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SPORT PROTAGONIST
by Romano Torre Bianca
photos by Francesco e Roberta Rastrelli
The largest sailing ships in the world on parade
in the seas around La Spezia
36 tall ships came from 15 countries to the
gulf of La Spezia in Italy to take part in the
Festa della Marineria and compete in the
final stage of the Lycamobile Mediterranean Tall
Ships Regatta. More than 300,000 spectators and
sailing fans came from all over Italy and abroad
to see the ships and crews for the three days of
the event. These “queens of the seas” were open
to the public and 10,586 people climbed aboard
the Amerigo Vespucci, the Italian Navy’s flagship
and one of the best loved and admired ships in the
world (82.4 m, launched in 1931). Other sailing
ships present were Alexander Von Humboldt II
(64.73 m) - a 2011 replica of the original ship built
in Germany in 1906 - and Gulden Leeuw (70.72
m). As well as the public, La Spezia also hosted the
1,500 crew members of the tall ships of whom 500
were young trainees who were given the chance
to try their hands at tall ship sailing as a training
experience by Sail Training International. The
Festa della Marineria was organised by La Spezia
town council and port authority together with Il
Golfo e la Cultura del Mare association, the Italian
Navy, the Liguria Region, La Spezia Province and
STI (Sail Training International). The next event is
in two years time in the autumn of 2015.
www.festadellamarineria.com
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