Rowing, blue four pair writes another page of history
The Olympic Museum in Lausanne was the setting on Saturday evening for a historic event for Italian rowing: World Rowing (the world federation) in fact crowned Italy’s four pair as the men’s crew of the year, an award never before given to an Italian boat since it was established in 2002. Luca Chiumento, Luca Rambaldi, Andrea Panizza and Giacomo Gentili, financiers, world champions in Shanghai on Sept. 25 and vice Olympic champions in Paris 2024, thus add a new chapter to the history of Italian rowing.
The choice rewards the great continuity of the Italian four pair: in the last five World Championships, two golds (Plovdiv 2018, Shanghai 2025), one silver (Belgrade 2023) and two bronzes (Linz 2019, Racice 2022) have come, in addition to Olympic silver. The recognition also has symbolic value: the story of this crew began in 2018 with Filippo Mondelli replacing Chiumento, the rower who passed away in 2021 from osteosarcoma. Since then, the Azzurri have carried his flag with them on the podium, as if their partner continued to row with them.
“We are overjoyed for this recognition because it crowns our sporting and human paths – explains Luca Rambaldi -We wish to share this satisfaction with the whole Italian movement that, with its affection, has certainly given us a great boost. The whole crew put heart, muscle and soul into the water to win the’gold in Shanghai. We dedicate this award to those who were there at the’beginning, our extraordinary partner Filippo Mondelli, and to President Davide Tizzano, who was always close to us along the way to the World Championships, to the Fiamme Gialle and to the whole Federation”.
“An immense joy, a very strong emotion because we are the first Italian crew in history to win this world prize and it is only right, therefore, to thank all those who have always believed in us” adds Giacomo Gentili, while Luca Chiumento, for his part, explains: “It is a great pride for us to share with our families and with those who unfortunately are no longer here today. It is a starting point toward a great 2026 with the European Championships at home, on Lake Varese, and the World Championships in Amsterdam”.
So instead Andrea Panizza: “The Italian rowing community has made us feel strongly its support throughout the whole year and to be awarded today by World Rowing is the crowning achievement of the many efforts conducted in these years. Thanks to all those who have been close to us since the beginning of our careers, especially managers and technicians who put up with and support us”.
“My thoughts go, especially, to our president Davide Tizzano, who in a short time has passed on his vision and passion to us, and to Filippo Mondelli because much of this journey bears his name. Ours is a ‘five’ pair” still affirms the’athlete of the Fiamme Gialle and the Italian national team.
