mondello Beach with the collaboration of the Roggero di Lauria Rowing Club, took place in the waters of the Gulf of Mondello from 15 to 19 May.
