The date had gone unnoticed, but not to me.
I apologize to our readers for the wanted delay of this news, but above all because this time I have decided to contact them in first person: those who administer websites should never do it.
For me, however, today's news is one of those that have marked my sporting life, and I hope that the apologies will be well accepted.
History
On 25 April 1945, thanks to the intuition of a walker from Trieste, Rodolfo (for all Rudi) Crasso and other farsighted athletes of post-war Trieste, the San Giacomo Sport Group was founded, which for over 50 years had its historical headquarters in Industry Street, 11.
These were dark years for the city struggling after World War II with political factions of different colors, Anglo-American occupation, which we do not want or need to deal with, but which left their mark on the social fabric of the city that from the times of Maria Theresa of Austria and then Charles VI had always felt free.
Rodolfo "Rudi" Crasso was a fervent republican, but he was even more in love with race walking, the long distance one. Just to understand the one that started at 35km.
He had started together with another great name in race walk of Trieste, that Giuseppe "Pino" Cressevich (railway worker, who trained after the work shifts, in which he had my father as a companion on duty) who at the time was one of the catchers in Italian race walk, although declining due to age. Pino would have crowned his dream in 1952 by participating in the 50km Olympic in Helsinki, the one won by the other "Pino" Dordoni while Pino from Trieste finished 10th in 4:44.30.2
The San Giacomo Sports Group at that time
I entered San Giacomo in the autumn of 1960 (I had previously played basketball given my height - 180cm - which was not bad at the time). Rudi saw me high and directed me to the hurdles: my first race ended very badly with a tumble and obviously last.
Then the fanatic Rudi decided to make me do race walking since there were three of us from 1947 and then we were U18 (one U16 doesn't existed).
A little better. However, I was still one who at the time was walking at 4,000m on track (that was the distance for U18) in 21:47.0. I certainly wouldn't have been a star.
But the scent of the trips to say for Italy enticed me.
It was in one of these out of home competition in Legnano in 1961 that I made the acquaintance with Pino Dordoni (my great mentor later) and with the one who had won the Junior race that day, a certain Vittorio Visini, with whom I have an almost 60 years frienship.
Then school, work, university and above all my other great love, the mountains, separated me from San Giacomo.
I returned several years later, in 1974, following a mountain tragedy which led me to milder advice since I had started a family.
Rudi urged me to be a walking judge; he said I had an eye. Up to my reader if it is true.
Who knows how many times he will regret it!
His intuition to bring endurance to the city quarters had made him create the "Palio dei Rioni" since 1953, a circumnavigation through the city quarters with two races (one walking and one running) over distances varying between 5km and 10km.
I also took part in some editions; I'm sorry again, but I want to remind myself of those wonderful years.
A team ranking was then made.
I remember that I had clearly understood that for Rudi, the victory in the standings of the San Giacomo Sports Group had the same flavor as the victory of the Aquila in front of the enemy contrada of the Panther at the Palio di Siena.
All for the win !
Rodolfo Crasso the first standing on the left
The San Giacomo Sports Group in recent years
Rudi Crasso, called the "Mayor of San Giacomo" passed away at the venerable age of 95 on 4.1.2009.
My job and my activity as Judge in race walking unfortunately made me lose contact with my original Club, and I know very little about what happened when the Honorary President and Founder died.
In October 2016, the events of life led me to meet the current President, Ruggero Poli, with whom I discovered a certain feeling.
Practically on the basic foundations of endurance activity, the current board of San Giacomo has continued to honor itself in city sport.
Today the San Giacomo Sports Group with its 75 years is the longest-running sports club in Trieste.
Ruggero Poli did not want to forget the historian Honorary Predente and Founder, and every year he organizes the memorial which is dedicated to one of the symbolic figures of the city and of the history of San Giacomo.
Ruggero Poli actually President
The 12th edition of the Memorial Rodolfo Crasso
Since 2009 included, every September or October Ruggero Poli and his collaborators remember the passed-away Honoray President.
In 2016 and 2017, the current President also had a beautiful intuition: to bring race walking in the "city's parlor" of Piazza Unità d'Italia which had seen the entry of Italian troops at the end of the First World War.
Guest and god-mother of the 2017 edition was Antonella Palmisano while among the athletes the names of Francesco Fortunato, Leonardo Dei Tos, Stefano Chiesa and Riccardo Orsoni stood out in the men, while in the women Valentina Trapletti, Nicole Colombi and Ivana Renic (CRO), the last two unfortunately forced to retire in the heat of Doha in 2019.
Among these names appeared that of Emiliano Brigante, a young boy from Monfalcone who leaves in Ronchi dei Legionari who, although alternating highs and lows due to technical problems, is one of the great hopes of the Italian U18 race walk.
Brigante will compete at the Grezar Stadium in Trieste on Sunday 13.9.2020 starting at 9:45 in the 10,000m track walk.
The goal is to break down his personl best with a mark of around 43:00
Indiscretions also tell us of the presence of another young athlete with good hopes, Aldo Andrei, two years older and therefore U20 who has an accreditation mark of 43:34.24.
The two know each other and will probably look for the prestigious result together.
Most important entries
Men
| Atleta | Anno | Cat. | Societ‡ | Accredito |
| DEI TOS Leonardo | 1992 | SM | BZ066 ATHLETIC CLUB 96 ALPERIA | 41:23.00 |
| ANDREI Aldo | 2001 | JM | TN104 GS VALSUGANA TRENTINO | 43:34.24 |
| COPPINI Niccolo' | 1997 | SM | FI002 ATLETICA FIRENZE MARATHON S.S. | 44:10.38 |
| DISARO' Michele | 1999 | PM | PD140 ASSINDUSTRIA SPORT PADOVA | 44:15.39 |
| BRIGANTE Emiliano | 2003 | AM | TS044 TRIESTE ATLETICA | 44:33.84 |
Women
| Atleta | Anno | Cat. | Societ‡ | Accredito |
| TRAPLETTI Valentina | 1985 | SF35 | RM052 C.S. ESERCITO | 21:50.83 |
| MIHAI Alexandrina | 2003 | AF | VR784 FONDAZIONE M. BENTEGODI | 24:37.10 |
| RAIA Elisa | 1978 | SF40 | TS010 C.U.S. TRIESTE | 26:29.91 |
| ZANATTA Agnese | 2004 | AF | TV339 ATLETICA PONZANO | 28:44.6 |
| ZANIN Alice | 2002 | JF | GO050 ATLETICA GORIZIA | 29:22.03 |
| BARBATO Lara | 2004 | AF | TS010 C.U.S. TRIESTE | 29:40.69 |
| VANIN Laura | 2000 | PF | TV354 TREVISATLETICA | 29:47.57 |
| BALASSO Manuela | 1971 | SF45 | TV354 TREVISATLETICA | 35:17.98 |
| POKLAR Andreja | 1966 | SF50 | SLO03 AK KOPER | |
| FERLUGA Fulvia | 1973 | SF45 | TS010 C.U.S. TRIESTE | |
| VIAN Maria | 2000 | PF | TV339 ATLETICA PONZANO | |
Unfortunately, news of the last hour and confirmed by the same interested, due to a muscle contracture remedied Thursday in Bergamo where she competed in the 10,000m track walk, Valentina Trapletti will not be present in Trieste.
A real shame because seeing the Army athlete compete is always a show of technique and style.
Come to the Grezar Stadium, you will spend a beautiful morning of sport and you will honor the 75th anniversary of the Club with your presence !!!
Nicola Maggio