The 35th Stella Alpina has come to a close: the rally organised by Scuderia Trentina and Canossa Events had the additional honour this year of being the first regularity race to take place post Covid-19, after three hard months in lockdown. Naturally, the main focus of the organisers was the safety of the participants, who were greeted with a smiling face, even if hidden by face masks, in compliance with safety rules.
The event took place from 26th to 28th June: three exciting days’ driving on the most scenic routes through the Dolomites and across some spectacular mountain passes, with the crews gathering at the starting line in an atmosphere that was friendly yet competitive.
The 2020 edition
Wonderful scenery, beautiful roads with challenging curves and hairpin bends, challenging time trials and average speed trials,hospitality organised at Madonna di Campiglio, the Pearl of the Dolomites, famous for being a favourite with Princess Sissi and the Emperor of Austria and still with its air of exclusive appeal, with lunches and dinners high up in the Italian Alps. In 2020, the organisers were once again determined to make this a very special edition and successfully turned the event into a unique occasion despite the restrictions imposed at this particular time. The combination of sport, passion, scenery, hairpin bends, superb hospitality, and breathtaking scenery with a wonderful backdrop provided by the Dolomites accompanied the participants whose passion for their cars is matched for their love for travel, good food and excellent wine. There was a tangible eagerness among the participants to get back behind the wheel of their four-wheeled gems after the long, compulsory break.
The tourism formula was also a great success, with around forty crews taking part, some in classic cars but most driving modern Ferraris, revelling in the sensation of soaring down the roads and enjoying the sheer pleasure of driving followed by more convivial moments.
The Challenge and the Podium
The challenging time trials and average speed trials put the crews to the test in a healthy yet competitive climate. There were many demanding trials, all taking place in a magnificent setting with a route covering about 500 km. The competition was tough until the last leg; the winners of this 35th edition were announced during the awards ceremony held in the spectacular setting of Villa Bortolazzi in Trento.
After an exciting head-to-head challenge, crew 31, Mario and Roberto Crugnola took the top place on the podium for classic cars, winning first place overall as well as the Azimut trophy in their 1971 Lancia Fulvia HF. Riccardo Roversi and Michele Bellini took second place in their 1954 Fiat 1100/103 and also won the Trofeo Stella Alpina reserved for pre-1957 cars. Michele Lafortezza and Ilaria Carturan won third place in their 1976 Lancia Fulvia Coupé.
Giovanni Carretti and Antonella Furlan dominated the rankings for modern Ferraris in their Ferrari 488 Spider, ahead of Enrico Zobele and Ivana Trentinaglia in their Ferrari 812 GTS and Fabio Vergamini and Maurizia Bertolucci in their Ferrari 488 GTB.
The Coppa delle Dame, Trofeo Ferrari, went to Patrizia Montagni and Sveva Fossati in a 1967 Mercedes 280 SL.
The award for the under 30 crewwas won by Ciro Agostini and Diletta Montagni in a 1963 Alfa Romeo Giulia 1600.
The Stella Alpina 2020 in numbers
- 70 crews, some taking part in the race and others in the tourism category
- 23 classic cars
- 47 modern cars
- 43 Ferraris taking part in the event
- 500 kilometres route
- 35 editions of the event
- 150 people involved in organising various aspects of the rally: the members of Scuderia Trentina, the Canossa Events team, rally personnel, timekeepers, photographers and cameramen….
The route and the legs: the event day-by-day
Friday 26th June – Scrutineering and First Leg
Friday, June 26th Trento’s G. Caproni airport came to life as the crews began to arrive for the Stella Alpina, all full of enthusiasm and eager to take part in the first event to be held after being obliged to shut their cars away in the garage for so many, long months, full of excitement at the prospect of taking on the roads through Trentino. The cars lined up, creating a truly superb parterre for anyone who loves classic cars and for fans of the Prancing Horse.
The race got off to a start with the cars dashing down the legendary Trento-Bondone road with its famous hairpin bends and “endless” climb, before heading towards Lake Toblino, Terme di Comano, Tione, Valle Rendena, and finishing the day at Madonna di Campiglio, after driving 115 kilometres.
Saturday 27th June – Second Leg through wonderful alpine passes
The second leg was undoubtedly the most demanding of the three: driving through the spectacular scenery of some of the most beautiful roads in the Dolomites, the route climbing along a panoramic and complex itinerary and across lesser known mountain passes offering some superb views. The cars drove up to Campo Carlo Magno and Folgarida, dropping down into Val di Sole and Val di Non, before crossing Piana Rotaliana and climbing up again towards Cavalese and back down again into the Adige Valley. The crews crossed Passo Mendola, through Val di Non and Val di Sole before returning to Madonna di Campiglio, completing a route of 250 km. The day ended with dinner at Rifugio Boch. Up here, even though low clouds obscured the view, it is always special to spend the evening at the top of a mountain in the heart of the Dolomites, with the participants raising a glass and enjoying each other’s company in the relaxed and friendly atmosphere that you only encounter on the very best rallies.
Sunday 30th June – Last Leg and awards ceremony
On the Sunday, they headed off towards Carisolo, through beautiful Passo Duron, lush Val Lomasona, Passo Ballino and Lake Tenno famous for its turquoise waters. The leg ended in the lovely courtyard of Villa Bortolazzi at Acquaviva di Trento, where the crews had lunch and the highly anticipated awards ceremony took place.
While they were waiting for the rankings to be announced, the crews relaxed and chatted, trading stories about the trials and the route. Then the cups and prizes were brought out, the timekeepers handed out the rankings and the winners of this edition were announced to great applause.
All that was left was to say goodbye to old and new friends, and make a date for the 2021 rally, leaving Scuderia Trentina and Canossa Events satisfied at having managed to organise the rally even in a difficult year like this.
Stella Alpina puts the focus on social issues
At a time like this, marked by the current health and social emergency, Scuderia Trentina and Canossa Events decided to put a special focus on people in need by supporting Fondazione Trentina per l’Autismo Onlus, making a tangible contribution to their valuable educational solidarity projects in the area. Fondazione Trentina per l’Autismo Onlus plays a central role with the support of Casa Sebastiano, offering accomodation, training on healthcare services, and designing activities that are stimulating and educational. The organisers donated a large chunk of its budget to the Foundation that is normally set aside for gifts, confident that all the participants would approve and support this decision.
What People are Saying
A smiling Luigi Orlandini, CEO of Canossa Events, commented at the end of the event: “We are very tired but also very satisfied and even proud that we were the ones to get the ball rolling again for motoring events. It was a fine edition and after listening to the participants and seeing their smiling faces, I am happy and proud to say it was a great success! For this reason, I would like to thank everyone from the bottom of my heart who made the success of the event possible: first of all the participants, both veterans and newcomers, who wanted to be present at this first event after the lockdown and whose enthusiasm made this a unique edition, followed by the staff who put their heart into making all of this possible“.
Fiorenzo Dalmeri, President of Scuderia Trentina, also said with satisfaction: “This post-lockdown edition of the Stella Alpina was a challenge for us and demanded a great deal of effort and why not, a lot of courage, in deciding to make it happen.But we’re so glad we did. The participants were very appreciative of the edition, which also got a helping hand from the weather, and the institutions that gave us their support to make it happen. I should also thank all our sponsors for their ongoing support: Azimut, main sponsor of the event, Cantine Ferrari, Zuccari, SacréSSence, Autoindustriale, gLOVEme and La Sportiva“.
I am also very happy with the decision to donate part of the budget to Fondazione Trentina per l’Autismo.
Enrico Zobele, Patron of the event, stated: “My heartfelt thanks to the organisers and all the friends of Ferrari who responded to our proposal to get going again in such large numbers. This year, it was a great pleasure for me that the Stella Alpina paid homage to Ferrari, a real trophy for the Prancing Horse. On behalf of the Stella Alpina, I would also like to thank all the staff from Ineco who helped to make it all possible with their impeccable assistance“.
In the words of the participants
“Dear Luigi
We are still smiling after enjoying a truly wonderful Stella Alpina rally and would ask you to pass on our appreciation to all your team.
For us as competitors it was a perfect way to celebrate the easing of the Covid lockdown and we enjoyed every moment of it. The route was very well planned with the dramatic scenery of the Dolomites and a nice balance between some challenging passes and some relaxing stretches. The road book was faultless – as ever!
The hospitality was really appreciated with excellent cuisine and splendid wines.
I imagine that this period has been a roller coaster for you all – never knowing until very late whether all your original planning would be wasted – and then suddenly having to pull it all together to comply with the new regulations and, most importantly, in a way that made us all feel safe.
You all did this so well and gave us such a fabulous event.
Thank you all so much!!
Adrian and Ali Martin
“Thanks to the entire team at Canossa Events and Scuderia Trentina who had the courage to organise this event despite the many difficulties at the present time. Thank you above all for giving us the opportunity to see each other again, behind the wheels of our beloved cars and to start racing again“.
Giovanni Carretti, winner of the modern Ferrari classification
“For me, the important thing is that we’re really getting started again. We wanted this and we needed this. It is always a lovely race and the route is always fascinating, even if there were fewer mountains than usual. After months of lockdown, I also rekindled the feeling with Daniela, my navigator, as the days went by“.
Andrea Giacoppo
“I would like to repeat my appreciation for the courage shown by the organisers in making something happen that nobody thought possible until last month. The Stella Alpina is the first event after the emergency, and so is a worthy bearer of a great message of positivity and hope, as well as testimony to Italian excellence and the importance of classic and modern motoring for our country“.
Ermanno De Angelis
“It was a pleasure to compete with my Ferrari Pista Piloti. The beauty of this event is that it was able to bring enthusiasts of classic and modern cars together. You can sense it when the passion is there, and the Stella Alpina gave us the opportunity to meet up, drive together in a splendid convoy of Ferraris, and exchange pre- and post day stories in a truly welcoming and positive atmosphere“.
Erich Prinoth
“We want to thank you for the impeccable organization and hope to see you all next year.”
Mario and Roberto Crugnola, overall winners
