The Barcolana like the Palio di Siena: rivalries and factions of the world’s most crowded regatta

Year after year the rivalries within the Barcolana (find out HERE how it went) increasingly resemble those of the Palio di Siena, where contrade and families compete with no holds barred in a “war” that goes far beyond what happens in Piazza del Campo. And so at the Barcolana there are “families” and factions: the Slovenians, the Benussi-Bressani, the Kosmina-Zennaro, in an all-Slovenian-Triestine sailing internal battle that lasts all year and then results in the few miles of the Barcolana. A close sailing friend, engaged on one of the four maxis favored for the final victory, told us, “in the days leading up to the Barcolana with friends with whom I have shared thousands of miles, I cannot say goodbye because we are on opposing boats.”

This edition, too, was no different. We had been somewhat amazed when Fast&Furio Sailing Team had submitted a project with a new boat (Read HERE), the Arka ex Skandia, abandoning the Morning Glory (Spirit of Portopiccolo) with which they won the 2017 and 2018 editions. By winning with the same boat in 2019 as well, they would have definitively won the Barcolana Cup, a right that accrues to the boat that wins the regatta three editions in a row. Hence our partial astonishment. But these days the mystery has been dissolved.

With an official statement on his facebook page (Read it HERE) Benussi revealed, just days before Barcolana 51, the existence of an ongoing lawsuit with the owner of the former Morning Glory, stating that he had not received the boat for the third season. Into this contention entered the Slovenians of Vincec who were to employ Morning Glory for the regatta. But the boat was put under impoundment, and as a result the crew of Vincec fell back on former Maxy Jena, now Way of Life, winning the regatta. The Benussi lost on the water, without appeal, but certainly one who continues to chew bitterly is Slovenian Mitja Kosmina: the boat that won is “his” maxi Jena with which he has finished second countless times. He abandoned it to bet on a horse he thought was a winner, the maxi 100 Tempus Fugit, even finishing ninth.

But as in the best editions of the Palio di Siena, from today, the day after the Barcolana, the war starts again. The next edition after all is only 364 days away.

Mauro Giuffrè