Palio di Santu Bainzu: the "lord of the rings" is Gavino Manca

It is Gavino Manca, the knight of Nulvi, the "king of the rings", the winner of the Palio di Santu Bainzu, the exciting equestrian race that was held in the afternoon, June 21, in Porto Torres. Seven rings and a fastest classification time (32", 99) in the three descents, riding Adone on the 350-meter long track, have consecrated his triumph for the third consecutive time. In second place, announced by the exceptional speaker Giuliano Marongiu, is Pietro Migheli from Osilo, with six rings centered (33", 29), and in third place with 5 rings (34", 99), is Giovanni Campus from Osilo. The fourth place went to the veteran Emilio Francesco Settembrini with 4 rings (31", 06) and, finally, Marco Bitti from Ossi in fifth position with four rings centered (31", 07). Together with the pairs of Ittiri, Ovodda and Ollolai, the riders put on a show in front of two wings of the crowd. The first classified takes home 1,500 euros, followed by all the others for a prize pool of 3,600 euros. In the afternoon The Palio was opened by the procession led by the Folk Li Bainzini group of the Etnos association, followed by the 8 groups in traditional dress arriving from the different centers of the island and by the horses, knights and amazons who took part in the Palio. A triumph of colors and suggestive acrobatics announced by the speaker Marongiu, with the support of the historian and epigraphist Giuseppe Piras and the journalist Emanuele Fancellu. At 7 pm the race to the ring began with the skills of the knights, followed by the pairs and the evolutions of the amazons. The jury was composed of twelve members, chaired by Adonella Mellino, composed of the judge at the finish Gianni Soro and the judges at the ring Alessandra Onidi, Romano Chessa and Gianni Nieddu, who decreed the winners. Also on stage was the expert Diego Satta, former manager and general director of the Equestrian Training Institute. The evening ended with the awards ceremony and some musical moments in Piazza Eroi dell'Onda. The Folk Group “Li Bainzini Etnos” performed, followed by a concert by Gavino Depalmas and the Dep Band, as well as the DJ set by Andrea Mastino.