Rowing the streets of Venice
What could be more apt than for Venice, Italy’s city
on the water, to have a rowing event that exceeds all others
in uniqueness – the Vogalonga.
What could be more fitting than the city that coined the
word “regatta” and has rowing events that stretch
back 700 years, to come up with the “long row”.
 Ever
since ancient civilisations dipped oars into water, rowing
has been used for everything from transportation to recreation.
The Vogalonga unites the recreational elements fused with
traditional transportation methods and in the process attracts
over 5,000 people in 1,400 boats to row the canals of Venice.
Expanding from an idea 32 years ago for a non-competitive
race, the Vogalonga has grown to showcase rowing’s many
forms and fascinations and is a highlight on the Venetian
calendar.
The assortment of boats is spectacular. United only by their
lack of mechanical power, dragon boats set a monotonous beat,
small kayaks look up at traditional gondolas and 14 oared
quatordesona’s that display the best of Venetian rowing
talent, while yoles of one, four and eight people make up
the bulk of the numbers.
Last weekend these boats gathered in Venice’s St Mark’s
basin leaving for the 30 km “race” to the sound
of cannon fire. They navigated out to the island of Burano
and back through Venice’s Cannaregio canal – a
relief for the rowers to have cheers from supporters and tourists
welcome them through the “streets” to the finish
line at the Punta della Dogana.
About half of the rowers come from Venice and Italy with
the remainder coming from Germany, France and Switzerland
as well as smatterings from Great Britain and as far away
as South Africa. For some the trip is an annual event with
Venetian cafes and restaurants filled with lycra-clad customers
dining next to the tourists throughout the weekend.
This year the weather charmed. Little more than light breezes
and a ban on motorised boats, the main cause of wake, meant
that conditions were ideal.
 A
certificate and medallion is handed out at the finish and
the non-competitive nature of the event means there is no
list of placings. However, there is always an element of competitive
rivalry especially amongst the local rowing clubs; clubs which
have blossomed to more than 50 since the event began.
Despite the size of the event the Vogalonga is run solely
by volunteers with the Rosa Salva family the backbone since
the beginning. Committee member Antonio Rosa Salva is a little
bemused when asked about results. No results are recorded
but the first boat to cross the line this year, an eight person
yole, came from Passau Germany. “But maybe they started
early,” says Rosa Salva who observed that many boats
leave before the cannon sounds.
Number two home was also an eight person yole from local
Venetian club, Buccintero.
The tightly run event needs just 100 volunteers, mainly required
for safety measures. Still, Rosa Salva noted that three boats
went off track, ending up in too shallow waters and destroying
the boats.
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