SAILING SHOWCASE

THE THOUSAND ISLANDS RACE

By Dr. Alessio Lidozzi

We are about halfway through the month of September, which means it is time for some of the most exciting regattas in the Adriatic Sea to begin! Three of the best Adriatic races take place in the next month: the Barcolana in October that leaves from Trieste, Italy; the Mrduja leaving from Split, Croatia; and, one of my favorites, the Thousand Islands race leaving from Rijeka, Croatia. All three are very exciting, but the scenery and navigational independence offered in the Thousand Islands race make this a must-see.

Lasting from September 18 until September 28, this race provides plenty of freedom to this year’s competitors. While the route, at the most basic level, goes from Rijeka, Croatia to Porto Montenegro in Tivat, Montenegro and back, the boats can choose to do the first leg, the second leg, or both. A 300-mile, off-shore trip each way, captains will have the ability to use their best judgment in choosing a route. Needless to say, there are many choices to be made: as you might have guessed from the name, there are over one thousand islands on this route.

In addition to navigating these islands, competitors will also have to take Adriatic winds and currents into account and decide whether they will maintain a higher speed by traveling far from shore or further in. Some of the more notable destinations passed on this race are Unije, Premuda, Vis, and Lastovo, ending in the beautiful Boka Kotorska Bay, which dates back to the 2nd Century B.C.

Last year, in its first occurrence, the Thousand Islands race featured twelve competitors representing nine nations. Skipper Martin Josza of Hungary was victorious in his Reichel Pugh 60 ‘Wild Joe’, followed by Berislav Vranic of Croatia in the Millenium 40 ‘Damaco’ and GoestaPongratz of YC Austria in ‘Hidra’, a Hidra 54.

This year, the increased interest

in the race is readily apparent,

as there are currently

twenty-one entrants

representing fourteen countries,

including last year’s Top Three.

As of today’s date, this year’s

competitors hail from

(in alphabetical order): Austria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Germany, Hungary, Ireland, Lithuania, Montenegro, Netherlands, Russia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom.

With a returning champion and a bevy of islands to enjoy, this year’s Thousand Islands race is shaping up to be a great event with a spectacular

finish. Prizes for the first leg will be awarded on Wednesday, September 24th and the Final/second leg prizes will be awarded on Saturday,

September 28th.