Report dell'evento di Bari dove l'indoman Guido Virgulti si è classificato al secondo posto.
The second trial of the Italian sup race championship took place in Bari last 18th-19th June. The best athletes on the national scene participated to this event challenging each other on a technical course studied on purpose, however, the unpredictable weather conditions turned just a tecnical course into the hardest course disputed ever in Italy.

Sup Cup 2011 as one of the trials of Surfing Italia championship, was supported by StandUpPaddle-Europe and by International Surfing Day as special edition, it received a great succes among media. A wonderful job was made by Big Air press agency drawing the attention on a sport intended to transform surf history.

In the early morning of 18th June, as Big Air staff arrived on the beach, a gentle breeze from east started to blow, everybody was wandering if it would increase or decrease.Weather conditions made definitively the difference.

Athletes’ registration started as schedule at 10:30 a.m., all the participants were given a gift box with: a power balance bracelet, earphones, a usb battery charger, an Atlantis-Land pen and a hat, a t-shirt offered by Fogliart, a numbered t-shirt offered by Surf69 and an energy drink.

Skipper meeting started at 11:30 a.m., it was a very difficult moment as wind became stronger and stronger, athletes were asked to reduce the established course but they all accept without esitation  the previous program. This means a  great satisfaction for all the competitors characterized by sporting spirit and athlete training.For men it was arranged a 7 km course while for women a 3,5 km course.

The marked course included a standing start on the water and a rounding of the mark for both men and women, a 3,5 km downwind paddling for men who coasted along Bari seafront remainig external to the breakwater.The return was pretty difficult including a 1,8 km upwind paddling (internal area of the breakwater) on flat water and a 1,7 km paddling on the open sea at the mercy of currents and winds. Women undertook half course, a 1,7 km downwind paddling with a rounding of the mark and a 1,8 km paddling upwind, however, for different course requirements, women did not take advantage of the canal flat water.

We need to thank Freestyle TV, Radiondastereo, Antennasud and Telebari TV cameras for giving prominence to the event.Thanks to the cooperation with Telebari tv, Surfing Italia Sup cup 2011 video will be broadcasted on Bari, brindisi, Milano, Pisa and Rome (on September) tv airports’.

At 12:00 a.m.  there was the starting signal, the only problem was the strong wind, recorded about 16 knots with 20 knots blasts.Athletes’ lining up was not easy as  they were asked to place inside an imaginary line going from the support ship to the mark, anyway wind and waves turned this moment into the most delicate as well as exhausting time of the trial.

The start was perceived as a release for the competitors who started a battle of the paddles running before the wind.

After few seconds it was possible to distinguish some groups; on the top of the heat there were : Gasbarro, Abatescianni, Marconi, Nika, Guglielmetti, Capparella, Gigli, Fazioli, Guidi, followed by a second group composed of: Cuscianna, Di Sante, Rotelli, Paudice and a thrid one with a huge number of amateurs facing up the heat in an excellent way.

Unfortunately when men had to round the mark some boats had obstructed the passage but promptly Alessandro Marcianò, the umpire, who was following the competition on a support ship, made athletes anticipate the round.After the mark Capparella was first then Gasbarro, Nika, Fazioli, Guidi,Marconi, Abatescianni. The passage within the breakwater canal gave competitors a little rest, at this moment on the top of the second group there was Di Sante followed by Rotelli with a prototype board and John Capriccio.A hard heat was disputed by the most famous Italian athletes, Leonard Nika and Giordano Capparella, crossing the finishing line was exhausting for both of them. First arrived Capparella, followed by Nika, Gasbarro, Guidi, Marconi and Abatescianni.

Corinna Bettitook the lead of the women group followed by Roberta Mariani and the “new entry” Paola Perrone who despite competing for the all round category placed in the 3rd position. They rounded the mark after a 1,5 km after the start.Women who compete for the race category achieved good time: Corinna Betti placed fist with 37′:00”:000”’, Roberta Mariani placed second with 46′:00”:000”’, Paola Perrone placed third with 1′:44”:000”’, Lucia Marra placed fourth with 1′:16”:00”’ and Sabrina Damato fifth with 1′:37”:00”’.

Great performances even for the kids, first place for Mario Paudice, second place Indro Spinelli and then Claudio Nika.

At the end of the competition both athletes and exhibitors were invited to take part to a buffet with typical and local products. A very special thak goes to Starboard for donating one 12’6” race board as well as a 8’0” wave board, Hobie for giving two paddles and two paddle bags, Smith Optics for seven pairs of sunglasses, Jimmy Lewis for the Sup bag, Atlantis-Land and Business Tecnology for enriching the gift box with hitech gadgets, Surf69 for the numbers, Tiki Surf Shop for the advertisment and the backdrop for the interviews. Prizes reached about  € 4000,00 and they were drew by lot.

We must thank also Sup Time Magazine for the constant support in every event, to Antonello Nardulli’s support ship and to Bari Fire Departement for rescue teams.

Bari Sup Cup results’ will be valid for the following championships:

European championship: Stand up Paddle Europe

Special Edition – International Surfing Day.

Italian championship – Surfing Italia

PLACINGS:

ALL ROUND MEN:
1. DAVIDE BONSIGNORE: TAVOLA 99-CUSTOM 10.8, TIME 1h17’

2. GUIDO VIRGULTI (indoboarditalia) : TAVOLA STARBOARD 10.5, TIME 1h 1’

3. FRANCESCO LEO: TAVOLA JIMMY LEWIS 11.2, TIME 1h 29’

ALL ROUND WOMEN:

1. PAOLA PERRONE: TAVOLA STARBOARD 10.5×30, TIME1h 00’44”

2. LUCIA MARRA: TAVOLA STARBOARD 11.5, TIME 1h16’

3. SABRINA DAMATO: TAVOLA STARBOARD 10.5×34, TIME 1h 37’

JUNIORES RACE 12.6:

1. MARIO PAUDICE: TAVOLA STARBOARD 12.6, TIME 56’05”

2. INDRO SPINELLI: TAVOLA HOBIE 11.2, TIME 1h 25’

3. CLAUDIO NIKA: TAVOLA NAISH 12.6, TIME: 1h 27’

MASTER RACE 12.6:

1.  CARLO ROTELLI: TAVOLA MOKI 12.6, TIME 54’24”

2. SALVATORE CALSO: TAVOLA STARBOARD 12.6, TIME 55’25”

3.  PAOLO SPINELLI: TAVOLA HOBIE 12.6, TIME 59’

UNLIMITED 14 RACE MEN:

1. FABRIZIO GASBARRO: TAVOLA FANATIC 14, TIME 42’14” -MASTER-

2. PIETRO FAZIOLI: TAVOLA HOBIE 14.6, TIME 42’28” -MASTER-

3. DANIELE GUIDI : TAVOLA JIMMY LEWIS, TIME 43’38” -SENIOR-

SENIOR 12.6 RACE MEN :

1. GIORDANO B. CAPPARELLA: TAVOLA HOBIE 12.6, TIME 41’57”

2. LEONARD NIKA: TAVOLA NAISH 12.6, TIME 41’58”

3. PAOLO MARCONI: TAVOLA JIMMY LEWIS 12.6, TIME 46’00”

WOMEN 12.6 RACE

1. CORINNA BETTI: TAVOLA HOBIE 12.6, TIME 36’44”

2. ROBERTA MARIANI: TAVOLA HOBIE 12.6, TIME 45’24”.