The 58th Barcolana regatta in Trieste drew 1,858 entries and an estimated 21,000 people at sea, while the wider sailing festival recorded about 550,000 visits between 1st - 12th October.
The figures, released by organisers Società Velica di Barcola e Grignano on Wednesday, 14th October, underline the scale of the annual Adriatic event, which concluded with the Autumn Cup on Sunday, 11 October.
Arca SGR Takes Victory in Gulf of Trieste
Furio Benussi's Arca SGR, representing the Fast and Furio Sailing Team, won the 58th Autumn Cup in one hour, five minutes and nine seconds. Prosecco DOC Shockwave3 finished second, followed by Marta07, after a technically demanding race sailed in favourable conditions.
The international fleet included 286 registration contacts from outside Italy, representing approximately 16% of entries. Slovenia accounted for 89, followed by Austria with 60, Croatia with 42, Germany with 35 and Switzerland with 17.
Beyond the main regatta, 22 additional events attracted 3,482 participants between 3 and 11 October, including Optimist racing, stand-up paddleboarding, swimming and keelboat competitions.
Three feeder regattas from Slovenia, Ravenna and Croatia attracted 81 boats, with 51 completing the journey to Trieste.
Fleet Perspective – Barcolana58 brought together 1,858 boats for the 58th Autumn Cup in the Gulf of Trieste, with 21,000 people taking to the water for one of the world's largest sailing regattas. Photo: Studio Borlenghi
Sailing Festival Extends Across More Than 100 Locations
Barcolana58 featured more than 500 events across over 100 locations in Trieste and the Friuli Venezia Giulia region. The programme included exhibitions, music, literature, science events and community activities, extending the festival beyond the waterfront.
A key attraction was the Italian Navy training ship Amerigo Vespucci, which visited Trieste from 8 to 12 October. The ship and its associated exhibition village welcomed more than 75,000 visitors.
The inaugural Barcolana AI Sea Summit also attracted about 200 participants, who explored artificial intelligence applications in maritime safety, environmental protection, and the blue economy.
Organisers reported that 1,387 people helped deliver the festival, including staff, volunteers and operational personnel.
Record Transport Figures and Improved Waste Collection
The event generated substantial demand for public transport, with Trenitalia carrying a record 70,000 passengers, an increase of 6,000 on 2025.
Trieste Trasporti recorded more than 400,000 passenger journeys between 9 and 11 October, supported by additional bus services. Environmental measures included more than 200 additional waste containers around the Barcolana Village. Separate waste collection reached 67%, compared with 62% in 2025.
Media coverage also increased, with 2,923 reports recorded between 1 and 13 October, approximately 50% more than the previous year. Social media content generated more than 12 million views.
Mitja Gialuz, president of Società Velica di Barcola e Grignano, said the figures showed the regatta had grown beyond a single sporting event.
“These initial figures are encouraging, but they also remind us how important it is to continue improving the quality of our organisation, managing visitor flows and maintaining a balance between the event and the city,” he said.
The organisers said the figures were preliminary, and they will continue assessing the festival's environmental and operational performance.
