THE LARGEST SAILING RACE IN THE WORLD
Trieste, 1 - 12 October 2025
Trieste, 1 - 12 October 2025
Barcolana - News03.10.24
"Deep Blue Exploration Zone" arrives at the Barcolana Village
In Piazza Unità, the exhibit, a result of the collaboration between Wendy Schmidt and the Miramare Marine Protected Area, offers an immersive experience of the sea's wonders, showcasing ambitious ocean explorations and the surprising biodiversity of our Gulf.
Wendy Schmidt “docks” at Barcolana56 not to race, but to offer the Barcolana audience, together with the Miramare Marine Protected Area with whom she has been collaborating since 2022, an innovative pavilion dedicated to sea exploration, which will be installed in Piazza dell’Unità and inaugurated on the afternoon of Saturday, October 5.
Called the “Deep Blue Exploration Zone” in honor of Deep Blue, the Botin 85 with which Wendy won the Barcolana 54, the installation will be part of the regatta’s Village, with the goal of raising awareness among the public about the wonders of the marine world and the importance of its conservation.
The immersive experience in Piazza dell’Unità will feature captivating video footage of ocean explorations conducted by the research vessel Falkor (too) from the Schmidt Ocean Institute, alongside the beauty of the Gulf of Trieste and the marine reserve managed by WWF for 50 years now.
Adults and children alike will be enchanted by the mysterious creatures of the deep abyss discovered through the expeditions of the Schmidt Ocean Institute, thanks to advanced oceanographic research technologies: moving through submarine canyons and hydrothermal vents, they will encounter bioluminescent organisms, giant worms, and cephalopods with incredible shapes and movements.
Visitors to "Deep Blue" will also be able to appreciate the extraordinary richness of organisms in Miramare, which have benefited from half a century of protection, marveling at the exotic colors of tiny nudibranchs, peering into the dens of lobsters and corvina fish, and swimming among large schools of barracuda, the "newcomers" in a Gulf undergoing profound changes.
"Deep Blue" is not only a breathtaking visual experience but also an invitation to reflect on the fragility of marine ecosystems and the paths to protect them.
The exhibit will be open to the public, free of charge, in Piazza Unità from October 5 to 13. On weekdays, from 9 AM to 3 PM, it will host guided tours for schools (with over 20 classes already booked), while after 3 PM and on weekends, it will be open to the general public.
The initiative is part of a partnership with the Miramare Marine Protected Area, which began after Wendy Schmidt’s victory at Barcolana in 2022, in honor of which she donated 100,000 US dollars to support the Marine Biodiversity Center (BioMa), the WWF environmental interpretation center offering visitors an immersive experience of the Gulf of Trieste and the Miramare Marine Protected Area.
The donation supported BioMa’s environmental education efforts in Trieste to connect visitors to the marine world, so they can understand, love, and protect it.
The fundamental connections between human activity, the land we live on, and the ocean we depend on are also central to Wendy’s philanthropic mission. Together with her husband Eric, she is committed through her numerous foundations to a healthy, resilient, and safe ocean for all.
"The Ocean is our pantry, our pharmacy, our playground. It is our lifesource" said philanthropist Wendy Schmidt. "We are excited to bring the Deep Blue Exploration Zone to Trieste, and we hope that by sharing the wonders of the deep sea with everyone who walks through the race village, they will understand how the ocean is connected to all life on our planet and why we work together to protect it."
Called the “Deep Blue Exploration Zone” in honor of Deep Blue, the Botin 85 with which Wendy won the Barcolana 54, the installation will be part of the regatta’s Village, with the goal of raising awareness among the public about the wonders of the marine world and the importance of its conservation.
The immersive experience in Piazza dell’Unità will feature captivating video footage of ocean explorations conducted by the research vessel Falkor (too) from the Schmidt Ocean Institute, alongside the beauty of the Gulf of Trieste and the marine reserve managed by WWF for 50 years now.
Adults and children alike will be enchanted by the mysterious creatures of the deep abyss discovered through the expeditions of the Schmidt Ocean Institute, thanks to advanced oceanographic research technologies: moving through submarine canyons and hydrothermal vents, they will encounter bioluminescent organisms, giant worms, and cephalopods with incredible shapes and movements.
Visitors to "Deep Blue" will also be able to appreciate the extraordinary richness of organisms in Miramare, which have benefited from half a century of protection, marveling at the exotic colors of tiny nudibranchs, peering into the dens of lobsters and corvina fish, and swimming among large schools of barracuda, the "newcomers" in a Gulf undergoing profound changes.
"Deep Blue" is not only a breathtaking visual experience but also an invitation to reflect on the fragility of marine ecosystems and the paths to protect them.
The exhibit will be open to the public, free of charge, in Piazza Unità from October 5 to 13. On weekdays, from 9 AM to 3 PM, it will host guided tours for schools (with over 20 classes already booked), while after 3 PM and on weekends, it will be open to the general public.
The initiative is part of a partnership with the Miramare Marine Protected Area, which began after Wendy Schmidt’s victory at Barcolana in 2022, in honor of which she donated 100,000 US dollars to support the Marine Biodiversity Center (BioMa), the WWF environmental interpretation center offering visitors an immersive experience of the Gulf of Trieste and the Miramare Marine Protected Area.
The donation supported BioMa’s environmental education efforts in Trieste to connect visitors to the marine world, so they can understand, love, and protect it.
The fundamental connections between human activity, the land we live on, and the ocean we depend on are also central to Wendy’s philanthropic mission. Together with her husband Eric, she is committed through her numerous foundations to a healthy, resilient, and safe ocean for all.
"The Ocean is our pantry, our pharmacy, our playground. It is our lifesource" said philanthropist Wendy Schmidt. "We are excited to bring the Deep Blue Exploration Zone to Trieste, and we hope that by sharing the wonders of the deep sea with everyone who walks through the race village, they will understand how the ocean is connected to all life on our planet and why we work together to protect it."
