Enjoy Barcolana54 Presented By Generali, participate in the largest regatta in the world for a fun-filled experience. Registration for the 54th edition taking place in Trieste between 30 September and 9 October 2022 opens today. After two years of COVID-19 measures, this year's edition aims to restore the spirit of 2019, with a great celebration on land and the famous "sailing pilgrimage" taking place at the beginning of October, which turns Trieste into the universal international sailing capital. The event will focus on sustainability, gender equality, scientific dissemination and especially on coming together once again united by our passion for the sea.
With the 54th edition, Generali has decided to renew its three-year partnership as presenting sponsor with Società Velica di Barcola e Grignano – SVBG (the Sailing Club of Barcola and Grignano), to support the sporting event in its international development. Therefore, Generali, which has supported the world's largest sailing event for more than forty years, will enhance its contribution through internationalisation (which has been a key feature of the past three years), the promotion of the bond with the territory, of sports, and with a focus on sustainability, climate change, Diversity&Inclusion.
"We are ready for a new edition of the Barcolana," said Mitja Gialuz, President of the SVBG - which will be marked by a spirit of joy and sharing. Our aim is to make Trieste the city of great sailing and sea celebration once again".
"The Barcolana is a pivotal event for both Trieste and the Friuli Venezia Giulia Region," said Massimiliano Fedriga, Governor of Friuli Venezia Giulia. "It is the most fascinating sea celebration of the Mediterranean, and, above all, it is an extraordinary driver for tourism and for the local economy. The project has grown overtime and has managed to attract an increasing number of participants. The Region will continue to support this event fully. With traditional yet innovative initiatives such as the Barcolana, local administrations promote the local area by fostering tourist and economic development while protecting traditions and the local culture."
Andrea Sironi, Generali's President said: "The Barcolana is a sporting event which is increasingly focused on current and topical issues, environmental protection and Diversity&Inclusion. Generali has been supporting it for decades now and contributes to its development to make it an opportunity for sports, entertainment and growth for both the local community and the many participants coming from all over Europe every year."
REGISTRATION AND DISCOUNT - The first new addition, which has been launched today, is a discount for those who register by 10 September: large boats will receive a 10% discount, while small ones will receive a 20% discount. "This is a historic decision for the Barcolana, said President Mitja Gialuz, "which we have taken to offer an advantage for sailors registering now, to facilitate the management of mooring, and to be able to organise the event in the light of the registration trend one month in advance."
Registration opens today at 13:00, with the traditional bell-ringing in the SVBG's offices. During the first phase, the registration procedure will take place fully online on our website www.barcolana.it, which has been renovated by our digital partner IKON.
THE REGATTA – WHAT'S NEW - The organisers have great news in store for skippers: the Barcolana's communication team, headed by a Race Officer, will create dedicated channels on Whatsapp and Telegram to give constant updates on weather conditions and on the regatta. "Last year, Gialuz explained, "we learned that we need to enhance communication with crews, therefore we will carry out considerable improvement: first and foremost, our goal is to make the Barcolana a great celebration for all once again, after two complicated years due to Covid-19 and the weather. Thus, we will endeavour to give sailors constant and clear updates during the regattas."
THE CELEBRATION – The Barcolana is planning the creation of more meeting points on the city's waterfront, and it is organising events to promote the territory and give new momentum to the program on land, in collaboration with PromoTurismo FVG: "Our goal is to make the Barcolana a unique and special sharing experience for the community once again, Mitja Gialuz continued. Therefore, we are planning on organising music, book, and film events in the city's large spaces once again. The love for the sea will be a common defining feature that everyone will be able to express in their own way: sailing, celebrating on Trieste's waterfront, or taking sustainable action for the sea".
"The Barcolana54 will take place at the end of a wonderful summer season for Trieste, marked by visitor levels beyond expectations and beyond pre-pandemic levels, said Roberto Dipiazza, Trieste's mayor. "This great display of commitment for the local area is the result of the cooperation and shared action of many institutions and people, and the Barcolana plays a key role in this respect.
The Municipality of Trieste always supports the event, considering the end-of-summer incoming figures and the promotion of Trieste as a sea city on a national and international level. The sea is our asset when it comes to tourism, as has been shown by this administration's investments in Porto Vecchio (the Old Port), in the Museo del Mare (the Museum of the Sea) and in infrastructure."
#WOMENINSAILING - The event will combine celebrations, commitment and fun, with a particular focus on Gender Equality. The successful "Women in sailing" project was first organised last year in collaboration with Generali, and it will play a prominent role once again this year. The first female skipper in a mixed crew will be awarded by Generali Academy with a coaching and leadership training based on her specific needs.
THE NEW REGATTA - In this year's edition the new regatta for Maxi boats will be in the spotlight as a new route: Barcolana Maxi Trofeo Portopiccolo (Barcolana Maxi Portopiccolo Cup) will take place between 4 and 6 October. "Big" boats only will compete in various races along the coast as well as one following the Barcolana's course on Thursday 6 October. Furthermore, an extraordinary programme will take place on land in Portopiccolo. "Attracting Maxi Yachts to the Northern Adriatic is crucial for the whole sailing sector, since they bring wealth to the area, especially if they stop for storage, and fit perfectly in the Barcolana's "pop" atmosphere. Featuring both great champions and family crews has always been one of the Barcolana's defining traits. We aim to enhance this tradition", explained Gialuz, underscoring the renewed partnership with Portopiccolo: "Portopiccolo plays a key role in sailing hospitality in the Northern Adriatic: we will organise a series of events here, including Barcolana Sea Chef".
THE SCHEDULE - Beside the new Barcolana Maxi Trofeo PortoPiccolo, the events at sea will include RoundItaly's second edition (starting in Genoa on 22 September), the two regattas coming to the Barcolana from Slovenia and from Ravenna with Trofeo Hera (Hera Cup), Barcolana Classic and Barcolana by Night, Barcolana Young and Barcolana Nuota (Barcolana Swims). There will be new impetus for Barcolana FUN with its foiling course, which will be organised in partnership with World Sailing and the Foiling Week.
Barcolana Sea Summit will be held between 5 and 7 October and will bring together the Government, the Central European Initiative, media and businesses, young people and sailors in a wide-ranging discussion: the sea has no border, it is a very complex area, solutions are neither simple nor immediate, but they must be sought with a shared, determined and evidence-based approach. The Barcolana will directly commit to the efforts towards more sustainability, working with Fondazione CRTrieste and to PromoTurismo FVG, which have organised events in the two large venues used for the Barcolana: Salone degli Incanti will host press conferences in a dedicated space, as well as "Barcolana Un mare di racconti", which will be organised in collaboration with the Feltrinelli Group. Moreover, the Trieste Convention Center will host the Barcolana Sea Summit, which will include the Fondazione Giangiacomo Feltrinelli's scientific curatorship this year.
THE BARCOLANA COLLECTION - During the press conference, the Barcolana and its partner Murphy&Nye (M&N) launched their new clothing collection dedicated to the 2022 edition, which will be available in selected stores, on www.murphynye.com and in the online shop on www.barcolana.it starting from August.
"The renewed collaboration of Murphy & Nye with the Barcolana," said Tommaso Rossi, M&N's Owner, "has been welcomed enthusiastically by the public, which has encouraged us to further widen the merchandising offer of the Barcolana 54 collection, by introducing new items and by providing a women's version for all items of clothing. We hope we have successfully laid the foundations for a fruitful collaboration for the Barcolana's future editions as well."
MANIFESTO AND PROMOTION - Last but not least, the 54th edition's Manifesto will be published shortly. As is customary, Illy and the Barcolana have drafted it jointly, describing the regatta's spirit: "We will publish it on 4 July," revealed President Gialuz. "The manifesto outlines the Barcolana's values." After its publication, different international press conferences will take place to promote the Barcolana: in Munich in July, in Vienna, Berlin and Ljubljana in September. Lastly, the Italian roadshow will end in Rome with the launch of the main media partnership with RAI.
NEW PARTNERS - Along with Generali, the Barcolana's presenting partner, and with our historic Gold Sponsors, the Barcolana welcomes two new partners supporting the regatta this year, namely Lexus, the prestigious automotive brand, and BAT Italia.
"The Barcolana, said Maurizio Perinetti, Lexus Italia's Director, "is the perfect opportunity for Lexus, the Toyota Group's premium brand, to express at best its human-centred vision, a new conception of mobility and more in general of the relation between humans, the environment and society. For Lexus, cars are more than simple means of transport: they are a unique experience, where you can get in touch with the surrounding environment, spend some time with yourself or your loved ones. Lexus RZ, Lexus's first 100% electric SUV, which you will see at the Barcolana Village, is a prime example of this. Lexus RZ shows the electrification vision of our brand, which will become 100% full-electric by 2035, through the launch of 20 new electrified models, including hybrid, plug-in hybrid and electric vehicles."
BAT Italia is building its A Better Tomorrow Innovation Hub in Trieste, which will be a centre for innovation and sustainability investing up to 500 million euros in the next five years and creating approximately 2,700 jobs, considering the whole supply chain. The new BAT hub will host a Digital boutique, namely an innovation laboratory and a centre of excellence for digital transformation and digital marketing, as well as a new production centre for reduced-risk products, including all glo™'s tobacco heating products.
For BAT Italia, the Barcolana will be an opportunity to promote its leading product among the public: glo™ will be present in different places in the city, including a "hospitality area" on Trieste's waterfront, where consumers will have the chance to find out more about new products and enjoy the races from an exclusive rooftop.
Moreover, during the Barcolana BAT will present the results of the national environmental awareness campaign "Piccoli gesti grandi crimini" ("Small actions big crimes") organised by Marevivo in collaboration with BAT Italy and with the patronage of the Ministry for Ecological Transition (and with the patronage of the Friuli Venezia Giulia Region and of the Municipality of Trieste for its section in Trieste). The campaign aims to raise awareness against throwing cigarette stubs and similar waste into the environment.
DONATION NETWORK - This year, thanks to the collaboration with the Donation Network's crowdfunding platform, the Barcolana will launch a Charity Programme which will involve local no-profit organisations.
Each organisation joining the program will have a dedicated fundraising webpage within the platform linked to the Barcolana, where supporters will be able to donate.