1st – 4th October 2020: even in such unusual and unsettling times as 2020, the team at Canossa Events and Scuderia Tricolore is ready to fire the engines of our passion at the 10th edition of the Terre di Canossa.
2020 has proven to be a very difficult year and has forced some complex decisions on us all. Many events around the world have been cancelled or postponed until next year. Covid-19 has created many organisational headaches and many regular competitors reluctantly had to miss out because of the new restrictions. Despite all this, Canossa Events has chosen to carry on and welcome its friends and fans with its usual style and a clear message: it’s time to get back on track, to get up and running again, to get back to our lives and our passions, like the passion for our vintage cars that have been waiting patiently in garages for months on end, in the hope of seeing sunlight again before winter.
Terre di Canossa is ready to go, obviously with the utmost attention to the safety of the crews, who we look forward to welcoming with our usual smile, even if it will be hidden by a face mask, as required by the health and safety protocol.
The 10th edition
The 2020 edition is celebrating an important milestone and so Canossa decided to mark the event with a medieval theme focusing on Matilda of Canossa, who was Queen of Italy in the 12th century. Everything was dedicated to her from the start, with the event highlights taking place in some fascinating historic locations.
The competitors will experience a taste of Medieval splendour and the atmosphere of the Middle Ages at the gala evening in the splendid setting of Tabiano Castle, built at the turn of the 11th century, at lunch on Friday at Filattiera Castle, built between the 12th and 13th centuries by the Malaspina family, and at the finishing line overlooked by the 12th century Rocca del Boiardo fortress.
This year, the rally follows an itinerary of about 650 km and includes around fifty timed trials, four average speed trials with secret passage checks and two special trophies: the Trofeo Forte dei Marmi and the Trofeo Tricolore for non “professional” drivers, who are always welcome.
But the Terre di Canossa is not just a rally. It is primarily a winning combination of fantastic cars and gentlemen drivers who come here from far afield to enjoy this unique opportunity to get a special taste of Italy, combining the adrenalin of the competition with the delights of the best Italian food and wine, and the chance to explore the areas en route.
We can confirm some of the most popular ingredients in previous years have been included in this tenth edition: the departure from the beautiful Art Nouveau town of Salsomaggiore Terme, the road crossing the Cinque Terre with its scenic views of the sea, and the drive through Lucca city centre and across its ancient city walls, welcomed by flag bearers in medieval dress. The two, highly-coveted trophies for non “professional” drivers are also back, along with the “Pre-War Cup” for pre-war cars, and the all-essential sundowner beach party at Forte dei Marmi, the pearl of Versilia.
Another welcome comeback is the Naval Base at La Spezia thanks to the hospitality of the Italian Navy which always extends a warm welcome to the participants of the Terre di Canossa.
The organisers have also included lots of new elements to keep things interesting for regular competitors. These include the inaugural evening and lunch on Friday at two lovely medieval castles, the challenge of crossing Cisa Pass and driving through San Rossore Presidential Estate.
The race will end at Scandiano in the province of Reggio Emilia. Here, for the first time, drivers will compete to win the Trofeo Tricolore on roads climbing up through the hills, taking the crews to their last lunch location with a panoramic terrace overlooking the vast flat lands of Emilia below.
The route and the programme
On Thursday 1st October the competitors will meet at Salsomaggiore Terme for the technical and administrative checks and the cars will park along the lovely streets in the old town centre from the afternoon to the morning after. The gala dinner designed by Michelin star chef Massimo Spigaroli will be held in the splendid setting of Tabiano Castle.
On Friday, October 2nd at 8:30 am, the rally will get the green light. The cars will set off from the centre of Salsomaggiore Terme, overlooked by the Terme Berzieri baths, driving through the gentle hills above Parma and then climbing up through the Apennines and the Cisa Pass to reach the centre of Pontremoli, and its lovely narrow streets for a time check in Piazza della Repubblica.
The crews will stop for lunch at Malaspina Castle in Filattiera and then they’ll be off again, down towards the sea and the Cinque Terre with its unique landscapes and steep drops overlooking the sea.
This year our four-wheeled gems will once again parade in front of the Italian Navy’s vintage yachts and submarines at the Naval Base at La Spezia, and then they’ll head off towards Lerici and the Bay of Poets. As usual, the crews will stay overnight in Versilia, in the best hotels Forte dei Marmi has to offer.
On Saturday 3rd, after setting off from “Forte’s” central Piazza Marconi, the route will explore Tuscany’s spectacular scenery and some of the most famous art cities in Italy. The parade in Lucca city centre, through marvellous Piazza Anfiteatro and opposite the Church of San Michele followed by the parade on the ancient city walls, welcomed by the flag-bearers in medieval dress, is exciting and a must. The crews will enjoying the drive on the lovely roads of Monte Serra and the views of the coast of Tuscany and islands as far as Corsica from the summit. The route will then take the cars through Garfagnana and, after stopping for lunch in the hills above Pisa, they will drive along the picturesque roads of the Montenero circuit that hosted the Italian Grand Prix in 1937 and several motor racing competitions in the Grand Prix era.
The itinerary also takes in one of the most spectacular stretches of the Via Aurelia, made famous by Vittorio Gassman at the wheel of a Lancia Aurelia B24 in the classic movie “Il Sorpasso”. They will then enter Tenuta di San Rossore, which first belonged to the King of Italy and then to the President of the Italian Republic and today is part of Migliarino Nature Park. The day will come to a close at Forte dei Marmi, with the usual Trophy.
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As always, the evening will culminate with the all-essential Beach Party on Bambaissa beach at sunset.
On Sunday 4th, Garfagnana’s exciting roads and the challenging hairpin bends leading up to Passo delle Radici await the crews, as they drive towards Piandelagotti, near the small town of Frassinoro where the local tourist office will treat the crews to a warm welcome before they tackle the final leg. The chequered flag now awaits them opposite historic Rocca del Boiardo in the heart of Scandiano.
The last challenge will be in the hills for the Trofeo Tricolore, before a well-deserved rest and a last lunch, when the rankings will be revealed and the winners will be awarded.
A Green event
The organisers have reconfirmed their eco-friendly outlook by deciding once again to implement a CarbonZero protocol this year, requiring measures to be employed that can help reduce the impact on the environment, calculating the residual emissions of climate-altering gases. These emissions are then entirely compensated by planting trees in the Tuscan Emilian Apennine Mountains. Find out more.
Report by granpremioterredicanossa.it
