Topper World Championships - Day 1

by Elena Giolai on 21 Jul 2015 The Italians take the lead at the Topper World Championships at Riva del Garda: Zeni and Gallinaro are tied in the 5.3 category and Francesca Ramazzotti outperforms with a hat-trick in the 4.2. 156 competitors from Great Britain, Ireland, China, South Africa, France and Italy taking part.

The first races got under way today in the Topper World Championships organised by Fraglia Vela Riva and which concludes on Friday on the waters Lake Garda, Trentino. On Sunday evening the opening ceremony took place with a procession through the old town of Riva del Garda of the participants and their chaperones. The Championships kicked off with three races with light- medium southerly winds and it was evident from the very start that the Italians were going to give the large British fleet a run for their money. In fact, the Italians lead in both the 4.2 and 5.3 categories despite the fact that this class isn't very well known in Italy.

The Italians are actually almost all Optimist and Laser helmsmen who, with only a week's training, have made great strides enough to take on their opponents with apparent ease, at least on the opening day. The larger 5.3 category was divided into two heats - which saw an exciting head to head between the only two Italians in this category, Patrick Zeni of Fraglia Vela Malcesine and Vittorio Gallinaro of Fraglia Vela Riva. They are currently tied on points with one – one - three for Zeni and two – two - one for Gallinaro. Geoff Power of Ireland is third with a one – five - two. In fourth place is the first of the girls Bella Fellows of G.B. (three – two - five).

Francesca Ramazzotti of Fraglia Vela Desenzano gave a winning performance with a hat-trick that puts her comfortably in the lead in the 4.2 category. An incredible five athletes from Fraglia Vela Riva follow with in second place Brando Mattivi (two – three - two), Gregorio Moreschi (four – two - three) in third, Alisè Santorum (three – four - five and the second girl), Edoardo Bustaffa (five – six - four) in fifth and Rebecca Pallaver in sixth place finally leaving some room for the Brits and Irish.