A record Barcolana Nuota

It was a record edition, organised by the Barcolana in partnership with Triestina Nuoto Samer &Co. Shipping, which counted 374 participants coming from all over Italy, Slovenia and Austria, who took up the challenge of swimming a nautical mile in front of Piazza Unità, with notable guests such as Olympian swimmer Luca Dotto, excellent event manager Stefania Pirozzi, and the Barcolana’s President Mitja Gialuz cheering for them on the waterfront.

The spectacular start of the race saw an almost synchronised dive from the Scala Reale and the swimmers’ first strokes along the Molo Audace, while many inhabitants of Trieste and swimming fans along the Rive were enthusiastically cheering. The new course featured a long swim up to the dam of the Porto Vecchio, a turn, another swim back to the Bacino San Giusto, and the finish line back in front of the Scala Reale. Italian swimmer Pasquale Sanzullo finished first overall, while Italian Giulia Salin was the first woman and the second swimmer overall to cross the finish line. The ranking brought satisfaction to all categories, showing the full spirit of the Barcolana, which brings together both professionals and enthusiasts (link: https://www.barcolana.it/hyve/document/05ebce4d-37a1-4950-84c7-2bfeabbb75e7).

“This has perhaps been the most beautiful Barcolana Nuota ever,” said President Mitja Gialuz, “a great collective work carried out with Triestina Nuoto, which brought many of their athletes. The new course is beautiful and it gives value to the hard work of the swimmers, who can hear the cheering and feel the great festive atmosphere. From the youngest swimmers to the masters, from professionals to enthusiasts – the Barcolana Nuota truly unites everyone.” 

“We are very happy with how the 10^th edition went,” commented the Barcolana Nuota’s event manager Stefania Pirozzi. “It has been one of the most attended ever and the response given by the athletes and the city was positive. The collaboration between the Sailing Club of Barcola and Grignano and Triestina Nuoto is an increasingly solid and exciting partnership. We would like to thank all the participants, the fans, the authorities, and say a big thank you to all the ground staff who make all of this possible. See you at the 11^th edition – we are already working on it.”

The Barcolana Nuota was followed by the second edition of the Barcolana Pinnata, which will count as the first Italian championship of the discipline, and which was dedicated to athletes with disabilities, who swam along a 500-metre open-water ‘stick’ course. 33 people from all over Italy went into the water, ready to compete in the Paralympic cross-country swimming competition. The race covered both monofins and bi-fins, as the event included all types of disabilities, including physical and intellectual and relational disabilities. The Italian champions are Martina Screti, Pierluigi Bonafin, Federica Cecchi, Giulia Lo Schiavo, Stefania Galasso, Rossella Panigutti, Nicolò D’Atri, Alvise Costantini, Samuele Galdini.