After the great success of 2024, the Barcolana Dragon Boat University Challenge returns, organised by the University Sports Centre (CUS) ofTrieste in collaboration with the University of Trieste, CUS Venezia, and the Società Velica di Barcola e Grignano, with the support of the Regional Council of Friuli Venezia Giulia.

This year the challenge is officially part of the 57th edition of the world’s most famous sailing regatta. The event takes place on Tuesday 7th October, with the preliminary phases starting at 14:00. The traditional dragon-headed boats, each crewed by 16 members, will compete, representing the teams of CUS Trieste, CUS Venezia, CUS Udine, and CUS Bari.

‘Building on the success of the 2024 edition,’ stresses Michele Pipan, President of CUS Trieste, ‘the Dragon Boat returns on a larger scale. It is more than just a competition: it is a valuable tool for promoting solidarity in sport, teamwork and inclusion. The 2025 edition will embody this spirit, involving participants of all abilities, genders and nationalities. The key aim is to highlight cooperation between athletes, each of whom can contribute according to their abilities towards a shared goal. I would like to thank the teams from CUS Bari, Venezia and Udine for choosing to join us.’

The day begins on Tuesday 7th October at 10:00 with the arrival of the Dragon Boats at Molo 0 in Porto Vecchio, followed by a training session in the San Giusto Basin (opposite Piazza Unità) until 13:00. At 13:30 the Barcolana InfoPoint in Piazza Unità will host the unmissable Ceremony of the Blessing of the Dragon Boat Heads, a traditional rite to bring good luck, prosperity and protection to crews and boats. The ceremony will be held in Chinese with simultaneous translation into Italian.

From 14:00 the 150m racecourse, running between the Trieste seashore (from the end of Molo Audace) and the Old Port Breakwater, will host the elimination heats, followed between 15:45 and 16:30 by the eagerly awaited B Finals and A Finals. At around 17:00 the Award Ceremony will take place at the InfoPoint in Piazza Unità.

‘The spectacular setting of the basin opposite Piazza Unità d’Italia,’ adds Pipan, ‘will also engage the public, offering the opportunity to experience the unique appeal of this discipline, recognised worldwide as a symbol of solidarity and collective effort. For CUS and the University of Trieste it is an honour and a privilege to take part in one of the city’s most celebrated events. Beyond the walls of our classrooms, this initiative testifies to the vitality of the university community and its dedication to shared values.’

The Audace Team boat and the Racing Team car at the Barcolana Village

UniTS students from the Audace Sailing Team and Racing Team will showcase the results of their design work in Piazza Unità: the BAI-Flax Bandit boat and Minerva, the electric single-seater competing in Formula SAE, the international competition among university teams.

As for the Audace sailing team, the BAI-Flax Bandit is their second foiling moth. Built from flax and basalt, it demonstrates how sustainability can go hand in hand with performance on the water. The sails are a further symbol of sustainability, made from recycled sail offcuts. The foils allow the boat to ‘fly’ above the water, reaching speeds of up to 25 knots.

Minerva, on the other hand, is the second single-seater built by the UniTS Racing Team, designed and constructed mainly from flax fibre, a material that combines lightness and strength. In September 2024 the UniTS Racing Team received the SKF award – ‘Sustainability at 360 degrees, stay tuned, embrace the change’, in recognition of the most innovative and environmentally responsible projects.