Golden Cup, forever love
Paolo Stragà
Paolo Stragà, born in 1941, President of the Italian Car Club of Belluno, company organizing the Golden Cup of the Dolomites, is a very distinguished person, who loves to tell and transmit his passion for cars and engines in general. To Luxgallery he talked about his relationship with racing; a relationship born 60 years ago, when the Golden Cup was an epic ride between hairpin turns and when he was a little boy.
When did you decide to bring back the Golden Cup of the dolomites?
I began this adventure when I was still deputy President of the ACI of Belluno exactly because we wanted to revive its spirit. In fact, the ACI of Belluno had baptised it in 1947, and followed it until 1956, when it was suspended. We brought it back in 2001 and I am very satisfied about it: it grows year after year as well as the enthusiasm of both participants and sponsors. Since this year, the Dolomites became also World Heritage of Humanity and to link this race to these mountains makes us even more proud.
Do you therefore a 2009 edition richer than the previous ones?
Yes, definitely in terms of events, as demonstrated by the participation of the Ferrari Club Italy of Maranello, that asked us to take part in it with about twenty cars. To me this 2009 will be the most important year, besides the first one, because we had to re-launch and re-organize the event. A bit of anxiety was there…
The Golden Cup cannot take place without Cortina…
With the city hall of Cortina we always had a great relationship, there has always been the biggest availability to cooperate and do well. Notwithstanding that, due to the race, we actually make their tourist season, with a big number of fan and non-fan of the competition.
And your passion for engines, when did it begin?
I still used to wear shorts when this race used to take place and, back then, it was a speed race, on broken, non-paved and dangerous grounds where the skills of the pilots were emphasized. We used to watch it because it was fantastic to hear those powerful engines; when it passed by Belluno we used to lie in post near a very dangerous turn, in the centre of the city, to see the rumbling racing cars. Those were the years of Villoresi, Fasoli, of Maria Teresa De Filippis, first woman pilot. Years of heroic pilots and motoring.
Are you moved when you think about it?
For us to remember those times and “to bring back on track” this race is something really touching.
A curiosity: do you race?
Well, let’s say I go and make a reconnaissance together with those organizing the stops, I am the pacesetter; I like to see first-hand places and situations, talk to pilots during their lunch breaks. Only on the first day though, on the second one I stay in Cortina: my role forces me to entertain public relations…
Davide Passoni
Automobiles, Extreme Sports, Motors Events, People And Brand,
Tags: ACI of Belluno, Belluno, Cortina, Fasoli, Ferrari Club Italy of Maranello, Golden Cup of the Dolomites, Italian Car Club, Maria Teresa De Filippis, Paolo Stragà, Villoresi, World Heritage of Humanity
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