Barcolana Autumn Cup Regatta

1 / 4 © Daniele Dalledonne 2 / 4 © William Tennent Bersing 3 / 4 © Antonio Marano 4 / 4 © Antonio Marano

On the second Sunday in October Trieste, the city that embraces the sea, hosts the Barcolana Regatta, which is one of the largest and most popular regattas in the world. The Regatta is more than just a race. For 10 days leading up to the race you can find a boat load of events to take part in on land as well as the sea.

The city of Trieste, capital of the Friuli Venezia Giulia region in northeast Italy, is located on a thin strip of land between the Adriatic Coast and the country of Slovenia. It has been a part of several empires and countries through the centuries and did not become part of Italy until 1954. The city is isolated from the rest of the Italian peninsula and thus has its own unique culture. The city is worth the trip to visit anytime during the year and the Regatta just adds to the charm and beauty this port city has to offer.

In 1969 the Società Velica di Barcola and Grignano in Trieste wanted to organize a regatta. They made a request to the Federazione Italiana Vela (Italian Sailing Federation) to be included on the regatta calendar. It was added as the last event of the year to be held in October. The Barcolana Autumn Cup Regatta was born and each year since it has grown in popularity and participation. The first edition of the Autumn Cup started with 51 sailing boats and on October 14, 2018, on the 50th anniversary the Guinness World Records made it official calling it the largest sailing race in the world with 2,689 participants.

Competitors will set sail between Barcola and Miramare in the Gulf of Trieste. They will navigate around four fixed points in the shape of a quadrilateral sailing 13 nautical miles (15 miles) to the finish line located at the stretch in front of the Piazza Unità d'Italia. What makes the event unique is that everyone starts at the same time. You have experienced sailors alongside sailing enthusiasts using various boats and racing vessels. Participants are divided into groups based on the length of their boat.

For a complete list of events and to learn more about the regatta including the best places to view the race you can visit the Barcolana site.

Related Articles & Resources:

• Regata Storica
• Trieste Photo Gallery