Vespa Club Rosario Argentina: Vespa meeting in South America
What do the football coach César Luis Menotti, the footballers Ángel Di María and Lionel Messi have in common with the Cuban national hero Che Guevara? They were all born in Argentina's third largest city: Rosario. And that's exactly where José "Pachu" Pasciullo sent us a wonderful report from, because there is also a colourful and lively Vespa and scooter scene on the other side of the world, which regularly meets up for rides and festivals. Welcome to the
XXI National and International Meeting of Vespa Clubs in Rosario, Argentina, 2023.
From 10 to 12 November 2023, over 250 Vespa enthusiasts from all over the country and other Latin American nations such as Uruguay, Paraguay, Chile, Ecuador and Colombia gathered in Rosario, Argentina, for the 21st National and International Vespa Meeting. This event attracted members of numerous clubs, including the Vespa Club Argentina and local groups from Buenos Aires, Mar del Plata, Bahía Blanca, La Plata, Córdoba, Formosa, San Juan and Santiago de Chile, complemented by the hosts from the Rosario Vespa Club. Over the course of three days, various events were held in Rosario and in neighbouring Funes, Santa Fe. On the opening day, 10 November, the accreditation took place in the "Vladimir Mikielievich" City Museum, followed by a night-time Vespa parade. The highlight was the reception by the Italian consul Marco Bocchi at the Italian consulate in Rosario, where the participants brought the Italian spirit to life with their Vespas.
An Italian weekend in Argentina
On the morning of Saturday 11 November, the National Historical Monument of the Flag, the cradle of Argentina's "La Celeste y Blanca", became the meeting point for around 250 Vespa riders. The main tour of the Vespa meeting began here. The route took the riders along the picturesque coast of the Paraná River, over the important Rosario-Victoria Bridge, a key point in the Mercosur transport network. Their next destination was the town of Funes, where they experienced the local hospitality with a treat of "choripanes" and traditional Argentine "asado" cooked on the "estaca". The return to Rosario was just as eventful, with a "sunset" at the "Motoplex Rosario" (Sport Adventure), which was characterised by Italian flair. Christa Solbach, President of the International Vespa Clubs, enriched the event with an interactive speech. She honoured Salvador Mateo Ruiz, founder of the first Argentinian Vespa Club. The evening was crowned by a gala dinner at the "Club de Velas de Rosario", a prestigious yacht club. The weekend ended on Sunday 12 November with a breakfast at "La Casona", where the Vespa enthusiasts said goodbye to each other and toasted to the next big Latin American Vespa event.
Special mention for the organisers of the event, Rosario Vespa Club, its president Gabriel Bricco, and its directors: Salvador Mateo Ruiz; Andres Vigna; Juan Ignacio Dris; Javier Dris; Mauricio Lopez Salvatierra; Marcelo Pecoraro; Jorge Lucero Eseverri; Maximiliano Agri; Patricio Oliva; Alberto Estrada Ariel Echeverría; Juan P. Cespedes, Emilio Bolner and José "Pachu" Pasciullo.
Impressions from Argentina
Video XXI Encuentro nacional e internacional de Vespa Clubes
