The 13th edition of Mitiche Sport at Bassano. A truly great edition!

A PARTICULAR WEEKEND WITH THE LEGENDARY BARCHETTAS
By Ferruccio Formentini

The plateau of Asiago, which became well-known in history of Italy because of the bloody battles fought there during the First World War, is one of the most beautiful mountain regions in the country.
This extraordinary natural location for hiking and the gatherings of the enthusiasts and aficionados cycling, motorbikes and automobiles is the location for one of the best organized and most characteristic sporting events that take place in Italy: "le mitiche sport a Bassano" (Sporting Legends at Bassano), held this year on the 17th and 16th of June.

90 barchettas of every period, as long as they were old enough to be called "historical", followed a route starting from the famous bridge of the "alpini"M at Bassano del Grappa, on the plain of Padua, and after travelling through forests and fantastic panoramas, reached Asiago, in the heart of the plateau that includes seven other municipal regions.

During the contest, which is mainly non-competitive but is more similar to a relaxing journey with lunches and snacks on the way in evocative locations, only five or six vehicles, which were perhaps a bit too historical, yielded to the strain of climbing their way up the endless slopes, wheezing and puffing like elderly ladies.

There were, nonetheless, the classic tests of speed that made it possible to obtain the results at the end of the day.
Although there were, of course, many Italian crews from every region of the country, there were the representatives of Belgium, Germany, the United States, France and even two vehicles from Japan.

Participating as guest-observers there was our network "Gensitalita" and the newly-created "Auriga Club" dedicated to historical Italian cars, represented by the president Mario Belati and the Member of Parliament Margherita Boniver, who took the opportunity to express her support for our initiatives intended to encourage increasingly close connections between Italy and Italians all over the world.

THE "MITICHE SPORT", A WORLD-WIDE PASSION
by Mario Belati

This event dedicated to a legendary sector of historical cars: two-seater racing cars, was initiated and sustained by the passion of its protagonists who meet every year with their "barchettas for the sheer pleasure of being together with each other and their cars.

This passion is so strong and deep-rooted that for the past thirteen years it has brought collectors from many countries of all five continents to come and meet at Bassano del Grappa.

Also the organizers are involved thanks to their own passion, united under the enthusiastic leadership of Danilo Calmonte, who began the event thirteen years ago, and his brother Renato.
These friends invited us to present, together with the Member of Parliament Margherita Boniver, the new portal of the Gens Italica Network Association and its Project regarding Historical Italian Cars, as well as to christen the Auriga Club that is participating in the realization of the Project.

Like this event also the Association was set up based on the simple idea of keeping the spirit of Italy alive and vital through a network of the communities of Italian origin throughout the world and of helping them to follow up their passions and enthusiasms.

First of all I wish to thank the Italo-American Ugo Piccagli, who was were present with his delightful co-driver Kitty in a splendid Siata 300 BC of 1952. He immediately gave his support to our initiative and, in emulation of Tazio Nuvolari, he crossed the finishing line of the first stage of the route at Asiago while waving the gear lever as if it were a trophy.

We would also like to compliment Francesco Arcieri for having won the bronze. His enthusiasm in helping us in this delicate phase of the launch was as great as that which he had for the competition, and we also have a question for him: when you will go back to driving an Italian racing car?

It was an unforgettable weekend also because the Calmonte brothers, with all their affectionate hospitality, let me drive their cars, which have a remarkable history of sporting glories. These were a perfect O.S.C.A. MT4 - 2AD of 1956 and a splendid Maserati A6 GCS 2000 of 1953, with its unique Scaglietti bodywork.

This is a prime example of an event which could well be exported, perhaps concentrating only on Italian cars. We spoke about this with Calmonte, with Piccagli, Arcieri and the honourable Boniver during the pauses in the race, while being entertained by the vitality of Maria Teresa De Filippis, the president of the Maserati Club, in the presence of RAI International.

We hope that all the aficionados of Italian cars will hear about Bassano and that this will fire their enthusiasm to participate in the events and initiatives of the Auriga Club, perhaps thanks to someone posting a lively narrative on Internet which tells the tale of this splendid event. One thing is sure about next year, and that it is my intention to attend as a participant, with a true and increasing passion for cars.