Italy Leads the Way - XV Mediterranean Games

Finals day at the Mediterranean Games

Every four years the nations of the Mediterranean Basin gather to celebrate sport. Last week Spain’s southern city of Almeria hosted the 15th Mediterranean Games with rowing featuring prominently amongst the 25 sports.

Fourteen countries competed in eight events on the Cuevas del Almanzora Canal and in a welcome break from the standard 2,000 metre course athletes raced for 1,000 metres. Finals day, consequently, was all about high rating and tight finishes.

Croatia went into the finals with the highest number of qualifiers, but Italy came out at the top of the medals table.

The Italians won medals in every event including gold in all four of the heavyweight events. Italy’s Olympic Champion, Simone Raineri overtook Nikola Stojic of Serbia & Montenegro to win the men’s single. Raineri will race again later this week in the third BearingPoint Rowing World Cup in Lucerne, Switzerland.

Women’s single ready to race

The women’s single was a battle of wills with France’s Caroline Delas leading the way only to be overtaken by Elisabetta Sancassani of Italy in the second half of the race. Olympic finalist Nuria Dominguez of Spain finished a very close third giving Spain one of their two medals.

Greece and Italy battled it out in the men’s pair with Luca Agamennoni and Dario Lari of Italy prevailing. Athens silver medalists, Niksa and Sinisa Skelin of Croatia finished an unexpected fourth after being overtaken for the bronze position by Egypt.

Italy did it again in the men’s double with Olympic Champion Alessio Sartori and Matteo Stefanini finishing ahead of Turkey’s Sami and Saim Kaya. Slovenia’s Rok Kolander and Matej Prelog were a fraction back in third.

Turkey’s Sami and Saim Kaya keeping up with Italy

A photo finish between three boats for second in the lightweight men’s single had France’s Fabrice Moreau staying clear and in gold medal position watching Mete Yeltepe of Turkey slip into second and Italy’s Lorenzo Bertini just holding off Greece to take third.

Mirna Rajle of Croatia won gold in the lightweight women’s single in a tightly fought race with Chrysi Biskitzi of Greece. Spain’s Teresa Mas de Xaxars followed less than a second back in third.

France’s Jean-Christophe Bette and Franck Solforosi left their Rowing World Cup winning lightweight four behind to win the lightweight pair over Italy and Turkey in second and third respectively.

Greek Olympic bronze medalists Vasileios Polymeros and Nikolaos Skiathitis led the lightweight men’s double final ahead of France who was being chased by Italy featuring three-time World Champion Leonardo Pettinari teamed up with Nicola Moriconi. Pettinari will join his regular doubles partner, Stefano Basalini, again to race in Lucerne.

The Mediterranean Games began in 1951 to help bring together Asian, African and European nations of the Mediterranean Basin region following World War II. Instigated by Egyptian Mohamed Taher Pasha, the first Games were hosted by Alexandria, Egypt and continue to be held in the year following the Olympic Games. A coastal city always hosts the Games.

The next Mediterranean Games will be held in 2009 in Pescara, Italy.

For more details go to: www.almeria2005.es

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