Kristian Corrias (Cressi), already vice Italian Champion 2017, wins the Italian Absolute Spearfishing Championship 2018, in the waters near his home, Cagliari, more specifically in Sant’Antioco, and does so in two days where he has no rivals. Behind him an always excellent Salvatore Roccaforte (Sigalsub). Third Claudio Marconcini (Saxsub). Cressi is once again Italian Absolute Spearfishing Champion.
Cold water at 14°C, strong current from the south and not very clear water, which is, the latter, usually very tipical of Sardinian waters all year long. Such conditions have determined very hard situations both days, with the spots set during preparation that were not useful anymore, since in the majority they had no fish anymore. Strategies have so changed from fishing deep around 30 meters, to scrolling the coast in a more defensive approach, looking for easier preys, even if of smaller dimensions. Possibility to speafish along the coast has been merit of FIPSAS able to obtain closure of such area for swimmers during competiton hours (thank you to local administration for such open approach). Athletes have so been seen going from deep spearfishing to shallow water and going fast with their dingies along the competition field from open sea to the coast or the small island of “La Vacca”.
Croakers and seabreams, as anticipated by our Gabriele Delbene, but also forkbeards, wrasses, salpas, and seabasses, and a few congers, redfish and gilthead seabreams, have been the catches of the competiton.
Final classification sees in order Corrias (200%), Roccaforte (104,97%) and Marconcini (85,31%) on the podium, followed by Angelo Ascione (Cressi), Rosario Lopis (Blue Green) and Diego Mazzocchi (Omer). An Absolute Italian Championship that has seen the…absolute supremacy of the extremely strong Kristian Corrias, whose capacities have never been in doubt, but who had never until now won an important title like the Italian Absolute Spearfishing Championship.
It is important to notice how Corrias has been net first in both days, where his 100% has been chased, but from far away, by the always aggressive Roccaforte (58,34%) in day 1, and Luigi Puretti (Omer), Italian Champion 2016 in Castelsardo, in day 2 (71,75%), but after having had a very bad day 1 with only one fish and 8,51%. Corrias has really cancelled the other competitiors thanks to constant total effectiveness of his spearfishing action: “always attack, this is my approach in competiton, and it has been even more here in Sant’Antioco, as it will be at the World Championship in Portugal in September (where AP will be present following live the event – ed). On my side was all the time Bruno De Silvestri, to him much of the merit”. Sure, a key point has been the guy on the boat, even though calling it like that seems a little bit of a joke. Multiple champion and best connoisseur of the spearfishing fields of the championship, De Silvestri has been surely key asset for final victory of Corrias. We must say, though, that, as commented by Corrias at the end of day 2, still wearing his wetsuit, when we have interviewed him (only in italian), “fish must also be caught”.
And if ultra winning couple Corrias-De Silvestri has been shining among competitors, another couple has been a luxury one, with World spearos like Roccaforte-De Mola, who in fact have obtained second position. And here we must spend a couple of words on Roccaforte, an athlete always battling among the first, both when he participates in International competitions, and also here in the Italian Championsip, where last year he had obtained third final position.
Marconcini, third in day 1 (49,13%), defends himself in day 2 and catches a great podium with 85,31% in front of Angelo Ascione (84,24%), who manages to conquer fourth battling with physical problems who has strongly limited him in day 1 (22,46%), and obtains result thanks to experience and intelligence with a great third position in day 2 (61,76%). Also Rosario Lopis, in Sardinian sea obtains a fantastic 5°, very close to podium (81,48%).
Sixth is the first Omer athlete, Diego Mazzocchi, “savior of the fatherland”, since the great army (about 10 official athletes) of the Company definately focused in spearfishing has been very undertone at Sant’Antioco , with back positions for very quoted spearos such as Puretti, Gian Franco Loiande Rocco Cuccaro, former Italian Champion, only final 13th.
Concetto Felice, new athlete of Salvimar, in the official Italian Team in the coming World Champ in Portugal, manages to obtaine a decent 9° position thanks to a strategy always in shallow water, his psecility, that has given him many catches, only part of which at valid weight.
Behind him Federico Giudice Abyssub Team, while to be able to find a Mares athlete we need to go down to 15° position, with Diego D’Alessandro who, thanks to a great second day (52,63%), is the last one to avoid retrocession after a tragic first day (0%).
A final comment must be made on Dario Maccioni (Cressi), a very good national athlete in Syros, Greece, final 4° at the World Champ, who has wanted to push fishing all the time in deep water, without protecting himself with a more conservative strategy, and finally 19°, a position that last year would have saved him (first 20 stayed in forst category), but this year, with only the first 15 to be saved, take him back to second category.
Also the many times Italian Champion Nicolò Riolo (Top Sub), has had a very difficult Italian Champioship, with actually only 36° final position out of 38 athletes.
Both athletes will manage to recover, we hope, at the CMAS Spearfishing Championship for clubs in Tunis, that will be held from 27th to 1° of July, and at which also “our” Gabriele Delbene will take part, in team with Maccioni. Other top names are Renzo Mazzarri and Riccardo Molteni, but also World Champion Cypriot spearo George Vasiliou (XT Diving), and third on podium of the World Champ Greek Gerasimus Kavvadias (XT Diving).
We will follow all competition live in Tunis with live streaming on Facebook, photos and articles thanks to our International correspondant Valentina Prokic.
