Over 3,000 spectators in four days. Di Paola: «A pride»
The dream of Italy has vanished on the most beautiful. It is Germany that is crowned European women’s polo champion for the second time in its history. The 6-2 in Punta Ala against the Azzurre gives a success in the Ladies FIP European Polo Championship – US Polo Assn Trophy. already achieved in 2018. For coach Franco Piazza’s team the inevitable disappointment for the defeat – which came after the successes against England on Thursday and against France on Saturday – but also the awareness of still being at the top of the European pole, so much so that the public who arrived en masse at the Equestrian Center (over 3,000 presences over the three days of the competition) at the end reserved a long round of applause for the team and the staff led by the team leader Alessandro Giachetti.
The organizational success remains for the event that the International Polo Federation assigned to the Italian Equestrian Sports Federation and which was played in the club that Gaia Bulgari, with her work, brought back to its former glory. «Sport gives joys but also sorrows – the words of the president of the Italian Equestrian Sports Federation, Marco By Paola –. Today we hoped to win: Italy fought but Germany was superior, so that’s right. However, I would like to say that sport won above all today: they were four exciting days». Words, those of Di Paola, also shared by the general secretary Simone Perillo: «The great emotions experienced here remain, but also a prestigious silver medal for the national team and for the whole federation. We are proud to have contributed to the organization of an extraordinary sports festival».
To award the teams that participated in the fourth edition of the Ladies FIP European Polo Championship – US Polo Assn. Trophy, the mayor of Castiglione della Pescaia Elena Nappi: «When I arrived in Punta Ala for the first time, in the 90s, the Italian championships in September were the point of reference for sport. Thanks to Gaia Bulgari, this event and the one organized a year ago represented a moment of rebirth. The European exploit is worthy of the three great flywheels of Punta Ala: polo, golf and the port». To accompany the award ceremony, also the Fanfare riding the State Police.
The International Polo Federation was therefore able to appreciate the organizational efforts: «It’s wonderful to be here in Punta Ala – underlined the president Piero Dillier –. I played here 40 years ago and witnessed a splendid event. We hope to stay in Italy as far as tournaments are concerned: in 2024 we hope to be able to organize the Women’s World Cup in Villa a Sesta and to continue to support the international events organized by the Italian Equestrian Sports Federation on the national territory”.
«I would like to thank all those who have contributed to the organization of this event – explained Gaia Bulgarians, president of the Punta Ala Equestrian Center, welcomed at the time of the award ceremony by the ovation of the public -. Without teamwork, everything we experienced this week would not have been possible.”