A Crew of Rowers Aged Forty Five to Fifty Six Won Castiglione della Pescaia's Veterans Palio for the First Time
Rione Castello were level with Piazza after two turns on the Bruna river before edging ahead on the third of four lengths in the 1,200 metre final.
Rione Castello won the seventh Palio dei Veterani on the Bruna river at Castiglione della Pescaia, on the Tuscan coast, on 13 September 2026, beating Piazza and Ponte in a 1,200-metre final. It was Castello's first victory in the event, which this year was dedicated to the writer Carlo Fruttero on the centenary of his birth.
Castello, whose four oarsmen are aged between 45 and 56 and whose coxswain, Andrea Pietrini, is 52, set the fastest time in the morning qualifying over 600 metres with 3:53.8. Piazza clocked 3:56.7 and Ponte 4:00.8, while Portaccia were eliminated in 4:08.5. Rione Marina did not take part.
Racing from the centre lane in the boat Rondine, Castello were level with Piazza through the first two turns of the three-turn final. They pushed their bow in front on the third length, made the last turn in the lead and held on to the finish, with Piazza close behind and Ponte dropping back.
The crews were made up entirely of veterans. Piazza's coxswain and one of its oarsmen were 60, while Ponte's first oar, Tullio Serafin, was 67, the oldest competitor in the final. Castello's crew was completed by Enrico Bonarini, Marco Marchi, Alessandro Filippeschi and Federico Taddei.
Councillor Susanna Lorenzini and Carlotta Fruttero, one of the writer's daughters, presented medals to every crew along with the palio, painted by Patrizia Berti. Fruttero was made an honorary citizen of the town in 2010.