Italy confirms coaching changes

New Italian president Enrico Gandola has kept his promise to reorganise the technical structure of the Italian Rowing Federation. The federation has announced its new coaches and technical director.

Dutch coach Josy Verdonkschot joins the Italian rowing staff as head coach of Italian women. Verdonkschot most recently coached the Dutch lightweight women’s double of Marit van Eupen and Kirsten van der Kolk to gold at the Beijing Olympics. Verdonkschot was also head coach of the Belgian team for the Beijing Olympics which included single sculler Tim Maeyens (fourth at Beijing).

Verdonkschot told Dutch rowing website, Nlroei.nl that he was able to choose his training location and Varese was his choice. Italy had three female rowers at the Beijing Olympics, single sculler Gabriella Bascelli and women’s double Elisabetta Sancassani and Laura Schiavone.

Former Italian coach Beppe De Capua has done a full circle and returns to his home country to be the new men’s head coach. De Capua, 62, was Italy’s head coach from 1981 until 1993. He then became the technical director for 2005 and 2006 before taking over as coach of China’s top woman single sculler, Xiuyun Zhang. De Capua has also coached in the United States, Spain and Japan. He was a member of FISA’s competitive commission for 10 years.

Antonio Alfine, 50, moves into the role of technical director. Alfine’s skills are most aligned to rower Rossano Galtarossa who Alfine coached to his first Italian title and was Galtarossa’s coach when he won gold in the men’s quad at the Sydney 2000 Olympics.

These changes follow the naming of new Italian Rowing Federation president, Enrico Gandola. Gandola stated when he took up the role as president that he planned to change the technical organisation as he believed the current Italian model was obsolete. Under Gandola’s new model the technical director will coordinate the team.

The World Rowing team values feedback.