Silverskiff

Silverskiff swells in size

14/11/2008

Surrounded by autumn colours, the River Po in Turin, Italy, hosted a 21 per cent increase in rowers for the 17th edition of the Silverskiff long-distance race compared to last year’s edition.

Silverskiff, the 11km stake race for singles only, continues to grow rapidly in participation. This year’s race jumped from 389 finishers in 2007 to 471 for 2008. There were also 169 scullers entered in the 4km Kinderskiff for 13 to 14 year olds. Adding the Kinderskiff scullers, this makes the Silverskiff the largest single sculling regatta in the world.

The Silverskiff seems to have an addictive effect. Competitors tend to return repeatedly and regular names include this year’s winner, Mahe Drysdale (NZL), last year’s winner Michelle Guerette (USA), American Steve Tucker and many Italians including the women’s course record holder, Elisabetta Brugo.

Reasons for the regatta’s success include: the challenge of the long distance. All ages and skills levels are able to race against the best and then have the opportunity to compare times. The scheduling of the event, at the end of the season, is a perfect time for many rowers. The incredible efficiency and gracious hospitality of the host club Reale Societa Canottieri Cerea.

Once again the men’s senior and overall winner was Drysdale, ahead of American Michael Sivigny and Mario Gyr from Switzerland in second and third. For his wins between 2005 and 2008, Drysdale won the coveted “silver skiff”, a beautifully detailed model of a racing single.

In the women’s senior category, Mirka Knapkova from the Czech Republic won, followed by last year’s winner, Michelle Guerette of the USA and Italian Gabriella Bascelli was in third.

Among the lightweights, the men’s winner (and third overall) was Italian Franco Sancassani, followed by Daniele Danesin (ITA) and Andrew Bolton (USA). The Swedish Karlsson twins Sara and Lena finished first and second respectively in the women’s lightweight category and Anna van Leemputten from Great Britain took bronze.

The number of finishers in the companion 4km Kinderskiff race, held on the previous day, decreased from 239 in 2007 to 169 in 2008. The reason was that 11 and 12 year olds were unable to enter this year’s race, so it was limited to 13 and 14 year olds.

All of the Kinderskiff winners came from Italy. Among the 14 year olds, Allesandro Padoa won the boys’ division while Paola Gelpi won the girls’. The winners in the category for 13 year olds were Antonio Copploa (from the host club Cerea) and Valentina Rodini.

Times this year were one to two minutes slower than usual because of heavy rains the previous week which caused the River Po to flood. Even though the water level dropped to near normal by the regatta weekend, enough current remained that steering a longer course, close to the bank going upstream to the stake was advantageous. Second seeded Tucker steered a little too close to the shore on the last bend going up to the stake, dug a blade into the sticky mud bottom, and flipped. There were several other flips, none serious.

For results: www.silverskiff.org