Article by Giovanni Crosato - FIPT Photo Archive
The third edition of the Indoor World Championship will be officially presented to the press on Saturday 30 November at 11.00 am at the Urban Center in Rovereto, in the presence of political and sporting authorities, which, after the parenthesis in Catalan territory two years ago and the first edition of 2013 held in the Lands of Alto Mantovano, returns this year in Italy, in Rovereto on the weekend of 8 December.
The event is organized by FIPT - Italian Federation of Tambourine Ball Game - helped by the International Federation, in collaboration with the Province of Trento, Coni and the Municipality of Rovereto.
It will be the most important event of the year, with the participation of eleven nations, confirming a movement which is growing even beyond Europe. The presence of Brazil and Cuba is significant, especially in the indoor specialty, which uses smaller spaces and is easier to learn.
Teams representing Europe, including Italy, are France, Catalonia, Spain, Germany, San Marino, Hungary, England and Portugal.
For the qualifying men's phase, there are eleven teams in total, divided into three groups. In Group A we find France, winner of the laste Title, Spain, England and Cuba; in Group B Italy, Germany, Catalonia and Portugal; in Group C Brazil, Hungary and San Marino. The first teams of each group, the seconds and the best third, will go directly to the quarter-finals, while the other two thirds will face each other to define the last qualified team.
For women's only two groups, with the presence of eight representatives: in group A Italy, the winner of the last title two years ago in Catalonia, Brazil, Hungary and Portugal; in group B France will face Catalonia, Germany and England. All teams will enter the quarter-finals, with cross-matches between first and fourth of the groups and second and third.
The center of the event is the Gym of the Don Milani Institute, which will be joined by the Le Fucine Gym and the Tennis Halle, always in Rovereto.
The start of the qualifying phases will be on Friday morning. From the late morning of Saturday the quarter-finals and then the semi-finals on Sunday morning and the finals on Sunday afternoon.
To defend the Italians colours, for women, the athletes Beatrice and Chiara Zeni (Nave San Rocco), Rebecca Lanzoni (Nave San Rocco), Germana Baldo (Nave San Rocco), Veronica Trapletti (Nave San Rocco), Laura Lorenzoni (Mezzolombardo), Noemi Sogliani (Cavrianese) and Arianna Caliari (Mezzolombardo), are called to defend the double world title won in 2013 at Castel Goffredo and then confirmed in 2017 in Catalonia. Head of the female delegation Mr. Giovanni Dessì.
For men's category, led by Salvatore Occhipinti, the athletes are: Luca and Manuel Festi (Castellaro), Alessandro and Federico Merighi (Castellaro), Gabriel Fiorini (Marco), Marco Ferrera (Marco), Graziano Perottoni (Marco) and Gabriele Weber (Castellaro).