Vogalonga is a
rowing
Rowing is the act of propelling a human-powered watercraft using the sweeping motions of oars to displace water and generate reactional propulsion. Rowing is functionally similar to paddling, but rowing requires oars to be mechanically a ...
regatta
Boat racing is a sport in which boats, or other types of watercraft, race on water. Boat racing powered by oars is recorded as having occurred in ancient Egypt, and it is likely that people have engaged in races involving boats and other wa ...
in the
Italian
Italian(s) may refer to:
* Anything of, from, or related to the people of Italy over the centuries
** Italians, a Romance ethnic group related to or simply a citizen of the Italian Republic or Italian Kingdom
** Italian language, a Romance languag ...
city of
Venice
Venice ( ; ; , formerly ) is a city in northeastern Italy and the capital of the Veneto Regions of Italy, region. It is built on a group of 118 islands that are separated by expanses of open water and by canals; portions of the city are li ...
.
On November 11, 1974 a group of Venetians, both amateur and professional rowers, had a race in the island of
Burano
Burano is an island in the Venetian Lagoon, northern Italy, near Torcello at the northern end of the lagoon, known for its lace work and brightly coloured homes. The primary economy is tourism.
Geography
Burano is from Venice, a 45-minute tr ...
. They came up with an idea of non-competitive "race" in which any kind of rowing boat could participate, in the spirit of historical festivities. The first Vogalonga began the next year with the message to protest against the growing use of powerboats in Venice and the swell damage they do to the historic city.
Participants gather in St Marks Basin in front of the ducal palace. They sing hymns to San Marco (
Saint Mark
Mark the Evangelist ( Koinē Greek: Μᾶρκος, romanized: ''Mârkos''), also known as John Mark ( Koinē Greek: Ἰωάννης Μᾶρκος, romanized: ''Iōánnēs Mârkos;'' Aramaic'': ܝܘܚܢܢ, romanized: Yōḥannān'') or Saint Ma ...
) and begin the "race". The racecourse is scenic route 30 kilometers long along the various Venetian canals and historical buildings.
Each participant receives a commemorative medal and a certificate of participation. They may also receive a prize, chosen randomly, which are often trophy cups and plaques, decorative oars and other mementos local associations, newspapers and the organizing committee have donated.
The numbers of participants has swelled to thousands over the years from all over the world. Some locals have founded new rowing clubs and build their own boats based on real, historical watercraft. Some participants have brought their own kind of boats like the Chinese
dragon boat
A dragon boat is a human-powered watercraft originating from the Pearl River Delta region of China's southern Guangdong Province. These were made of teak, but in other parts of China different kinds of wood are used. It is one of a family of t ...
s. Some have also chosen to swim through the route instead of rowing.
The 2009 Vogalonga event became a small scale disaster, with strong winds overturning several rowboats and 50 people had to be pulled from the water, although police and fire service motorboats were quick on the scene and nobody was seriously injured.
External links
Vogalonga Venezia(official website)
Official YouTube channelVogalonga 2022
References
{{reflist
Sports festivals in Italy
Rowing competitions in Italy