On Wednesday 28 June, in the magnificent setting of Piazza Maggiore, in Feltre , the program of the MonteAvena2017 Paragliding World Championship was presented , the first edition in Italy and with record numbers: 150 athletes and 48 participating countries , never happened in the previous 14 editions.
For the occasion there were also our home drivers who will defend the colors of Italy during the championship and who have chosen this moment to officially present themselves to the public. Here is the team that will bring Italian pride to the skies: Silvia Buzzi Ferraris (Milan), Joachim Oberhauser (Termeno, Bolzano), Luca Donini (Molveno, Trento),Biagio Alberto Vitale (Bologna), Christian Biasi (Rovereto, Trento) and Alberto Castagna , coach of the national team (Cologno Monzese, Milan).
Here are the details of the Italian athletes:
Silvia Buzzi Ferraris
Born in Milan on September 25, 1967, married with two twin daughters aged 19, graduated in physics and teaches mathematics and physics. Her hobbies: paragliding, kite, triathlon, ski mountaineering and then a passion for embroidery, crochet and playing the piano. In paragliding she was the Italian champion for ten years starting from 1994;
Joachim Oberhauser
Born in Bolzano on October 14, 1975. In flight since 1993, starting from 2004 he began to compete. His best results: European Team Champion in 2010, winner of the Italian Cup in 2013 and 2015, 7th in the European Championship in Abtenau in 2010, 10th in the World Championship in Roldanillo in 2015, runner-up in the European Championship in Krushevo in 2016;
Christian Biasi
Born on June 16, 1973 in Rovereto, Trentino Italy. The passion for the mountains and flying was transmitted by the father who practiced parachuting. He practices mountaineering, downhill skiing, ski mountaineering and mountain running, but paragliding absorbs most of his free time, as he practices it at a national and international competitive level. In his palmares there are four Italian Champion titles (2002, 2004, 2006, 2009) and various important placings with the blue jersey of the National team and in the Paragliding World Cup. He has been part of the Italian national team since 1999;
Luca DONINI
Born in Trento on February 22, 1963, he has been flying since the early 90s. His best results: 2001 World champion, European champion in 2006 and 2010, Italian champion in 2016, European team champion in 2004 and 2010, several silver and bronze medals at World and European Championships;
Biagio Alberto Vitale
Italian champion in 2007, gold per team in the 2010 European Championships, bronze per team in the 2016 European Championships, twice winner of the Guarnieri Trophy;
Alberto Castagna, Italian National Team Leader
Born in Milan on 28 August 1963. He has been flying since 1990 and has been team leader of the National team since 1998. Married to Ida with the same passion for flying, his best results are, as coach: gold medal – European Nations Champion in 2004 and in 2010, silver medal of the Nations World Championship in 2009 and 2013; European Nations Championship silver medal in 1998 and 2006; Bronze medal of Nations World Championship in 2001, Bronze medal of Nations European Championship in 2008, 2014 and 2016.
After the greeting of Colonel David Morpurgo , commander of the 51st Wing, the passage of the Frecce Tricoloriwhich, after 50 years of absence, darted in formation from nine aircraft over Feltre to its valley. A good wish to all sportsmen and organizers of the event, as Matteo Di Brina , president of MonteAvena2017 comments:
Seeing them pass is a dream that has become reality, an incredible emotion, made even greater by the fact that they passed by just to say hello. our World Cup. An extraordinary event not only for us, but to be shared with the whole territory: the Frecce had been missing for half a century, we hope that many will appreciate our efforts and this result!
The 15th edition of the Paragliding World Championship will officially kick off with the majestic opening ceremonySunday 2 July which will be followed by a day of technical tests, set for 3 July .
The competition gets underway on Tuesday 4th July with the first competition assignment valid for the scores. The disciplines will then proceed until Saturday 15, the day in which the new world champion will be proclaimed. A curiosity: men and women compete together without separate competitions.
But MonteAvena2017 will not be just paragliding : many, in fact, are the activities that will take place around the competition, starting from 1 July with “Monte Avena Dolomti Expo” , the fair dedicated to free flight and outdoor sports with the possibility , for enthusiasts and daredevils, to experience the thrill of tandem flight.
And then againnature excursions, visits to historic centers, tastings of typical products , bicycle tours, cannyoning, climbing, concerts, good food and much more. The nerve center of this vortex of events is the main landing field of the World Championship, in the Boscherai area of ​​Pedavena.
