Successful repeat for the historical re-enactment of the regularity race reserved for vintage motorcycles
September 19, 2024
Just one year ago we happily welcomed the rebirth, exactly one century after the first edition, of the regularity race that went from Rome to Pescara, in the then municipality of Castellammare Adriatico, organized by the Abruzzese nobles Diego De Sterlich Aliprandi and Giacomo Acerbo, symbolic figures of heroic motoring.
The “Rievocazione Storica Coppa Roma – Castellammare Adriatico”, included in the national calendar of FMI competitions and which aims to recover and enhance the national motorsport tradition, crossing the green heart of Italy, with unaltered and unique landscape views, this time saw the participation of over thirty competitors, coming from various Italian regions and from Austria and the USA, with ages ranging from 23 to 83, demonstrating that enthusiasm and passion belong to all generations.
The motorcycles at the start, mostly built before 1945, of particular historical-collectible value and in sporting trim, were selected from the main European historical clubs and registers: just to name a few, there were competitors from the Austrian and Italian “Norton Owners Club”, the “Registro Storico Benelli”, the two exclusive Roman clubs “Old School’s Honour” and “Vitesse Oblige” as well as the Romagna members of the “Museo Nazionale del Motociclo” and the large representation, already present in the first edition, of the “Ariel Motoclub Italia”.
To enhance the reminiscent spirit of the event and in respect of history, almost all participants exhibited an appropriate “dress code”.
The re-enactment, the first of its kind in this way in Italy, took place over three days, from 6 to 8 September: Friday was dedicated to technical checks and preliminary operations, while Saturday was the day of the actual race, starting from Monterotondo (RM) and retracing the old route of the competition, along the ancient consular roads Salaria and Tiburtina, connected by the SS 17 of the Abruzzo and Appulo-Sannitico Apennines as well as by the Valle Subequana, with stops for time checks in Cittaducale (RI), San Demetrio né Vestini (AQ), Popoli (PE) and the end of the race in Caprara d’Abruzzo (PE).
Saturday concluded with a gala dinner and the award ceremony at the “Caffè Letterario” in the heart of Pescara Vecchia, in the shadow of Gabriele d’Annunzio’s birthplace, in the presence of Patrizia Martelli, Councilor for Sport for the Municipality of Pescara, Alessandra Berghella, Regional Vice President for Abruzzo of CONI and Piero Salvati, President of the FMI Regional Committee.
These events, increasingly widespread in Italy and Europe, are an unparalleled showcase for the territory, giving participants unique experiences, just as unique is the show that the vehicles of the past offer.
Starting from an event of the Abruzzo motoring memory, with streets that were the scene of competitions still remembered today at an international level, the “Rievocazione Storica Coppa Roma – Castellammare Adriatico” is not limited to the historical reenactment alone, but supports and spreads the culture of “slow travel”, or so-called slow tourism, so sensitive to the culture and tradition of the places crossed.
In this event, the particularity of the competing vehicles further enhanced this spirit, proposing a real travelling museum, dynamically exhibited for a day, while the feelings of friendship, closeness and mutual help were perceived by the youngest who had the opportunity to experience the participants’ stories up close at each stop.
For the record, the ranking is reported, even if seeing the checkered flag at the finish line, beyond the performance, has already given a taste of victory to all the competitors.
Veterans
1st Massimo Gualandri Benelli 4TS year 1935
1st Marco Brusciotti Benelli 220 Sport year 1935
2nd Francesco Barra Moto Guzzi Sport 15 year 1937
3° Roland Grossbichler (Austria) Raleigh Model 6 Sport Special 1924
Back
1st Francesco Giraldi Moto Guzzi GTV year 1937
2nd Mario Denni Matchless 41-G3L year 1942
3° Marta Barra Ariel 350 W/NG anno 1943
Guest
1st Peter Boggia (USA) Triumph Bonneville year 1969
2nd Giulio Romanazzi Carducci BSA Rocket Gold Star year 1963
3rd Rossella Rampi BSA Firebird Scrambler year 1969
The third edition of the “Historical Reenactment of the Coppa Roma – Castellammare Adriatico” is scheduled for September 2025.
