by Stefania Ponzone
The Members' Meeting and elections for the 2026-2027 two-year term were held yesterday, Sunday, December 7, 2025. The turnout was impressive, with Cinquecento runners from all over Italy, some arriving as early as Saturday afternoon. As always under these circumstances, the opportunity to come to Garlenda and meet other enthusiasts makes even a challenging journey a joy to face.
While the voting operations were being completed and the counting of the votes was taking place (under the guidance of Marco Maglietti and Bruna Rutter), Domenico Romano, Maurizio Giraldi, Alessandro Vinotti and Francesco Mignano opened the meeting. After Mayor Alessandro Navone's welcome address, which emphasized Garlenda's vibrant community life and the central role our Club plays, President Giraldi summarized the past two years in his report. These two years concluded with an increase in membership, bucking the trend of other organizations in our sector and beyond, a sign of the good work accomplished and that must continue. Accountant Luca Baldini then read the 2024 budget, which was then unanimously approved.
Numerous trustees and managers then made brief interventions, who both to update on the rallies in preparation and to take stock of the activities carried out during the course (from the collaboration with Petronas to the relations with Stellantis, from the Punto Amico network to the procedures for the recognition of legal personality for the Club, up to the news at ASI such as the studies on biofuels applied to vintage engines).
At the end of the session, the elected representatives were declared and the members then moved to the Radici Restaurant of Villanova d'Albenga to begin the Greetings Lunch, which was attended by over 200 guests. Meanwhile, a brief meeting of the new Council took place, which elected the new positions.
Maurizio Giraldi has been confirmed as president; Carlo Giuliani will assist him as vice president; Davide Carmelo Cappadonna remains secretary, while Federica Gabba is the new deputy secretary. The other directors, including both confirmations and new additions, are: Flavio Austa, Massimo Lissa, Agostino Pellegrino, Daniela Rettore, and Alessandro Vinotti.
Auditors: Tanja Di Meglio, Eugenio Navone, and Giuseppe Spadaro.
Board of Arbiters: Lorenzo Achilli, Alberto Borgini, Francesco Leonardo D'Albero, Carlo Perino, Saverio Pullano.
During lunch, some moments were dedicated to the Club's cultural and solidarity activities; in fact, the recent participation in the Genoa event on the occasion of Kindness Day was remembered, the result of the partnership with the MIG (those present were also given a postcard with the Italian Movement for Kindness's advent calendar); furthermore, a certificate of authenticity was given to the president of the Committee Unicef Raffaele Regina, from the Province of Imperia, presented the symbolic check for a €3.000 contribution. Thanks were also expressed to the municipal authorities present (in addition to Garlenda, Villanova, Loano, and Laigueglia) and to the Region, represented by Sara Foscolo, who spoke, emphasizing the important role an event like our International Meeting plays in promoting Liguria in Italy and around the world.
