Pietro Annoni

In the early-1900s, Pietro Annoni began rowing In the Lombardy capital Milano, where he was born. He was assisted by Erminio Dones, a former European champion who would help Annoni reach the pinnacle of his international career.

Annoni and Dones teamed up in 1912 when they won the Italian double sculls title, and followed that by capturing the European title on Lake Geneva, the event Dones had won at the 1907 Championships. At Geneva, the Italian pair dominated, winning by more than 20 seconds.

After World War I, Dones and Annoni again won the national title in 1919 and 1920, and thus ensured participation at the Antwerpen Olympics where they won a memorable silver medal behind the powerful United States combination of Paul Costello (of Italian origin), and his cousin Jack Kelly, Sr..

After the Olympics, Annoni won the national pairs again with Dones in 1921 and 1922 before being appointed one of Italy´s national coaches in 1924-25, a post he also held again in 1933, 1935, and 1948. Annoni was president of Canottieri Milano from 1928-35 and then became president of A.C. Milan football club. However, under his one-year presidency, Milan could only finish a lowly eighth in in the Italian Serie A.