Ezio Selva

Biographical information

RolesCompeted in Olympic Games
SexMale
Full nameEzio•Selva
Used nameEzio•Selva
Born20 March 1902 in Locarno, Ticino (SUI)
Died29 December 1957 in Miami Beach, Florida (USA)
NOC Italy

Biography

Ezio Selva was an Italian powerboat ace and wire manufacturer who was among the greatest in his field, with Mario Verga, during the 1950s. Selva began his sporting career with diving: at 20 he was the Italian platform champion, at 25 he won bronze in the 10 meters platform event at the 1927 Bologna European Championships (finishing by behind the Germans Hans Luber, gold, and Ewald Riebschläger, silver) and in 1928 he participated at the Olympic Games in Amsterdam. He made his début in motorboating in 1950, winning the Milano-Abbiategrasso at a record average of 117.300 km/hr. In the inboard motorboat 2800 C. inches Selva dominated the early 50s in Europe, winning three Italian titles and three European titles in the same years (1951-52, 1954).

In Milano, in 1951, Selva set a class record with 168.260 km/hr while in Campione d’Italia and, on Lake Lugano the following year, set the record of the 800-Kilogram class to 194.736 km/hr. He earned another record - that APBA on the mile of the 800-Kg class - by winning his first American race in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, the Governor’s Cup of 1955, at an average of 228.145 km/hr, equal to 141.767 miles. He was thus admitted to the 100-mile club, reserved in the United States for those who manage to reach this hourly average. For two consecutive years (1956-57) he won the world title of the 800-kilogram inboard, and in 1957 he also won the European title of the 500-Kilogram inboard and the Italian title of the 2500 C. inches inboard.

Selva decided that the Orange Bowl Regatta’s Grand Prix in Miami Beach, where he was riding his boat Moschettiere, would be the last race of his career, but the 55-year-old Italian was killed while in command, in an accident 500 meters from the finish, on 29 December 1957. In the second heat of this event his power boat flipped at 100 miles an hour and he was crushed near the judges’ stand and in full view of 10,000 spectators, and his 20-year-old son Luciano, who was attending the race. HIs red Alfa-Romeo powered hydro suddenly nosed skyward and danced briefly on its stern, then dove forward, rolled on its side and knifed bow-first into choppy Biscayne Bay. Luciano plunged off a seawall to swim to his father’s aid. A Miami beach fireman jumped off a boat and recovered Selva’s floating body. Ezio lies in the Monumental cemetery of Milano.

Results

Games Discipline (Sport) / Event NOC / Team Pos Medal As
1928 Summer Olympics Diving (Aquatics) ITA Ezio Selva
Platform, Men (Olympic) 8 p3 r1/2

Special Notes