Regatta Storica, Venice Part 3

The real Regatta follows the historical parade. This is the last and most important Regatta of the Season. Only Venetian rowers participate. The six sestieri (quarters, or areas) of Venice compete with each other for the winners' flags. The rowers compete 'alla veneta'...standing up.
The Venetians cheered and yelled for their favorites. I just took it all in.

These three boats were neck and neck all the way from the Rialto Bridge, after the turn, to the finish line. This was the most important final race for the championship. The orange (arancio) boat won...it is the one in the forefront...for the Sestieri of Castello. Castello is where the Arsenale is located, where the great ships of the seagoing empire of the Serenissima, Venice, were built, centuries ago. Here are my five buddies again (the fifth is on the far left in the striped shirt). Two had come up from Australia, a 23-hour trip, with a 3-day stop in Kuala Lumpur to break up the trip; they will be here for two months. Many many Italians emigrated to Australia, and these are just visiting the old country. Their wives had seats in the reviewing stand...one of the couples lives in Venice. But these five guys just had a ball...please note Umberto with the bandanna.

This was late in the day, one of the last races...the shadows are lengthening.


Did I mention that it was a clear perfect day, with the sun beating down all afternoon? Thank you, God, it wasn't also hot and humid. We had lunch before the Regatta, sitting in a campiello (the only piazza in Venice is San Marco). By the way, our gondola was tied up at the foot of the sign for Parrocchia di S. Stefano...De Stefano is my family name. And we passed a construction sign telling that the architect for the renovation of that particular palazzo is one Barbara De Stefano...my sister had the same name. But my family is from the South (il Sud), so I can only be Venetian for one afternoon.


That's it. Our day at the Regatta. Just not like New Jersey. *big smile*