Ricevo dall'amico americano
Greg Mohr, presidente della Gondola Society of America,
il resoconto del primo campionato americano di voga alla
veneta. Si tratta di una operazione molto interessante
perché non è una scimmiottatura di finte e improbabili
barche definite "gondole" ma di scafi originali.
Ecco alcune foto dal Los Angeles Times e dall'Orange
County Register
Ecco
la lettera con i link per vedere i video, come questo
fantastico preso dal drone. A questo proposito non posso
che rimarcare, ancora una volta, che la Rai con i suoi
potenti mezzi potrebbe noleggiarne uno per riprendere la
regata Storica o gli altri eventi in modo enormemente
più efficace delle solite inutili riprese dalla barca
giuria.
Ciao from California!
It was great to see you again in September.
I wanted to update you on our national competition here.
The US Gondola Nationals has just finished, and it was a
truly great weekend of races and events.
By now, if you look on the internet, you will find some
news articles and some good photos too.
We had 50 competitors, who came from 7 states.
In the past we've had solo and tandem events on gondolas,
in sprint and long distance races.
This year we had some events for the first time.
We had a tandem pupparin race,
We had a sandolo rowed by one man in the vallesana style
And we also had the first ever four-man race - with
teams of four representing their companies.
I am attaching the list of winners for you.
You'll notice that my team of four took first place in
the four-man event.
When I saw you in September at your shop, I had one of
my gondoliers - Simon - with me.
He was my forward rower in both the pupparin race and
the four-man gondola race.
Simon and I also won the silver medal in pupparin.
We were there in Venezia to research and train for the
races.
I believe that it was the expert training we received
from Mario Rossetti and Nereo Zane at the GSVVM rowing
club in Mestre that helped us win that race.
Next year it will move to Minnesota.
And a good friend of mine who owns a gondola company
there will host it.
I am exhausted from all of the planning, preparations,
racing, and then cleaning up.
Next year I look forward to just racing. :o)
We have an active and thriving "gondola culture here in
Southern California, and there are several operations in
other states who truly have a passion for
voga-alla-Veneta.
Each time we have the USGN here in Southern California,
there are lots of guys who show up.
We have had a few good newspaper pieces and such written
about the event.
Here are a few news links for you:
You might find it interesting that of the four boats
that I provided from my fleet, one was 40 years old, one
was 54 years old, and another was 55.
I know that often these beautiful gondolas are retired
after a certain age, but here in the US, we keep using
them - lovingly maintaining them.
People say "they don't build them like they used to",
and with my gondolas it seems to be true.
My 55 year old gondola is a Tramontin with full deck
carvings.
Not only is she beautiful...she won many of the races!
The gondoliers were fighting over her.
I look forward to seeing you again next time I'm in
Venice.
Warm regards,
Greg Mohr
President - Gondola Society of America
greg@gondola.com
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:
penzo.gilberto