Laura Meriano and Alice Codato win gold in the women's "coxless pair" at the Rowing World Cup: tricolor celebration in Varese
Varese, 15 June 2025 – They did not leave even a metre to their opponents Laura Meriano (Società Canottieri Garda Salò-CS Carabinieri) and Alice Codato ( Fiamme Oro-Gavirate), who this Sunday literally dominated the final of the coxless pair at the first World Cup event in Varese.
There was no storyAn impressive supremacy – which comes just two weeks after the silver won at the European Absolute Championships in Plovdiv, Bulgaria – and which brings with it a historic record: never before had the Italian women's pair won gold in a World Cup final. It is also the first victory of a national crew in this weekend of competitions at the Schiranna in Varese.
It was already clear that the two Italian champions were in great shape in the heats and semifinals on Saturday , which they won almost effortlessly. The final confirmed, if there was still any need, the special chemistry between the two athletes, who had taken to the water together for the first time in Bulgaria . On Sunday, Meriano and Codato wasted no time and from the start they pushed on the accelerator with a powerful and harmonious stroke, starting to gain meters on their opponents and leaving all the other competitors behind.
Netherlands and Czech Republic mockedAt 1000 meters they had already put 4.83 seconds ahead of the Czech Republic and more than 5 seconds ahead of the Netherlands. An advantage that grew even further at 1500, with the Netherlands overtaking the Czechs, but without ever worrying the Italian boat, which reached the finish line in 6.54.18 with 3.29 on the Dutch and 4 on the Czech Republic. On the same day Laura Meriano and Alice Codato also took to the water in the final of the eight, arriving fifth at the finish line, just one hundredth of a second behind Germany. A generous and hard-fought race that saw Great Britain win ahead of the United States and Australia.
Since 1891, the Società Canottieri Garda Salò has promoted sport and its values, introducing hundreds of young athletes to different disciplines every year: rowing, swimming and sailing, but also tennis and triathlon . Its competitive teams participate in the main national and international competitions, with a growing number of successes.
Today the sailing club has over a thousand members, manages the private Mauro Melzani port of Salò, which can accommodate up to 120 boats, a sports center with swimming pools, a summer park, gym and physiotherapy studios as well as a Tennis Club. The commitment of the company has been rewarded by CONI with the assignment of the Stella d'oro and the Collare d'oro for sporting merit, the highest honors in Italian sport.
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Il Giorno
