The Barcolana56 is approaching, olympic medal winners and great champions arrive

A long list of sailors and sportsmen, from the United States to Hong Kong: Olympic medallists Caterina Banti, Ruggero Tita, Alessandra Sensini, great champions such as Chiara Benini Floriani, Flavia Tartaglini, Paolo Cian, Mauro Pelaschier, Tommaso Chieffi. And Wendy Schmidt – the first woman to win the Barcolana – the Italian ocean sailors gathered together by Emergency – Giovanni Soldini, Alberto Riva, Ambrogio Beccaria and Alberto Bona – and the ski champions Elisabeth Goergl, Ivica Kostelić, Tina Maze and Kristian Ghedina. They are all coming to the Barcolana, and are all ready to undertake a challenge on Sunday, 13 October in Trieste, in the world's largest regatta, which currently has 1,657 participants. There is still time tomorrow, on Saturday, for people to finalise their registration and challenge the title of Furio Benussi's Arca, overall winner of the 2023 edition, under forecasts predicting good weather and very light wind.

While the sailors are getting ready for celebrations, today has been the day of ‘Women in Sailing by Generali and Barcolana’, the event to promote mixed sailing. On board four J70 monotypes, just as many teams consisting of two male and two female athletes battled it out in the Gulf. In the meantime, Maxi and Solaris boats competed under corrected time in the final regatta of their respective cups, taking part in a race on the Barcolana course, but with results being calculated under ORC. Meanwhile, the TriEste24 - Trofeo GHC Sanatorio Triestino (GHC Sanatorio Triestino Cup) kicked off with races around the buoys and a Stadium Race, and a fantastic first day for the regatta of the Italian Sailing Federation’s ‘Next Generation Foil Academy powered by Luna Rossa’ was opened with Wazsp, IQ Foil and Wingfoil on the water with the first gusts of Bora blowing at dawn.

Today was also the day of sustainability. BAT Italia’s stand and the Infopoint offered an exclusive preview of the first two ‘Liquid Trees’ to appear in Italy – this is revolutionary technology that helps to reduce the event's carbon footprint. The ‘Liquid Trees’ contain genetically modified algae that ‘clean’ the air and thus improve the environmental balance. Meanwhile, after its great success on Thursday, with over 1,500 young people taking part, today is the last day of the Barcolana Sea Summit. The event revolves around three key topics: the blue economy, the underwater economy, and the wind economy. It will feature prestigious speakers, as well as a videoconference by Italian Minister of the Environment Pichetto Fratin.

BARCOLANA CLASSIC - TROFEO SIAD - Everything is ready for the Barcolana Classic - Trofeo SIAD (SIAD Cup) which will be held tomorrow (Saturday, 12 October) and organised by Barcolana and Yacht Club Adriaco.  101 ladies of the sea will be at the regatta, taking to the sea for the traditional parade in front of Piazza Unità first, and then for the race around the buoys in the Gulf.