It is not officially known when the first costume regattas took place in Venice. Historical sources highlight the year 1274 - the first written mention of rowing competitions on "merry" boats. Such competitions were held annually to teach young people to maritime business. The first festive regatta was organized in honor of the return from Cyprus to her homeland, Venice, of the Cypriot queen Catherine Cornaro. A grandiose meeting with a parade of decorated ships awaited her. Today the regatta in Venice is held as a great celebration.
The regatta in Venice is held annually on the first Sunday in September. Its official name is “Storica Regatta” - “Historical Regatta”. The official venue of the event is the Grand Canal (Grand Canal).
The modern regatta in Venice begins with a large costume parade. It symbolizes a meeting organized in the 13th century for Queen Catherine. Each boat has its own special colorful framing. The team and some of the audience are dressed in historic dresses that can be tailored or rented. The main characters of the carnival part of the regatta are historical characters: the Doge, his wife, ministers and ambassadors, as well as Queen Catherine herself. After the parade, the second part of the event begins - rowing races.
The historic regatta in Venice takes place in several stages. Juniors are the first to perform in front of the audience. They compete on gondolas “pupparini” - two-oared boats that are particularly light and maneuverable. Next comes the turn of the "mascarete" boats (also two-oared). The nose of these gondolas resembles the masks used by courtesans in the old days. It is easy to understand that the rowers of this type of transport are women.
After the women, men perform in heavy boats with six oars. In the past, such vessels, called the "caorline", were equipped with sails and served as transport for traveling around the lagoon. The most important event of the historic costume regatta in Venice takes place at the very end. On light and narrow boats "gondolini" real champions and aces compete. Managing such vehicles requires special dexterity and skill so as not to end up in the water.
True, no medals are awarded to the winners of the competition. Colored flags become prizes. The winner of the first place gets red, for the second, third and fourth places - white, green and blue.