Italian para-rowers move towards Rio

Racing over two days of sunny weather on Turin’s River Po, competitors included Italy’s top para-rowers from this year’s World Rowing Championships. Italian success at the 2014 World Rowing Championships included fifth-place for Fabrizio Caselli in the AS men’s single sculls, a sixth-place finish in the LTA mixed double sculls of Florinda Trombetta and Pierre Calderoni and a bronze medal in the LTA mixed coxed four with the crew of Omar Airolo, Valentina Grassi, Tommaso Schettino and Lucilla Aglioti, coxed by Giuseppe Di Capua.  

Three-time Olympic medallist, Di Capua took a long break from coxing following the 1992 Olympic Games. He came back in 2013 as a coxswain for the LTA mixed coxed four and has already picked up two World Championship medals. Di Capua aims to lead the coxed four to qualify for the 2016 Paralympic Games.

[PHOTO src=”117814″ size=”mediumLandscape” align=”right”]

Clubs from Austria also took part in races, including the standard para-rowing boat classes as well as indoor rowing races.

Organisers hoped that the event would help stimulate para-rowing interest with President of the Italian Rowing Federation, Giuseppe Abbagnale, noting that the presence of so many rowers indicated that Italian para-rowing in the 2016 Paralympic Games looked to be in good shape.

“Our para-rowing movement is increasing in level and numbers and events like this are really helpful,” said Italian national team head coach Dario Naccari. “Next year will be very important for Rio as it is the Paralympic qualifications, so we would like other countries to take part in this event.” 

The 10th anniversary of this event is scheduled for 17-18 October 2015.