The Cooking regatta CUP makes a comeback on 6 July in Venice

Venice, 4 July 2019 – The great cooking-sailing event makes a great comeback thanks to its organizers Barcolana and Compagnia della Vela and a new title sponsor Despar. The 23rd Despar Cooking Cup will be raced in Venice on Saturday 6th July against the magnificent backdrop of Piazza San Marco. The race has an unparalleled format where competitors will have to race and cook a dish while sailing which will have to be completed before crossing the finish line.
For the third year in a row Barcolana has helped Compagnia della Vela organize the event involving its Barcolana51 food partners. Despar, Prosecco DOC and illy will sponsor this edition focusing on the passion for sailing and haute cuisine, promoting local dishes while joining two special regattas of the North Adriatic. At the start line there will be over 25 crews of expert sailors and chefs ready to race in a unique event where the dishes will be judged by starred chefs and food journalists.
Mitja Gialuz, chairman of the sailing club Società Velica di Barcola e Grignano that organizes Barcolana, commented the event: “The third Cooking Cup together – it is an opportunity to celebrate our valuable partnership for an event that enchants and attracts sailing and food lovers alike. We wish to thank Despar which has believed in the event and has created an imaginary bridge between Trieste and Venice”.
Pier Vettor Grimani, chairman of Compagnia della Vela, stated: “The Cooking Cup is back this year after its past success strengthening the bond with Trieste and its international Barcolana regatta. The Cooking Cup 2019 will be an event where sailing and food experts will work and have fun together”.

Aspiag Service Marketing Manager Fabio Donà said - “For the 23rd edition of Despar Cooking Cup we have decided to strengthen our relations with Barcolana, by doing something that had to do with the sea and by creating a symbolic bridge between Trieste and Venice and the two stores we have in these two wonderful cities (Teatro Italia in Venice and the newly opened store in Piazza Unità d’Italia in Trieste). The marvellous backdrops of these cities have helped us do more than just business.”

THE RULES – The Despar Cooking Cup is open to boats of 6 to 20 metres in length and crews have to be made up of sailors and chefs. Winners will be rewarded for a combination of excellent sailing performance and exquisite dish made by the chef onboard. The dishes will be judged by a jury of chefs

and food journalists and the final ranking will depend not only on the time the line is crossed but also on the dish cooked.

THE JURY- The jury with a decisive role in the final ranking will include renowned chefs
Alessandro Breda, Graziano Prest, Peter Brunel, Franco Favaretto, and the food journalist Giuseppe Cordioli.

THE PROGRAMME – The official opening of the event will be held on Friday 5 July at 6.30 pm in the Despar supermarket in Teatro Italia - Venice’s historical centre - where competitors will be briefed on the regatta and will be able to do their food shopping ahead of the race. In the evening, there will be a Sponsors night at the club Compagnia della Vela (San Marco Giardinetti).
Kick off will be on Saturday at 8.30 am when the jury will assess the galleys and chosen ingredients. Start of the race is scheduled for 12.30 pm and finishing time is set at 4.00 pm to sail the ten-mile course. The regatta starts from Malamocco harbour and finishes off the sailing club Compagnia della Vela, between the isles of San Giorgio San Servolo, opposite Piazza San Marco. As they cross the finish line, crews will have to give their dishes to the jury and wait for the final ranking. The prize-ceremony will be held at 5.30 pm at the sailing club Compagnia della Vela, on San Giorgio island. The day will end with a dinner for the crews to be enjoyed on San Giorgio island.