Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1526409
16 NEWS maltatoday | SUNDAY • 8 SEPTEMBER 2024 IT is a day at the races for Mal- ta's fabled harbour region: today, rival towns from the Grand Har- bour and Cottonera area battle it in various rowing competitions during the traditional Victory Day regatta races. Cospicua, Kalkara, Marsa, Mar- samxett, Senglea, Vittoriosa, as well as the southern port town of Birzebbuga, will participate in ten races, divided into two different categories. Traditional types of Maltese boats, 'frejgatini', 'kajjikki' and 'dgħajjes tal-pass' and 'tal-mi- dalji' will be used in the various races. Boats from the different clubs are marked in their respective clubs' traditional colours: Birzeb- buga's are red, white and blue; Cospicua's light blue, while Kalka- ra's are green, Marsa's boats, red and blue, Marsamxett's yellow, Senglea's red and yellow, and Vit- toriosa is all in red. The 1,040m sea tract is set up in the Valletta Grand Harbour where the magnificent Fort St An- gelo provides an imposing back- drop to the sleek and colourful Maltese boats. A good crowd of spectators and supporters are expected to con- verge along the waterfront and the surrounding bastions to watch the races. The races can be viewed from the water edge of the three cities (Birgu, Cospicua, and Seng- lea) or Valletta. The regatta's history The regatta is a traditional rowing event in Malta with origins dating back to the Middle Ages. The first professional rowing competition was introduced in 1955. The traditional races are held twice a year. On 31 March, they are celebrated on Freedom Day to mark the 1979 withdrawal of British troops and the Royal Navy from Malta. They are then held on 8 Sep- tember, or Victory Day, a day that commemorates the end of the Great Siege of Malta in 1565, the end of the short-lived French occupation in 1800, and the 1943 armistice with Fascist Italy, which ended the Italian bombardment of the Maltese islands. The boats used during the races were traditionally working water- craft which plied the local harbour taking passengers to larger ships or crossing from one end to the other. Over the years these boats have evolved into racing craft with cer- tain modifications. They are also examined and weighed before the start of and end of the races. The first three placings in each race are awarded a number of points and at the end of the regatta, the club with the highest number of points, in the respective categories, is pre- sented with the Aggregate Shield. In the past, small flags in dif- ferent colours were tied to the forestems of racing boats for pur- poses of recognition. The colours were allotted by the Collector of Customs. Colours have changed considerably over the years. To- day the clubs can be recognised by their traditional colours. Race day in Grand Harbour as rowers battle in Victory Day regatta KARL AZZOPARDI kazzopardi@mediatoday.com.mt Spectators and supporters expected to converge along Valletta waterfront and Cottonera bastions for Victory Day regatta