But it was 1980 that saw for the first time an athlete from our club as world champion.
We are talking about Ciccio Esposito, the greatest Stabia athlete of all times, who at the World Lightweight Championships in Hazewinkel, in the federal double with Ruggiero Verroca (Circolo Barion), will win the first of his nine world titles (1980, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1988, 1990, 1992, 1994), not counting seven victories in Lucerne (1981, 1985, 1986, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1994), six gold medals at the French Internationals (1981, 1982, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1992), five P. D'Aloja Memorial, 13 Italian Champion titles and the first Italian athlete to be awarded the Keller Prize, FISA's international award (1996).
Also in 1980, on 17th August, Carmine Abbagnale, paired with Maurizio Cimmino, tim. Aniello Greco, was fourth at the World Jun Championships in Hazewinkel in the 2+.
The following year, 1981, the epic of the Abbagnale brothers and helmsman Peppiniello Di Capua began, with victory at the World Championships in Munich, which would lead to seven world titles (1981, 1982 Lucerne, 1985 Hazewinkel, 1987 Copenhagen, 1989 Bled, 1990 Tasmania, 1991 Vienna), two Olympic laurels (Los Angeles 1984, Seoul 1988), five gold medals at the Great Regatta in Moscow (1982, 1983, 1985, 1987, 1988), the Mediterranean Games (Athens 1991), four French Internationals (1979, 1984, 1985, 1993), 29 Italian Champion titles for Giuseppe, 23 for Carmine, 28 for Di Capua.
But our prestigious 2+, in addition to countless victories in international regattas, holds another enviable record, that of having won the Internationale Ruderregatta Rotsee-Luzern three times in a row in Lucerne (1983, 1984, 1985), securing a trophy (in the shape of a table clock) that no one had managed to take home before.
Just for curiosity's sake, we should mention that our prestigious 2+ also won one in 2-at the 1990 Vienna Internationals.
I would not like, at this point, to forget the gold medal won by Agostino Abbagnale, another Circolo Nautico Stabia athlete, in the 4 pair (4x) at the 1988 Seoul Olympics and the 10 Italian titles won with Stabia.
For all this activity and the contribution made to national rowing, on 13th April 1984 (prt. no. 777) Circolo Nautico Stabia was awarded CONI's highest honour, the Stella d'Oro al Merito Sportivo (Gold Star for Sporting Merit).
Here we would like to remember the names of all the other athletes who, with their sacrifices, their renunciations, their love for a sport that does not give financial rewards but only moral ones, have contributed so much to keep up the name of our Club and our City high. Let us not forget the managers, coaches and all the members who, even at the cost of considerable sacrifices, even in difficult times, have not failed to give their moral and financial support to so many enterprises.
Let's start with Italian champions Ferdinando Formisano (1976), Domenico Aiello (1976 and 1977)), Gennaro Cavaliere (1978 and 1981), Alfonso Shiano (1979 and 1981), Sergio Buonomo, tim. (1979), Aniello Greco, tim. (1980, 1982 and 1984), Maurizio Cimmino (1980 and 1981), Benedetto Nastro (1982 and 1983), Vincenzo Verde (1982 and 1983), Massimo Paradiso (1984, 1985, 1986, 1987 and 1988), La Mura Carmine Robert (1984, 1985, 1986, 1987 and 1988), Nastro Salvatore (1984), Aniello Zeccato (1985), Orazio Milano (1985 and 1988), Agostino Abbagnale (1986, 1987 and 1988), Luca Martorano 1987), Francesco Scote (1987), Stefano Bezzeccheri (1987 and 1993), Vincenzo Santaniello (1987 and 1993), Antonello D'Apice tim. (1987), Gioacchino Cascone (1990, 1991 and 1993), Alessandro Izzo (1990, 1991 and 1993), Antonio Cirillo tim. (1990, 1991 and 1993), Antonio Vescovo (1991 and 1993), Salvatore Amitrano (1992 and 1994), Antonio Albano (1992 and 1993), Luca Di Martino (1993), Catello Amarante (1994), Giovanni Di Stefano (1994).
Among the managers of the last glorious twenty years, we cannot fail to mention president Pasquale Gaeta, who believed in La Mura and followed him in everything, in competitions, in training and, why not, even in protests.
Many of us still remember the fiery Social Assemblies with La Mura and Gaeta against everyone.
The aggressive Geppino Cesarano, a rowing councillor, as impetuous as he was passionate about a sport he had never played. Of him we remember the flowery language, sometimes even robust, but always in defence of the athletes.
Count Marino Coppola, a gentleman from another era, a task, elegant, brilliant team leader.
Ciccio Landolfi, who in his maturity came to the club, becoming its careful and balanced treasurer. We still remember the love and affection with which he used to welcome the very young, new, aspiring rowers to the secretary's office, magnifying the achievements of the veterans. I do not think I am revea Alfonso Condoleo, who, after experiencing the sport of sailing first-hand, came to the Nautico and became its passionate manager.
The Cav. dello Sport Michele Illiano, who put all his sporting experience gained in Swimming at the service of the Club.
The secretary Annamaria, daughter of the helmsman Salvatore Perna, an attentive and valuable collaborator. Coach Giuseppe La Mura, the true architect of the rowing revolution, the inventor of Italian rowing, which propelled our rowing to unprecedented levels.
His collaborators, Vincenzo Cavallaro for years a scrupulous and attentive club doctor, Antonio Venditti and Antonio La Padula, the latter continuing the work undertaken by La Mura in Stabia.
Let us also remember the leaders of the latest generation, even though they can be said to have been born in the club, presidents Pippo D'Angelo and Antonio Cascone, the continuers of a tradition of style and sport, the true characteristics of the Stabia Nautical Club.
An institution that, in seventy-five years of life, through countless vicissitudes, has played and continues to play the role that is proper to it, that of bringing young people closer to sport, to true sport, a pure sport that educates to life, to sacrifice, to sufferings and achievements.
© Giuseppe D'Angelo
