21 June 2009
The 44th edition of the race saw a surprise victory for Camilla Frediani ahead of Argentinians Pilar Geijo and Marianela Mendoza. Rotislav Vitek of the Czech Republic won the men’s race with Italians Andrea Volpini and Edoardo Stochino placed second and third.
The event was beset by adverse weather conditions with the sea particularly choppy from the outset and the wind blowing for the entire duration of the race. The conditions helped athletes with most finishing under 7:30 which last year would have yielded first place. Vitek had the courage to attack early on, pulling the others along. Italians Volpini, Valenti and Stochino and Argentina Villagoiz formed a group. Vitek headed from Capri “straight” to Naples, just as Julius Travaglio had done in the’60s and early’70s on five of six occasions, while the group of four headed towards Cape Miseno.
Vitek won in 6:42:55 with Volpini second, taking the prize for first Italian home (6:56:57). Third came Stochino (7:04:05) ahead of Gabriel Villagoiz. Andrea Volpini said “It’s too bad because when we learned that Vitek had started so strong it was too late…”
Frediani commented after winning her race under the eight hour mark (7:59:36) ahead of Pilar Geijo (8:10:09) and Marianela Mendoza (8:30:27). “If they had told me before the race, I would not have believed it. The sea conditions were terrible but I had so much encouragement from my support boat.”
The last Italian to win the Capri-Napoli was Alessandra Romiti in 2007. “We struggled so much this year to save the Capri-Napoli” said the President of the organizing committee “but …the effort well rewarded”.
View promotional video above (4m 54s, flashplayer required to view) and from the official launch below (2m 23s).
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