The Cus athlete dominated last year’s edition. Saturday (departure 11 am) there are also Hungarians and Portuguese
PAVIA. The Vigevano-Pavia Canoe Marathon, a classic canoe marathon organized by Canottieri Ticino, is back today (Saturday 18 September) on the waters of Ticino.
Now in its 51st edition, the competition will experience two days of competitions this year that promise to attract many fans to Pavia. Today will be the day of the very classic, with the departure from Vigevano scheduled for 11.00. While the level of the river is rising quickly, thanks to the bad weather of these days, the Canottieri is ready to welcome its heroes at the end of a historic competition, conceived 53 years ago by Cavalier Marino Valle, to whom one of the awards is named today. .
On a day reserved exclusively for races in K1 and C1, the Hungarian Gabor Aranyosi will play the role of the favorite, returning to Pavia after a year of absence in an attempt to restore the Hungarian domination, abruptly interrupted last year due to the pandemic.
After winning the classic in both 2017 and 2019, Aranyosi will be at the start of the marathon with the sole aim of registering his name once again in the golden register of the event. Among the fiercest rivals, the Hungarian will have to beware of Matteo Arzani, a surprise winner last year at the end of a long solo ride. The Cus Pavia athlete has a long experience on his home river that can help him in search of an encore. Furthermore, one cannot fail to mention the Pisan Matteo Graziani, a prominent name in the roll of honor of the Vigevano-Pavia with seven individual victories.
The arrival is expected in front of the Canottieri headquarters shortly before 13.00. «We are really happy to be able to give life to the Vigevano-Pavia Canoe Marathon again this year – says Carlo Pietra, president of the organizing committee -; the return of the Hungarians and the presence of some Portuguese athletes marks the rebirth of an international level competition, made possible by the great work of Canottieri Ticino and all the volunteers ».
«It is an honor for us to give life to the 51st edition of Vigevano-Pavia – recalls Pierlorenzo Gatti, president of Canottieri Ticino – by hosting so many fans. In the last few days we have been very busy making the arrival safe: in agreement with the Ticino Park we have carried out some excavations to allow the passage of the canoes and guarantee the best conditions for all participants ».
As every year, the Vigevano-Pavia Canoe Marathon will be an opportunity to see the Pavese canoe champions in the water, starting with Jonathan Allen, already a long-distance specialist in an attempt to bring the Filippo Vidali trophy back to Cus, up for grabs for the first Under 18 canoeist who will cross the finish line.
Then there will be the great Canadian canoe specialist Enrico Calvi, and the Pavia paracanoe champions Angelo Lova and Riccardo Novella, both fresh winners of the Italian speed title. Finally, Matteo Bazzano will not be missing, this year protagonist in the blue jersey at the European and World Championships in the category.
Tomorrow (Sunday 19) it will be the turn of the circuit race, starting in Pavia at 11 from the Lido. The competitors will descend to the valley up to the Canottieri and then go up again.