by Sonia Fardelli
AREZZO
Porchetta and a selection of first courses tomorrow evening in the stands in front of the Bastioni. Thus begins the victory celebration of the Porta Santo Spirito neighborhood which will continue for the entire month of July with numerous events. On July 5th, again at the Bastioni, there will be a dinner based on nana with macaroni and roast, prepared by the Battifolle sports club. On 13 July in the traditional setting of Piazza San Jacopo the victory dinner and on 20 July in the Duomo, around 9pm, the Te Deum of thanks for the conquest of the golden lance dedicated to Giorgio Vasari, the 40th in the Colombina district. And there won’t even be a thank you to the patron saint of the San Jacopo district. Precisely on the day in which the saint is celebrated, July 25th, the gialloblù will have a dinner at the Edo Gori stables. A whole month of celebrations for this victory which saw Elia Cicerchia and Gianmaria Scortecci returning as undisputed champions of the competition and which also marks the first victory of the new rector Giacomo Magi, who took over from Ezio Gori who left for family reasons. No foil for this victory?
“No,” smiles the new rector, “we leave the foils to others. We only want to think about winning.”
First victory as rector, a great emotion.
“On a personal level it was a great satisfaction and I think it was clear from my expression. It was a privilege for me to be there as rector. But this should not be seen as Giacomo Magi’s first victory, but as the return to victory of Elia Cicerchia and Gianmaria Scortecci and the entire Porta Santo Spirito neighborhood. From here you can see that it is not the actors that count, but the project that Ezio Gori together with his council have been able to build over the years and that continues with strength”.
What is the secret of Gianmaria Scortecci and Elia Cicerchia?
“They are the strongest pair and they have shown it with the 13 lances won together, all for Porta Santo Spirito and always with the same captain. A great technical team. Last year was a coincidence and it is also normal after twelve years of victories and jousts at the highest level. The other districts have grown a lot, at least two out of three, but in September they will have to deal again with Porta Santo Spirito who has returned to being really strong”.
So many yellow-blue neighborhood supporters, what is their role, how much do they contribute to the victory?
“They are our fuel. An exaggerated number of people who help us in every sector. Today it is unthinkable to manage a neighborhood with the sole strength of the board of directors. It takes many other people, young and old, who put in their will, arms and mind. And luckily we have a lot of them.”
