Barcolana starts in Grado with SUP experience

(ANSA) - TRIESTE, 25 SET - Everything is set in Grado (Gorizia) for the second edition of the Barcolana Grado SUP Experience, a Stand-up Paddle race open to professional athletes and amateurs. The race will kick off the first weekend of Barcolana on October 5. The Società Velica di Barcola e Grignano organizes the event, with support from the Grado Naval League, Ausonia Rowing Club, Kitelife Grado, the Municipality of Grado, Git, and PromoturismoFVG.
    Starboard is the event's technical partner, and the multi-medal-winning athlete Caterina Stenta, a champion in windsurfing, mountain running, and SUP, will be the event's patroness. "SUP is a sport accessible to everyone," said Mitja Gialuz, president of SVBG, during the presentation. "This year, we have 85 participants, half of whom are women - he added - in addition to Austrian and German competitors and many young athletes, which is a testament to the inclusivity of this event.
    I'm confident that continuing in this direction will turn the Barcolana Grado SUP Experience into something exceptional that increasingly celebrates the strong historical bond between Grado and Trieste." The competition is open to male and female categories: Under 14 Kids, Under 18, Open (18-45), and Master (over 45). Allowed boards include rigid and soft boards, and a leash and flotation aids are mandatory for LD races. Registrations are open until October 3.
    The overall first-place finisher will be awarded a challenge trophy, followed by prizes for each category. The race is scheduled to start at 9 AM from Grado's Imperial Beach.
    Participants will paddle along Golden Island, navigating between buoys and the coast, and head up the canal leading to Mandracchio, the heart of Venetian Grado.
    The course, approximately 2.2 nautical miles (4 km) long, is expected to take 40-50 minutes to complete. (ANSA).