Developing talent at camp Piediluco

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21/04/2010 15:40 CET

Development rowers have been training this past week in Piediluco, Italy, improving their technique and preparing to race at the annual Memorial Paolo d’Aloja Regatta.
Organised by the FISA development programme, the development camp has included rowers from Armenia, Georgia, Mexico, Paraguay, Venezuela, Sudan, and Sweden. Brazil, unfortunately, could not make it due to the recent disruptions to European airspace.
The group are experiencing more than a week of top coaching from FISA development director Thor Nilsen, Swiss coach Leif Pettersson and FISA development consultant Ricardo Ibarra.
The camp started on 15 April and will finish with a chance to race at the 24th Memorial d’Aloja Regatta. This regatta has attracted participants from 21 countries including Egypt, Croatia, Great Britain and, of course, a large Italian contingent. Included in the Italian line up will be Rossano Galtarossa who has declared that he is looking towards competing at his sixth Olympic Games in London 2012.
Beijing Olympic single sculler Gabriella Bascelli will also be racing and fresh from competing at the winter Paralympic Games in Vancouver, Paola Protopapa is heading the adaptive rowers list.
“We are really excited about this opportunity for teams to have an additional regatta to take part in via the development programme where they can also benefit from a national team training venue, equipment, excellent coaching and preparation for the 2010 season,” commented FISA development manager Sheila Stephens Desbans.
The development camp has been made possible due to the support of the Italian Olympic Committee, the Italian Rowing Federation and the local government of the Piediluco region.  This support has also enabled the athletes to race at the Memorial d’Aloja Regatta.
Piediluco is one of Italy’s main training venues for rowing. It was established under the guidance of Paolo d’Aloja, the former president of the Italian Rowing Federation. During d’Aloja’s time as president he hired the then Swedish coach Thor Nilsen who helped spearhead the creation of the Piediluco centre.
The first Memorial Paolo d’Aloja Regatta was held in 1987 to commemorate the former national federation president who died in 1984.
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