Stefano Ginesi and Susanna Rohr Took Podium at Terre di Canossa


 

Between April 21 and 24, 2022, the 12th edition of Terre di Canossa explored the enchanting roads crossing Emilia, Liguria and Tuscany, covering 670 km. 98 crews from 12 countries competed in 25 timed trials, 4 average speed trials and for 1 special trophy. 

For this year's edition, crews were delighted to have the chance to savour some of the pleasures of past years: the customary departure from the Art Nouveau town of Salsomaggiore Terme, the gala dinner in the romantic setting of Tabiano Castle, driving through Lucca's old town centre and on the ancient city walls, the parade at the Military Arsenal in La Spezia, the Trofeo Tricolore, as well as the final lunch in the marvellous venue of Fondazione Magnani Rocca in the province of Parma.

There were also many new additions this year to surprise clients who are passionate about their cars. They included staying at Il Ciocco estate in the lush Garfagnana area for the first-time as well as stopping at colourful and picturesque Porto Venere, and the boat trip exploring the hidden beauty of the islands of Palmaria, Tino and Tinetto. This year, a top highlight was driving through the art city of Pisa, famous for the Leaning Tower and medieval Piazza dei Cavalieri. As the event drew to a close, the crews were met with a warm welcome at Quattro Castella, the heart of the Motor Valley and the lands of Queen Matilda, with musicians in traditional dress celebrating the arrival of the race.

Day 0 - Salsomaggiore Terme

As per tradition, the town of Salsomaggiore Terme once again provided the ideal setting to host the departure of the crews in the Terre di Canossa, the driving experience focusing on the Terre Matildiche area. The heart of Italian Art Nouveau and at the centre of two world-famous areas of excellence: the famous Motor Valley and the Food Valley, Salsomaggiore Terme eagerly awaited the start of the regularity race in Emilia, Liguria and Tuscany.

As accreditation and scrutineering got under way at the Grand Hotel Salsomaggiore, the crews from Europe and further afield arrived to collect their race kits and line up their four-wheeled gems for the public to admire ahead of the official start.

In the evening, the competitors met in the magical setting of Tabiano Castle, built at the turn of the 11th century and considered one of the most important feudal fortresses in Emilia. While taking in this historic and evocative setting, they sampled some of the world-famous specialities from Emilia designed by Michelin chef Massimo Spigaroli for the Gala evening.

Day 1 - Salsomaggiore Terme to Barga

By 8.00 a.m. on Friday 22nd, the cars were already lining up in Piazza Berzieri, opposite the famous Spa building. As usual, Luigi Orlandini, President of Canossa Events, waved the crews off with the Italian flag at 8:30 a.m., wishing them a safe journey. The classic four-wheeled masterpieces and the modern Ferraris took off in their exploration of the beautiful scenery in Emilia, Liguria and Tuscany.

The crews made a beeline to the hills and the Tuscan-Emilian Apennines, their sights clearly on the thrill of tackling the hairpin bends. After a short break in the charming little town of Borgo Val di Taro, the itinerary took them up to the Cento Croci Pass, where a series of challenging timed trials awaited. After driving down the other side, they reached the picturesque and colourful town of Porto Venere to enjoy its charming coastal atmosphere. After stopping for lunch, the crews were treated to a boat trip, specially organised to give them the opportunity to see the true splendour of Porto Venere, a UNESCO World Heritage Site along with the islands of Palmaria, Tino and Tinetto.

They were soon back behind the wheel, en route to La Spezia and the spectacular and exclusive checkpoint at the Maritime Military Arsenal, one of the Italian Navy’s main bases and a major hub for ship maintenance. The crews drove in convoy past the "most beautiful ship in the world", the Amerigo Vespucci. After La Spezia, the next stop was the old town centre of Castelnuovo Garfagnana and then elegant Fortezza di Mont'Alfonso, a defensive structure built at the end of the 16th century as the last garrison of the Duchy of Ferrara, where an evening event in the fascinating lush Serchio Valley had been organised.

Andrea Tagliasacchi, Mayor of Castelnuovo di Garfagnana, was pleased to welcome all the crews and the organisers: "We are particularly pleased to welcome Terre di Canossa for the prestige associated with this event, and for the honour of being selected as a destination point for the first time and not just a checkpoint, especially as this year is so special for us as it marks the 500th anniversary of Ludovico Ariosto’s arrival in Garfagnana as a commissioner representing the Este family’s estate, the area that also brought us the "Terre di Canossa” cars and that shares four centuries of history with Garfagnana and still shares many aspects today despite the physical barrier of the Apennines".

For the first time ever, the crews taking part in the 2022 edition of the Terre di Canossa stayed in the romantic town of Barga, a haven of paradise hidden away in the countryside near Lucca.

Day 2 - Lucca, Pisa, Forte dei Marmi, and Barga

The second day of the Terre di Canossa started at 9.00 a.m. with a leg dedicated to Tuscany and its wonderful art cities. The crews drove into the lush, green Garfagnana area of northern Tuscany, known for its lovely hills and mountain scenery. After exploring the luxuriant Apuan Alps and the utterly unspoilt scenery, the crews took up the challenge of the timed trials before driving into the medieval village of Gragliana.

The day continued with a drive through the picturesque streets of Lucca's old town centre, the traditional checkpoint opposite the church of San Michele, and a quick stop in Piazza Napoleone. The drive along the old city walls was as special and exciting as ever, with access granted exclusively to the crews taking part in the Terre di Canossa who were greeted by flag-wavers in medieval dress and the fast-paced rhythm of the drums. They were also met by the cheers of a large and enthusiastic crowd, who photographed the cars from all over the world showing their great passion for motoring.

The race continued through the streets of Pisa, famous for its iconic Leaning Tower. After the checkpoint on the Lungarni and Piazza dei Cavalieri, watched over by the Scuola Normale, the cars reached the coast of Versilia. The elegant coastal town of Forte dei Marmi is an international tourist destination, where the cars parked up in Piazza Marconi to the joy of the many enthusiasts who came to see the cars on display.

Graziella Polacci, Deputy Mayor and Councillor for Culture and Tourism of the Municipality of Forte dei Marmi, greeted the participants, saying: "The Terre di Canossa is an event that is not just a race; it is also about passion, about exploring our country and Italy’s famous tourist destinations; it is a journey accompanied by the joy of the local food and wine and the discovery of the special attractions that our town has to offer. We look forward to welcoming the crews from all over the world again this year.”

After a relaxing lunch at the iconic Twiga beach resort, one of the most famous in Italy, the convoy of cars set off for the 'Strada del Marmo' (Marble Road), taking the crews through narrow tunnels dug into the rock up to the most spectacular marble quarries in this part of Italy, past pure white slabs and the Apuan Alps towering into the sky. After an exciting series of trials, the day’s driving finally wound down at Barga, a popular tourist town in the Serchio Valley.

Day 3 - Barga to Quattro Castella

The Terre di Canossa cars set off for the third leg on Sunday, at 8.45 a.m. The crews said goodbye to the green hills of Garfagnana ready to drive back into Emilia, the heart of the Motor Valley and the motors famous for packing the best performance in the world. Along the route, the crews tackled one of the most interesting sections in the Tuscan-Emilian Apennines: the Pradarena Pass, linking the provinces of Lucca and Reggio Emilia. Despite the bad weather and some distinctly unseasonal snow and ice, the convoy reached Casa Canossa, the headquarters of Canossa Events, by opting for an alternative route, where the highly-awaited Trofeo Tricolore was awarded.

The crews then drove to Piazza Dante in Quattro Castella, the heart of the lands that were once the reign of Queen Matilda of Canossa, for the last time check and display of the cars to the public. As usual, the organisers of the Terre di Canossa thanked the Municipality of Quattro Castella for the warm welcome received by all the crews in the race.

Alberto Olmi, Mayor of Quattro Castella, expressed his appreciation for the race: "It is an honour to welcome this fascinating event to our area for the second year. The pictures of last year’s rally are still vivid in our minds when, just as we were on the other side of the second wave of the pandemic, we were able to feel the joy of a wonderful morning spent admiring the 'beauty' of these masterpieces on four wheels. We are pleased to have the opportunity to welcome these enthusiasts and tourists from all over the world, to give them the chance to savour the strong sensations they have come to expect of our area, along with a more unexpected sample of our culture and history we have prepared for them in the square".

Once again, the enchanting venue for this year’s last stop was provided by Fondazione Magnani Rocca, the Villa dei Capolavori at Mamiano and Luigi Magnani's prestigious collection of contemporary artworks.

The collection has works by Gentile da Fabriano, Lippi, Carpaccio, Dürer, Titian, Rubens, Van Dyck and contemporary works by Monet, Renoir, Cézanne, De Chirico, De Pisis, Morandi, Burri, as well as sculptures by Canova and Bartolini. This was the ideal place for the crews to relax while waiting for the prize-giving ceremony and the winners of the 2022 edition of the Terre di Canossa to be announced.

The Podium

After three intense days behind the wheel, complete with thrilling challenges, relaxing moments spent socialising and Italy’s wonderful and iconic scenery, the winners of the 2022 edition were officially announced, bringing the experience to a close.

Crew number 3 was declared the overall winner of Terre di Canossa 2022: Stefano Ginesi and  Susanna Rohr in their 1959 Porsche 356 A 1600 GT, also bagging the Special Prize for the winner without a Coefficient for Performance Ranking.

Crew number 14 won second place on the podium in the overall final classification: Guillermo Acevedo and Amalia Saenz in a 1939 MG TB, who also won the Special prize for the Pre-War Car.

Third place went to crew number 8: Pablo Diego Lara and Lucia Martin in a 1934 Fiat 508 S Balilla, who also won the Trofeo Tricolore.

The special ranking for the average speed trials was won by crew number 96: Fabio Vergamini and Anna Maria Fabrizi in a Ferrari 488 GTB. Crew number 97 took home the ranking for the modern Ferraris: Franco Serventi and Daniela Maccini in a Ferrari 458 Speciale A. Crew number 96 came second: Fabio Vergamini and Anna Maria Fabrizi in a Ferrari 488 GTB, followed by crew number 93: Marco Serventi and Luigi Battei in Ferrari 488 Pista.

The special prize for the first team in the rankings went to Team Tartaruga Argentina. The Under 30 prize went to crew number 73, Simone Rossoni and Federica Cucchi in their 1973 Fiat X1/9.

The crews from all over the world competed for the international cups:

  • Argentina - crew 14, Guillermo Acevedo and Amalia Saenz in a 1939 MG TB
  • Australia - crew 63, Stephen James Lambert and Ruth Lambert in a 1967 VW Karmann Ghia
  • Austria - crew 40, Peter Brandstätter and Sabine Brandstätter in a 1958 Porsche 356 A
  • Belgium - crew 11, Ivo Nijs and Liliane Lemmens in a 1937 Lagonda LG 45 Rapide
  • Germany - crew 61,Thomas Herold and Marion Herold in their 1964 Porsche 356 C
  • Netherlands - crew 27, Cornis Filius and Maria Filius in a 1955 Fiat 1100 103 Berlina
  • Switzerland - crew 3, Stefano Ginesi and Susanna Rohr in a 1959 Porsche 356 A 1600 GT
  • United Kingdom - crew 16, Adrian Martin and Alison Martin in a 1946 MG TC
  • United States - crew 21, David Atcherley and Lisa Atcherley in a 1950 Healey Silverstone
  • Uruguay - crew 29, Daniel Wild and Camila Carve in a 1955 Triumph TR2 Sports.

Green, and Charitable

Environmental issues are increasingly important for the organisers, who confirmed their eco-friendly outlook for the seventh year running by once again implementing a CarbonZero protocol to completely offset the residual emissions of CO2 by planting new trees in the Tuscan-Emilian Apennines.  As a result, Terre di Canossa reaffirmed its status as the only “zero emissions” event of its kind.

This year Canossa is contributing to support humanitarian aid to the Ukrainian people during the terrible crisis they are facing. Hoping that this dramatic situation will resolve as soon as possible, Canossa has decided to donate the proceeds of Terre di Canossa to the people involved in the conflict.

Cutting Edge Technology

The event again opted to use the Racelink platform, the first satellite monitoring solution designed for on-road motor races. Offering clients the chance to use the latest services has always been important for the organisers. Safety is another important aspect: Racelink lets the Operations Room monitor the position of the cars driven by competitors and the service vehicles at all times, drastically reducing how long it takes to intervene and safeguarding the precision of the assistance offered should the need arise. It also guarantees contact with all the competitors at all times during the rally to give them the latest information they need to compete.

During this year’s edition, the participants were also able to make full use of the new Canossa App for the first time, exploring all the exclusive experiences that Canossa organises. This dedicated App gives customers access to all the events on the calendar, a selection of extraordinary road-trips, and news from around the world of driving events. It is also possible to see a selection of event photos, create your personal profile, and update your fleet of cars.

Appreciation

The President and CEO of Canossa, Luigi Orlandini, thanked all those who helped to make the event such a huge success: "This was certainly the wettest of all the 12 editions, but the rain wasn’t able to dampen the enthusiasm of the crews taking part and neither that of the team from Canossa. It has been a fabulous, very international edition that ran smoothly thanks to the hard work of the officers from the Traffic Police who escorted us".

A special thank you was extended to all the towns and areas visited and that hosted the event. Precious as always, the race officials’ support as well as the unflagging assistance of or staff.