Sailing spectacle
The Barcolana of Trieste, the largest sailing regatta in the world, will again impress with its size and pageantry, Sunday 13 October.
Photography by Discover Trieste
29 September 2019
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In 2018, its 50th anniversary, the event broke the world record with 2,689 entered boats and over 16 thousand participating sailors and was listed as “The largest sailing race in the world” in February 2018.
The 51st edition will be held in Trieste 13 October 2019 with a jam-packed entertainment schedule in the 10 days before the race.
Founded by sailing enthusiasts in 1969 with just 47 boats in the inaugural regatta, the date was chosen originally because other sailing clubs were already organising regattas and competitions earlier in the year. A boat is the only prerequisite; no need for carbon sails, racing hulls or tonnage certificates. Just one requirement: love of the sea and a wish to share this passion.
For the first 10 years, the regatta was dominated by local yacht clubs such as the Società Triestina della Vela, the Yacht Club Adriaco, and the organising yacht club Società Velica di Barcola e Grignano.
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However, the spirit of the regatta was different and unique, even at that time, as it marked the end of the sailing season. The event was an end-of-summer festival before the boats were stored for the winter.
The Barcolana truly became international in the 1980s, when the economic boom also affected the sailing sector.
In 2003, New Zealander, Neville Crichton and his yacht Alfa Romeo won almost every regatta in the Mediterranean, following Line Honours victory in the Sydney Hobart.
In the “grand slam” of European sailing Crichton proudly sailed Alfa Romeo in the Barcolana, adding it to his calendar at the last minute and bringing him a lot of satisfaction.
In 2003, Crichton asked Brad Butterworth, a four-time America’s Cup winner who played a key role in the victory of the Swiss Alinghi crew, to join him as a tactician.
The Triestino Lorenzo Bressani was also aboard as a local expert in 2003 and as a tactician in 2004. The team gained two clear victories, while Mitja Kosmina with his Maxi Jena finished second once again.
In 2008, Crichton’s Alfa Romeo was yet again the first sailboat to cross the finish line and the Barcolana increasingly grew in importance as a mass media event and promotional opportunity for teams and sponsors.
The event is characterised by over a week of celebrations both on land and at sea and annually it turns Trieste into the European capital of sailing. Over two thousand boats line up at the start line, under the Faro della Vittoria (Victory Lighthouse), and the regatta is sailed by world-class helmsmen, amateur racers and cruisers, all participating in an event that every sea dog should experience at least once.
According to organisers, “This regatta holds such fascination because it epitomises the intimate links, the love affair, between Trieste and the sea. Because it’s important to take part and say ‘I was there’.”
The main attraction is the festival’s broad appeal to participants and spectators alike. The excitement begins when the Barcolana Village is erected, grows as the boats arrive, and peaks on the day of the regatta.
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