Celeste forced to surrender after seven years of triumphs
PISA – There were twenty-four hours of celebrations worthy of the anniversary of Patron saint of Pisa San Ranieri as they had rarely been seen in our city, starting at 8pm on Sunday 16 June with the traditional and spectacular Luminara which the Councilor for Historical Traditions Filippo Bedini could not avoid defining as historical, and then concluded with same time as Monday 17th with the award ceremony by Mayor Michele Conti of the red boat representing the San Martino district, which won the San Ranieri rowing Palio, preceding the Green Boat (Sant’Antonio), the Celeste (Santa Maria) and the Yellow (San Francesco).
by Giovanni Manenti
Competition that took the start at 7.05 pm from the Cittadella Bridge at the Arno Rowing Club headquartersto then go up the river against the current for a distance of 1500 meters until the arrival point at the Scalo dei Renaioli, with the weapons drawn, on the Tramontana side towards the Southin the first lane (Light Blue), second (Red), third (Green) and fourth (Yellow), positions which this year have been highlighted with banners placed near the Ponte di Mezzo and the Fortezza, for a race which has seen the Barca Rossa took the lead and never gave it up, despite being closely pursued by the Green and the Celestewith the latter having to abdicate after seven consecutive victories, while in the San Martino district we return to celebrate a success that was missing from the 2015 edition, remembering how in 2020 the race was not held due to the continuing emergency healthcare.
But, as is appropriate in contexts of this kind, there were prizes for all participants, with the members of the Yellow Boat welcomed by the President of the City Council Alessandro Bargagnathose of Celeste by the Councilor for Sports Development of regattas and rowing poles Frida Scarpa and those of the Green by the Councilor for Traditions of the history and identity of Pisa Filippo Bediniwhile, as mentioned, the person who delivered the Palio to the representatives of the Barca Rossa was the Mayor Michele Conti.
The same Mayor he commented as follows: “It is a day of celebration for Pisa on the day of our Patron Saint, which follows the great celebrations for the Luminara, which has ensured that today the great work done by all four historic districts of the city triumphs, which is why I thank the athletes who train hard throughout the year and all the organizers who contribute to giving life to a city competition, which takes us back to the origins of our historical traditions and which has seen many citizens follow the competition on the river from the Lungarni, which renews the tradition for rowing activities which today involves many young athletes. Thanks to the new Department for Sports Development of regattas and rowing poles entrusted to Frida Scarpa“, concludes Michele Conti, “we are investing more and more attention and resources in water sports that belong to the Pisan tradition to get to the next events, first of all the Regatta of the Maritime Republics scheduled for next September in Genoa, and obtain results that make us proud and that are all height of our city”.
For his part, the Councilor for Historical Traditions Filippo Bedini does not fail to underline: “I can only be satisfied with how these celebrations took place, I believe that this year’s edition of the Luminara has marked history, having rewarded the great work done, which is never a given as it is an event full of unexpected events and very complex from an organizational point of view, which is why having achieved the result of over 95% of the light bulbs still lit after midnight brought us enormous satisfaction, confirmed by the flattering feedback received. The rowing Palio – concludes the Councilor – grows both in presence and in organization, with the ceremonial and the set-up becoming increasingly refined, together with the new deck banners with the colors of the four Districts combined with the relative boat draw lanes and the costumes which increase in number, in addition to the three galleons of the Maritime Republics to be part of the river procession together with the boats of the Palio, so that also from this point of view I believe that we can be satisfied as the Palio, from a little Cinderella that it was, is developing, convinced that it traits of an important tradition, the oldest one referring to the feat of the battle of Lepanto so as to tell an important page of our city’s history, while the next appointment is for 29 June with the Gioco del Ponte, without forgetting the Regatta of the Ancient Maritime Republics scheduled in Genoa in September, although the date is not yet definitive, with the hope of being competitive this year“.
Probably the most excited about her first Palio in her new role as Councilor for Sports Development of regattas and rowing poles, Frida Scarpa he comments thus: “It was a very hard-fought edition, symbolizing the great work we are doing for the development of the rowing sector in general, which began last January thanks also to the collaboration with the Port Authority which allows us to train on the Canale dei Navicelli regardless of those are the conditions of the Arno, so that, regardless of who won, we saw very strong crews who came very close with great athletes, allowing me to underline that inside the red boat there are four members of the Galleon Rosso who will take part in the next Regatta of the Ancient Maritime Republics, demonstrating that the Administration’s choices are correct. Among the satisfactions – continues the Councilor – we must also include the overcoming of the controversies which last year saw the athletes display a banner with which they demanded greater attention towards them, given the commitment made by the Administration in this sense, so much so that in a few days we will sign a concession with ANAS for the small house above the Empire Bridge which will then be assigned to the Celeste boat and we are also working assiduously with regards to the Yellow boat to give it a home too, demonstrating that the commitment is not lacking and of how present the Administration is also on the investment levelthe. I therefore believe – concludes Frida Scarpa – that Mayor Conti’s decision to split the Department of Historical Traditions into two parts, separating the purely sporting part, was the right choice which meant that Councilor Filippo Bedini and I worked in close synergy with great collaboration and harmony , so that our respective skills are enhanced, allowing each of us to concentrate on our own knowledge, a circumstance which, personally, has also contributed to enriching me greatly, allowing me to appreciate many aspects of these traditions of our identity and our city in an even more in-depth manner“.
These are the crews of the Palio di San Ranieri 2024, with each vessel comprising eight rowers, the coxswain and the fitterHeavenly boat. Edoardo Margheri, Mirko, Barbieri, Luigi Mostardi, Alessandro Bernardini, Edoardo Pagni, Luca Romani, Edoardo Bellani, Flavio Ricci, Helmsman Gabriele Ciulli, Editor Joel Solomon Devine.
Red Boat. Gianluca Santi, Matteo Stefanini, Simone Tonini, Leonardo Pioli, Manuel Igneri, Gregorio Menicagli, Tommaso Carmignani, Sasha Sicurami, Helmsman Marco Bellani, EditorMichele Ognibene.
Green Boat. Gadducci Matteo, Vitarelli Lapo, Sbrana Daniele, Barandoni Simone, Gadducci Francesco, Martelli Andrea, Simoni Tommaso, Colombini Matteo, Helmsman Mollica Alessio, EditorTenze Jacopo, reserve Brillante Paolo, Delucchese Tommaso, Coach Micaelli Federico.
Yellow boat. Michele Pratesi, Cini Lorenzo, Del Carratore Davide, Cavatorta Leonardo, Lisiak Patrik, Federico Dini, Saggese Vito, Marocchelli Leonardo, Timonyesterday Pellegrini Riccardo, Mshamebull Nicola Rizzo.
Last modified: June 18, 2024
