Welcome to Piombino - Tuscany Etruscan Cost

Piombino is set on the wonderful promontory facing the islands of the Tuscan Archipelago. Enjoying a rich history and a well preserved and protected natural environment Piombino is where you can truly discover the charm and beauty on the Etruscan coast. One can find splendid examples of the perfectly preserved Etruscan motherland in the Archeological Park of Baratti – Populonia whilst Piombino, being an important Medieval and Renaissance location once governed by Napoleon Bonaparte’s sister Elisa, is where ancient traditions coexist with the dynamism and modernity of a flourishing town. The reality that hosts Piombino is made of kilometers of coast set on crystalline waters, nature parks, a countryside full of products derived from the land where the Wine Road of the Etruscan Coast runs and where the Val di Cornia DOC was born. Here one can practice all types of water sports and travel routes set in an unspoilt natural habitat which is ideal for walking, cycling and horse riding. The seafood and the produce of the land have the flavours and aromas particular to this area. Welcoming hotels, camp sites and holiday cottages offer a hospitable warmth all year round.

FIN (the Italian Swimming Federation), the town of Piombino, the SNP (Swimming Club of Piombino) are proud to invite all LEN Member Federations to participate in the next LEN European Junior Open Water Championships which will take place between 9 and 11 September in Piombino – Tuscany Italy.

The schedule of events is as follows whilst the times will be made announced in the next bulletin:

3 Organizing Committee

The Organising Committee is composed by:

FIN (Italian Swimming Federation) through the Open Water Swimming sector and all the technical departments.

The town of Piombino in conjunction with the Sport Department and all the support of the Police and the Departments responsible for Tourism, Productive Activities and Public Works.

The Department for Sport is composed by:

Mayor and Councillor – Massimo Giuliani Department of Personal Services – Alessandro Bezzini Head of Services – Stefano Ceccarelli Administrative Assistant – Fabrizio Di Rosa

The SNP (Swimming Club of Piombino) including Management Staff chaired by President Alessandro Bagiardi together with the technical staff including coaches, instructors and lifeguards.

The Italian Naval League, the Centro Velico Piombinese (Sailing Center), the Yachting Club Marina di Salivoli and the Water Fishing Clubs (Porticciolo, Baratti, Stellino, Pontedoro) with their boats, facilities, diving sector, canoe sector and the numerous volunteers responsible for specific services as directed by the Organising Committee.

5 Championships Village

The Championships Village is set up in Piazza Bovio utilizing prefabricated structures.

Logistics – Organisational Part

The best possible accommodation will host the delegations

Training will be possible either in the 25 metres outdoor pool at the Orizzonte Tourist Village or in the 25 metres indoor pool at the Societa’ Nuoto Piombino or at sea.

A shuttle service will be made available for all delegations and will cover transfers from and to the airports in addition to the training and competition venues.

A specific assistance service will be available at sea utilizing fully equipped support boats as necessary for all events.

6 The Race Course

The start and finish of the race and the Championships Village will be located in Piazza Bovio and the Race Course having a unique setting will be visible from the shore. Herewith you will find some images of the area and an indication of how the course may be. The final course will be notified in the next bulletin.

Piombino and its Sea

7 An everlasting bond

Piombino is small purely industrial town which is diversifying its economy in order to better manage its land and environment. In order to get to know the Piombino better one must understand the relationship between the land and the sea. This is evident when seeing the old town overlooking Piazza Bovio. From here one can enjoy the crystal blue waters, the Canal Piombino which extends up to the island of Elba and the other islands of the archipelago, reaching the horizon and embracing the coast from the town center until the Gulf of Baratti – nominated by the Municipality of Piombino for inclusion in the UNESCO World Heritage List. All this surrounded by a pristine landscape of fragrant Mediterranean woods and a series of welcoming coves and beaches hidden amongst the rocks. Towards the East the view of the other beautiful beaches which have been awarded the FEE Blue Flag is breathtaking

Piombino’s illustrious past is attested by the many periods of grandeur starting with the Appiani family who invited guests such as Leonardo da Vinci and Guardi to their court and continued throughout the ages until the times when Napoleon Bonaparte’s sister Elisa who governed the town giving it a time of great splendor earning it the title of “Little Paris”. In later eras it became part of the Duchy of Tuscany and later in to the Kingdom of Italy. To appreciate Piombino even better take a walk to the old town center and visit the “Torrione” with its “Rivellino”, the oldest monument built in 1212 and the last evidence of the communal times. (info: www.turismopiombino.it)

9 VAL DI CORNIA - Tuscany Etruscan Coast

A fascinating effect of light and colours

The Val di Cornia area is located in the upper Maremma, south of Livorno province and covers an area of approximately 460 square miles, which has not undergone real changes. It came down to us intact, so that it has often been called “Gardens of Tuscany” for its fertile plains, its pleasant hills, and the presence of a clean sea. It includes: Piombino, the ancient capital of the ancient Principality, situated on a promontory stretching directly to the sea with its piazza Bovio, and bound strongly to the history of the Etruscans. San Vincenzo, a modern sea resort, Campiglia Marittima, Suvereto (Orange Flag TCI) and Sassetta, ancient medieval villages placed on the hills, offering the visitor a nearly intact view, with its ancient walls and narrow and dark streets, memory and pride of their ancient history. Different places, but united in the philosophy of the true quality of life, tourist destinations for those who usually prefers the tranquillity and contact with history and traditions. A careful look at this area can only give emotions: the view is lost in a charming variety of forms, filling each other in an exciting and harmonious play of light. An extensive line of hills framing the valley from north to east, characterized by soft, rounded forms. The hills are covered with flourishing woods of holm oaks, cork oaks and chestnut trees descending towards the valley, often leaving room for the cultivation of olive groves and vineyards. To the southwest, isolated along the coast and extended toward the islands of the Tuscan Archipelago just as to recall its geological origins, the promontory of Piombino, connected to the mainland by a wide flat area, consisting of the lower basin of the river Cornia.

The plain extends from the Colline Metallifere (Metalliferous Hills) to the coast, from San Vincenzo to Vignale-Riotorto. This landscape is the result of a synergy between man and nature, as the recent drainage works have favoured the development of both urban and agricultural exploitation. The spontaneous vegetation cover is very low here, and gave way to pastures and crops, including the predominating arable crops, and particularly cereals, and vegetables (artichokes, spinaches, tomatoes and melons). Everything is framed by the sea, whose waters are crystal clear and largely unspoiled, and offer beautiful shades of colours, from emerald green to deep blue. With the exception of the section corresponding to the promontory of Piombino, high and rocky, the coast is mainly characterized by the presence of long stretches of sand, the shape of which is diversified, due to the action of waves and sea currents. The vegetation of the rocky coast is that of the typical Mediterranean scrub, well adapted to the climate of the coast, especially to the heat and aridity of summer. The coastal bands, more or less extensive, are wider at the outlet areas of the rivers and are surrounded by beautiful pine forests, introduced by men as a defense from the strong westerly winds, high in salt, alternating with thick woods of fragrant Mediterranean vegetation.

The tourist resort “Orizzonte”, an excellence of Val di Cornia and Piombino east coast, is an accommodation open all year round , include a huge area (100.000 mq) with buildings, lots of green spaces, parking and sports equipments. In this natural oasis, there are 200 two-rooms apartments ( made with typical tuscan architecture), a restaurant, a hash house, a market and a café. For guest entertainment, there are three pools (two of them 25 x 12,5 metres) a recreation area, two tennis court and two beach volley fields

The most important thing is the proximity of the sea which is only 900 metres away and is accessible by using the shuttle bus service. The white sandy beach is beautiful and the water is perfectly clear and allows one to see the seabed even at several metres of depth. Prices for full board in the apartment and services

The price includes:

Full board - Transfer from the resort to the competition area - Transfer from/to Pisa and Florence airports for athletes, coaches and officials.

We wish to inform all international delegations that the venue chosen for these Championships can also accommodate visitors before the start of the competition. It is possible for the athletes and technical staff to make use of the facilities at very affordable prices ahead of the dates for the European Junior Open Water Swimming Championships. For any eventual reservations you may contact:

Piscina Comunale M. Balestri - Piombino Managed by SNP

The Communal swimming pool, available for training of participants during the European Junior Championships 2016, is managed by SNP, present in the area for over thirty-five years. its athletes participate in the National Swimming Championships and Interregional Waterpolo. Also widespread activity in the open water amongst these is the classic 10 Km “Marathon of the Etruscans” organized for over twenty seven years.

Event Logo Piombino and its Sea

The symbolic embrace between the sea and the man in the stylized logo of the event is the indissoluble bond that since the time of the Etruscans (Ed Populonia only Etruscan city on the sea) binds the inhabitants of this territory to their sea.