Barcolana International Sailing Regatta preview

by Jonny Fullerton on 10 Oct 2015 Barcolana International Sailing Regatta – For all sea and sailing enthusiasts and for those who do not want to miss a unique show in the world, the event takes place in Trieste, Italy every year, on the second Sunday of October.

It is the Barcolana, the international sailing regatta with the highest number of sailboats racing in the Mediterranean, this year in its 47th edition, a magical mixture of professional competition and a sailing festival.

2,000 boats lined up at the start line, sailed by world-class helmsmen, amateur racers and cruisers, all fascinated by an event which every sea dog should experience at least once.

Scheduled start time: Sunday 11th October, at 10.30 hrs (local time), in the Gulf of Trieste. The infamous ‘Bora’ is blowing through the region today (Saturday) but the forecast is for it to weaken in time for racing on Sunday.

The new course of this year’s race is 13 nm and has been designed with one aim only: to make the regatta more enjoyable for the competitors and more impressive for the spectators on land. That start is now closer to the shore and the finish line is just off the harbour shoreline in the city centre, in front of Piazza Unità d’Italia in view of the enthusiastic spectators watching from the grand stands.

On Friday night one of the preludes to the main event took place in Trieste Harbour in front of a vast crowd of local onlookers. The regatta was a night race using UFO 28OD sports boats racing under spotlight. Racing is tactical and the night breeze shifty, providing a great spectacle from the shoreline.

Barcolana is much more than a regatta week, it is a whole cultural festival of activities with musical performances, bands, dancing, art and exhibitions, rows of market stalls selling local produce, wines and a large village for local yachting companies to showcase their products.

All this is happening in a charming and architecturally agreeable city with great hospitality and a great vibe wandering around the streets and main canal.

On the sailing side the week has a full programme of activities including youth sailing regattas in Oppis, Keelboat challenges, Multihulls flying hulls around the harbour, Moth and Kiteboard demos, night racing, course racing with the grand finale, the 47th edition of the Barcolana on the final Sunday.

If you have not been to the Barcolana before you are guaranteed an experience to savour, especially if you are a sailing fanatic with a penchant for good food and local vino.

The Barcolana takes place each year in the first week of October with the regatta itself on the second Sunday in October.