Barcolana 51: the largest sailing race in the world is presented in Munich with TAL Group

Munich, 2 July 2019 - 51 years ago, 47 boats raced the first Barcolana regatta. Held every second Sunday of October in Trieste, Italy, Barcolana presented by Generali is a World Guiness Record regatta. 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 on 13th October 2019 with a jam-packed entertainment schedule in the ten days before the race. Registrations are already open on www.barcolana.it.

The great event was presented today in Munich thanks to Barcolana’s partnership with TAL group, ambassador of Barcolana in Austria and Germany and to Barcolana’s partners Generali, Prosecco DOC, illycaffè, PromoTurismoFVG, North and Musement. Alessio Lilli, SIOT chairman and General Manager of TAL Group said : “Barcolana is a symbol of Trieste and Friuli Venezia Giulia and TAL is pleased to be the link between Italy, Austria and Germany promoting the sport event and Trieste as an excellent tourist destination. Barcolana and TAL Group have very much in common – we both work with a focus on the environment and safety and with the aim of contributing to the development of our local areas. Environment and safety are top priorities for TAL industries, but they must be as important in sports, cultural and tourist events like Barcolana where hundreds of thousands of people are involved”.
Mitja Gialuz, chairman of the sailing club Società Velica di Barcola e Grignano organizing Barcolana, stated: “We thank TAL for allowing us to promote Barcolana in Munich again this year. We are pleased to have Germans visitors in Barcolana. We wish to organize a welcoming event that can attract tourists on land and at sea who wish to learn more about Adriatic seafaring traditions, have a good time and live a unique experience.

Giulio Benedetti, Country Head of Communications and Public Affairs, Generali Deutschland AG, said: “For more than 40 years Generali - the largest European insurance company whose roots lay in Trieste – has been partners of Barcolana, the largest sailing event in the Mediterranean. Barcolana and Generali represent Trieste’s heritage, future and global vision. That’s why we are happy to help promote this wonderful regatta in Italy, Germany and the whole world as Presenting Partner”.
After the great success of its 50th edition and the Guinness World Record listing, Barcolana will continue to work to gather sailing enthusiasts in Trieste, focusing on the sea and the environment.

THEAGREEMENTWITHADAC -Duringthepresentation,BarcolanasignedanagreementwithAdac(the German Motoring Association) which is active in nautical tourism. The agreement is aimed at attracting German tourists in Trieste and Friuli Venezia Giulia by offering favourable tourist packages and discounts. This is one of the projects Barcolana is promoting in partnership with Musement to reach out to international visitors. Tourist packages are available to be purchased on www.barcolana.it. A new e- commerce portal will also be launched by the end of July to further promote and market Barcolana’s activities and initiatives.

THE TESTIMONIAL - Thanks to an exceptional testimonial, Dee Caffari - the first yachtswoman to have sailed solo and non-stop around the globe - Barcolana will continue to raise awareness on environmental sustainability. An important environmental project #UnPlasticTrieste will be brought forward to raise awareness on the dangers of throwing plastic in the sea.

THE POSTER - Barcolana also presented its 2019 poster to the German press. Illy and its artistic management team have chosen the illustrator Olimpia Zagnoli to design this year's Barcolana poster. Olimpia Zagnoli, who illustrated the New Yorker’s June 2019 cover, was asked to convey the emotions that fill the Barcolana event every year and were shared by 300 thousand people last year in Trieste and by thousands of sailing enthusiasts all over the world.
The 2019 poster is a business card inviting people to Trieste to enjoy its wonders on land and at sea. The poster shows an image of the Gulf of Trieste towered over by the Miramare Castle - a popular tourist destination - and filled with a fleet of sailing boats ready to race. In the foreground stands a lovely flower symbolizing both the beauty and vulnerability of our seas and its ecosystem which must be protected.
Andrea Illy, illycaffè Chairman and sailing enthusiast said: “Barcolana is a strong symbol of Trieste, its land and its values - the sea that joins, sailing that unites and does not divide, harmony with nature. For years illycaffè has endorsed this event and its values with a kind gesture - typical of this city - offering the creativity of an artist to design its poster. From Gillo Dorfles to Marina Abramovich, the charming tradition of Barcolana hasinspiredgreatmastersaswellassuccessfulyoungartistslikeOlimpiaZagnoli. Hervibrantcoloursexalt the embrace of the Gulf of Trieste around the fleet of white sails, while the flower in the foreground stands out as the symbolic bond between Land and Sea”.

PROMOTING THE AREA – The Barcolana 10-day spectacle aims to attract tourists to the region Friuli Venezia Giulia, supported by its partnership with tourist agency PromoTurismoFVG.
“Barcolana is a trademark of Friuli Venezia Giulia and Trieste, just like excellent local wines, regional cycle paths that cross the Alps and Dolomites and stretch out as far as the Adriatic Sea. Barcolana and PromoTurismoFVG aim to promote the region the world over, showing that this area is constantly on the move”, stated the General Manager of PromoTurismoFVG, Lucio Gomiero.
Barcolana and its partner Musement presented to the German press the Barcolana Experiences, the tourist packages that are available to live a unique experience during the Barcolana festival. Follow the race from a motorboat or enjoy a romantic dinner in the Gulf while following Barcolana by Night under a magnificent firework display. These are just some of the Barcolana Experiences Musement will offer, in partnership with Civado. The activities are already available and can be purchased online (www.bracolana.it).

THE PARTNERSHIP WITH PROSECCO DOC – Another partner of Barcolana is Prosecco DOC, whose Chairman Stefano Zanette said: “Prosecco DOC is pleased to support the Barcolana event again, as it has done every year for the past years. Supporting Barcolana means being the official partner of the largest regatta in the world but also promoting the Prosecco area of Trieste where the most popular bubbles are produced”.

BARCOLANA MILESTONES (Events confirmed as at 30 June)
4 October – Event opening – Inauguration of the exhibition “Scart” and Presentation of #Unplastic Trieste
5-13 October, Trieste Seafront and Piazza Unità - Barcolana 51 Village
5-6 October, at sea: Barcolana Young (Optimist), Barcolana Nuota (open water swimming race), Lega Italiana Vela (Italian Sailing League): under 19 (J70).
6 October: Barcolana Chef in Piazza dell’Unità

ROAD TO BARCOLANA
12 June, Milan – Unveiling of Poster and presentation of Barcolana Experiences
13 June, London – Italian Embassy – Presentation to international press and agreement with Island Sailing Club. 27 June – Cowes – Barcolana at the Round the Island Race
2 July, Munich – Presentation to German and Austrian press in partnership with TAL Group
July, Trieste – Presentation of the North Collection and Barcolana official polo shirt
Second week of September, Rome – Presentation of Barcolana to the Italian press: final calendar ThirdweekofSeptember,Trieste– PressconferencebyPresentingSponsorGenerali