Although the Lombardy of Stefano Pavan, Graziano Cazzaniga, Giacomo Mario Saleri, Livio Elli, Graziano Borlini and Rachele Amighetti won the Trophy of the Regions of the Universal Trench with a clear margin - described by the good score of 556/600 - on all the other formations and has controlled the race more or less in all phases, even in the moment of triumph the selector Pier Bestetti appeals to measure who, while revealing naturally the great satisfaction for his team's majestic performance does not hide the fact that the official training day had represented a difficult test for the whole group.
The Lombardy team
“I have said it several times and I confirm it - declares the Lombardy coach - that on paper for a team made up of brilliant talents it all seems easy, but the reality of the field is something else. It is true that Lombardy lined up the best specialists in the region who also largely represent the spearhead of the national teams of Fossa Universale, but the day of tests had triggered some small insecurity that seemed to weaken the technical solidity of which our athletes are moreover indisputably and permanently in possession. From the three training series we came out with an individual average of 22 which certainly in the race, it must be said, would not have allowed us to win. But precisely in the second part of the training day, when we all analyzed together the results of the tests in view of the race and we also found that the general level, on the specific day, did not really correspond to the real value of the individual individuals, so then it is that extraordinary ability to work as a team emerged which is a great strength of our group. And it is certainly in those hours of collective work and fine-tuning the situation that we found the energy and determination that then allowed us to win. "
Federal Councilor Adriano Avveduto - in the dual role of selector and athlete - conducted a work similar to the Trophy of the Regions of Fossa Universale for the team of Sicily which secured a brilliant third place in the comparison of Pecetto with 549.
Correct forecasts
“On the eve of the match - explains the manager of Modica - I had ideally formulated the forecast that this formation could be placed in a range of points between eleven and fourteen zeros in each round. We settled on thirteen zeros in one series and twelve zeros in the other three. This tells us that the prediction was correct and that therefore the belief that we could access the podium was well founded. As a result, I can reveal that someone had doubted that the designation of two very young players for the team that was facing this difficult away match was a correct choice. It is also true that we were forced to make this choice because the regulation provides for Ladies or Junior for two sixths of the team. In the absence of athletes for the Fossa Universale team, I opted for two young athletes: Giuseppe Fiume and Luca Annaloro. There is little to complain about Fiume: although he is just seventeen years old, Giuseppe, winner of the bronze in the category at the World Cup in July, is already an athlete who can boast solid experience in the Universal. I then wanted to designate Luca Annaloro who is a boy who plays in the Youth Sector of La Contea and is the son of Maurizio who is a great Sicilian clay pigeon. Luca has shown great competitive skills: he was the author of a spectacular competition conducted with the serenity of a seasoned shooter. It is true that in the last two series he paid the price of an explosive start and of 25 in the first round, but his overall score was decisive in compensating for some targets that the team lost here and there and therefore it was in fact decisive. for the medal. "
The team from Umbria
On the other hand, the construction of the Umbria team was decidedly troubled, which brilliantly hit the silver medal with 551 and was in the running for victory until the last stages of the race that awarded the 2022 Regions Trophy in Fossa Universale. To explain the situation is Carlo Angelantoni who, in addition to playing the role of top athlete of the group, with Leonardo Brozzetti was in fact the coordinator of the team.
“We went very well despite the fact that Umbria presented itself to this confrontation with a team that was inevitably rearranged and reassembled with a last-minute insertion. In fact, Giovanni Pierpaoli had to be competing with us too, who was unable to follow the group because he lives in the Ancona area which was hit by the dramatic natural disaster last week. With Pierpaoli's forfeit at the last moment, we were almost on the verge of giving up our participation. We managed to involve Matteo Monicchi who agreed to be enlisted in a very short time and then we left. "
“Even in this climate of emergency - specifies Carlo Angelantoni - the team has responded really well. I am naturally very satisfied with my performance since my 98/100 was the highest individual score of the race and it is a result that follows the silver won at the Italian Championship in the Olympic Pit by one week. A sign, among other things, that being with one foot on either side, as is commonly said, is a technical and competitive choice that pays off! As for the rest of the team, Leonardo Brozzetti, who collaborated with me for the definition of the group, is certainly a pillar you can always count on. As for the rest Angelo Bueno Pernica who has given a contribution of not indifferent experience. Even Matteo Monicchi, even though he was enlisted at the last moment, gave a decidedly good result. The inclusion of two very young players like Diego Rubeca and Mattia Di Palma was certainly the most courageous act: there is always some legitimate doubt when making up a team that has to face a demanding test. Certainly no doubts about the qualities of these guys who from a technical point of view have brilliant skills: a team competition is, however, always an articulated mechanism and there are subtle balances linked to the emotional load that must work. The fact is that even the youngest, together with the most experienced, have made a truly fundamental contribution and it is a silver that the whole group has truly been able to deserve. "
As we have seen, the strong team cohesion is the mechanism that has also allowed Lombardy to get the “clay pigeon machine” up and running at the decisive moment.
“In the first series race - explains Pier Bestetti - we immediately saw that the work carried out all together in the previous afternoon had paid off. In fact, we settled on the average of 23. On the second lap we even touched the average of 24, then keeping the average of 23 in the third series and bringing us just below in the fourth when, however, in the meantime we had benefited from the powerful push of the other series. On the overall race, in fact, our magnificent athletes respected an average of more than 23. This victory is a very valuable collective product behind which, as I have repeatedly wanted to point out, there is a work of cohesion and amalgamation of the team. of which credit goes first of all to the team members, but also to Santo Falanga who was able to be a wise prompter in many moments of the preparation and the race and to the entire Fitav Delegation who gave us the opportunity to work peacefully and in full autonomy to build this amazing success. "
The Sicily team
The third place in Sicily confirms in parallel the great vitality of the island's tiravolismo and the strong vocation for the Universal Trench that some associations of the region have been able to cultivate in a profitable way.
“I had already indicated well in advance to the regional delegate Michele Sollami what the team's potential was - specifies Adriano Avveduto - and what goals that team could achieve. Certainly La Contea is the only Association in Sicily that follows the Universal with systematic regularity and it is therefore inevitably to our pool of specialists that I have looked for for the composition of the team. On the other hand, just a week before we had won the silver medal at the Club Championship in Lonato and therefore I fielded elements that were already included in the formations present at Concaverde such as Maurizio Annaloro and Francesco Pollicino. If a week before the Trophy of the Regions many of us had already been committed to the intercompany in Lonato, then it means that we are grinding a lot of kilometers and this is not an issue that we can easily dismiss. It is certain that the short trips and the long distances to be covered each time represent elements that penalize us not a little. I do not want to attribute to this the reason why in Pecetto we may not have been able to occupy one of the highest seats on the podium, but certainly a few less targets, due to this tiring commitment to which we undergo, must be considered. After all, that of the more articulated distribution of the activity throughout the peninsula is one of my strong points also in the role of Federal Councilor. I really hope that the trips will be gradually shared on a more equal basis by all the regions of Italy and by all the clubs to the full advantage of the competitive spirit of our wonderful sport. " (source: FITAV)