THE LARGEST SAILING RACE IN THE WORLD
Trieste, 1 - 12 October 2025
Trieste, 1 - 12 October 2025
Barcolana - News05.10.25
Barcolana Nuota powered by Honda: Paltrinieri and swimming champions take centre stage
There’s no water that Barcolana cannot interpret. Today’s heavy rainfall forced the cancellation of activities at sea, not only Barcolana Young but also the eagerly awaited Barcolana Nuota powered by Honda – Luca Giustolisi Trophy. However, since every difficulty can be transformed into an opportunity, Barcolana managed to reinvent this appointment into an exciting chat, informal and intimate, between Gregorio Paltrinieri and the over 300 participants registered for the event who turned up despite the bad weather.
BARCOLANA NUOTA POWERED BY HONDA – LUCA GIUSTOLISI TROPHY - Olympic Gold Medallist and multiple World Champion Gregorio Paltrinieri wanted to reach Trieste to wish the athletes “good luck” and attend the Barcolana Nuota powered by Honda – Luca Giustolisi Trophy, but the change of programme offered the opportunity for a discussion lasting over an hour at the Old Port Convention Centre, where Paltrinieri answered questions and queries from the swimmers in the audience. An audience that boasted more than 10 Olympic medals - besides Paltrinieri, there were also Stefania Pirozzi, Luca Dotto and Trieste’s own Piero Codia - who greeted the participants and contributed to the day, introduced on stage by Mitja Gialuz - President of the Società Velica di Barcola e Grignano - and Sigrid De Riz - Chief Executive Officer of Triestina Nuoto. Barcolana Nuota powered by Honda thus became an important moment of discussion for these athletes, who had the opportunity to spend an hour side by side with these champions, a different experience from what was planned, but equally exciting.
“Barcolana Nuota has been a great celebration since the first edition, today it was so in a different but equally exciting way,” declared Mitja Gialuz. “Indeed, the rain forced us to improvise and we discovered a format to keep in mind for future editions as well. The participants loved talking to these great champions, whom I want to thank for their availability and the warmth with which they interpreted this unexpected day. We were supposed to be at sea, but rain was the protagonist - no matter in what form, water in Barcolana always gives ideas and opportunities.”
“This Barcolana Nuota powered by Honda – Luca Giustolisi Trophy,” adds Chief Executive Officer of Triestina Nuoto Samer & Co. Shipping Sigrid De Riz, “has been an enormous success despite the bad weather conditions not allowing us to get in the water for the competition. However, thanks to the commitment and dedication of all the players involved, within 24 hours we managed to organise an alternative event with a luxury guest like Gregorio Paltrinieri. It was a unique opportunity to listen to the words of an Olympic and World champion, a reference point for Italian sport, who told his story in an intergenerational meeting, between experiences, behind-the-scenes stories and anecdotes in and out of the water. The story of Barcolana Nuota continues and will continue following the growth path undertaken in recent years which has brought us in 2025 to gather around 450 participants ready to share their passion for water and swimming in a fascinating setting with few equals in the world like the Piazza Unità area.”
BARCOLANA NUOTA POWERED BY HONDA – LUCA GIUSTOLISI TROPHY - Olympic Gold Medallist and multiple World Champion Gregorio Paltrinieri wanted to reach Trieste to wish the athletes “good luck” and attend the Barcolana Nuota powered by Honda – Luca Giustolisi Trophy, but the change of programme offered the opportunity for a discussion lasting over an hour at the Old Port Convention Centre, where Paltrinieri answered questions and queries from the swimmers in the audience. An audience that boasted more than 10 Olympic medals - besides Paltrinieri, there were also Stefania Pirozzi, Luca Dotto and Trieste’s own Piero Codia - who greeted the participants and contributed to the day, introduced on stage by Mitja Gialuz - President of the Società Velica di Barcola e Grignano - and Sigrid De Riz - Chief Executive Officer of Triestina Nuoto. Barcolana Nuota powered by Honda thus became an important moment of discussion for these athletes, who had the opportunity to spend an hour side by side with these champions, a different experience from what was planned, but equally exciting.
“Barcolana Nuota has been a great celebration since the first edition, today it was so in a different but equally exciting way,” declared Mitja Gialuz. “Indeed, the rain forced us to improvise and we discovered a format to keep in mind for future editions as well. The participants loved talking to these great champions, whom I want to thank for their availability and the warmth with which they interpreted this unexpected day. We were supposed to be at sea, but rain was the protagonist - no matter in what form, water in Barcolana always gives ideas and opportunities.”
“This Barcolana Nuota powered by Honda – Luca Giustolisi Trophy,” adds Chief Executive Officer of Triestina Nuoto Samer & Co. Shipping Sigrid De Riz, “has been an enormous success despite the bad weather conditions not allowing us to get in the water for the competition. However, thanks to the commitment and dedication of all the players involved, within 24 hours we managed to organise an alternative event with a luxury guest like Gregorio Paltrinieri. It was a unique opportunity to listen to the words of an Olympic and World champion, a reference point for Italian sport, who told his story in an intergenerational meeting, between experiences, behind-the-scenes stories and anecdotes in and out of the water. The story of Barcolana Nuota continues and will continue following the growth path undertaken in recent years which has brought us in 2025 to gather around 450 participants ready to share their passion for water and swimming in a fascinating setting with few equals in the world like the Piazza Unità area.”
