Vogalonga: Rowing Through the Canals of Venice
June 28, 2010
The boat race known as the Vogalonga is made on 11 May each year and is one of the major events in Venice. Everyone gathers to see many boats passing along 30 miles of canals flooded. Undoubtedly, this competition offers the chance to visit Italy as ideal paddling and having fun in the Venetian gondolas.
Vogalonga can participate in all types of boats if they are mobilized by oars. This time they expect hundreds of participants from around the world.
Getting started
On 11 November 1974, a group of Venetians who shared interest and passion for paddling with its gondolas on the canals of the city organized a race called the “Serenissima”.
For many years, a traditional Venetian family, the Rosa Salvas, along with friends and fans of rowing race held during the festivities of San Marco on a special shelf with six oars.
The race began with the idea of awareness among city residents (and especially the authorities) of the decline of the city.
The race calls to retrieve the friendly spirit renewing the traditional Venetian festivities and what better celebration than to enjoy the canals of the city by a competition between its waters.
The idea was immediately accepted with enthusiasm by the local press, by the Venetian rowing clubs and especially the people who carry their city at heart.
From there the tradition continued and grew in importance and size of the audience, adding more and more competitors and fans from all over the world.
The success of the identified races were founded over fifty rowing clubs who spend all years building and improving their craft for the big competition Vogalonga.
Every club has its famous boat, some began to craft six oars, but at present there are eighteen boats oars. Such vessels were reconstructed from ancient paintings and drawings that guarded the city. Thanks to this event, we can say that much of the original spirit of Venice was recovered and enriched thanks to all the folklore that emerged with the Vogalonga.
Competition
The course of the competition takes place through the most attractive sites in Venice. Any type of boat may participate, without limit weight, size or number of paddlers.
On May 27 in the morning will bring together hundreds of boats of all shapes, colors and sizes in front of Palazzo Ducale. “The start time of the meeting begins at 8:30 and closes in September to begin competition.
After each participant raises his paddle as a traditional greeting and after singing hymns to San Marco and Venice, the start of the race is marked by the firing of cannon.
The boats leave in an orderly manner by the various channels and then reach the Giudecca canal. After shine through the wonderful city channels, each rower and boat are welcomed at a celebration at the point of arrival, where all participants receive a commemorative medal and a diploma for participation.
Since the race is not competitive, all parties are equally excited at the time of completing their course. This type of race without opponents or losers, has made the Vogalonga has steadily grown in number of participants, especially foreigners. In recent meetings we reached the figure of 1500 vessels registered.
Prizes
As I said, the Vogalonga is a noncompetitive race, not saved any lists of arrivals to the final point.
However, in this event involves several public and private entities that reward competitors for the originality of the boats, or simply by the friendliness of its participants. These awards are numerous cups and platelets for the best rowers, and even a “Forcola” (which are the arms of the rowing), offered by the Secretary of Tourism of the city.
Competitors
Each year more and more innovative approaches that give new flavor to the event. Many participants noted that first return each year and each new celebration being overcome with their creativity to the proposal to paddle the canals.
That’s how you’ll go through the channels to a group of German grandparents in a canoe with ten paddles or boat driven by Oriental-style and Chinese students at the universities of Oxford and Cambridge with their straw hats typical of the navigators of Mississippi. Perhaps the most bizarre of all contestants is an inhabitant of this land-and water-: a Venetian swam across the entire length of the channels in the race.
Regulations and controls
The celebration basic standards of conduct among participants to avoid problems: for example no ship can cross into the path of other boats, or oars crossing or colliding with other participants. With common sense and camaraderie races have so far been a success.
Participants also prohibit any change in the established course of the race, which is always indicated by signs placed on the way to the naval marine. To regulate this is hidden controls along the entire race.
Final regulations do not allow the inclusion of logos or trademarks in advertising or commercial vessels or the attire of the contestants. Venice want to maintain the festive spirit of this event and to continue the tradition does not want to turn it into a purely commercial spectacle. It is therefore advisable to go to the canals of Venice and gondolas between or from the shore to enjoy this race where everyone wins.
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