Every year in mid-May City Barge the Voga Longa occurs.  It occurs on the "first day of Spring" in Venice - sometimes this is in the middle of May and sometimes at the end of May (depending on the date of Easter).   It is usually good weather - for rowing - and  City Barge are always involved.

This event is a 30km row started by a gun fired on S.Giorgio, opposite St Mark’s, at 9am on a Sunday morning.  The course takes the fleet by several islands of the Lagoon, including Torcello, Burano and Murano, and re-enters the city, via the Cannaregio, the Fish Market and the Rialto, and finishes at the southern end of the Grand Canal.  About 300 crews from all over Europe row different types of boats, including Dragon boats and canoes - some standing up and some sitting down.   Sometimes only a single rower is doing it or  there maybe up to 16 rowers in one boat.   People from Venice have been rowing in this event every year for 25 years.   One man  aged over 80 says it helps him to live another year!

It is a real carnival, with the rowers dressed in smart crew uniform and there are many supporters cheering them on.  Naturally Venice has many other events which are going on during the same few days - so that there is plenty to do and see if you are not rowing.   If you are rowing, then you may need a couple of practise runs on the lagoon, which can be quite choppy.   Fortunately they switch off the vaporetti and motor boats for the duration of the Voga Longa, but that doesn't necessarily mean that calm prevails as there are so many boats aiming for the same piece of water.
To see the pleasure of crews and spectators alike – they enjoy this more than the Olympics. This event was born out of protest – protest against the “moto ondosi” – the wretched wash of the impatient motor boats.

In 2004 there were some 1500 boats and 5000 participants.  It is not a race, but it does engender a competitive atmosphere … and everyone who completes the course feels the elation associated with the historic “return of the Venetians”.

City Barge has a partnership with the Querini rowing club in Venice and they are kind enough to lend us some boats for the Voga Longa.     We are able to use the facilities of their club when in Venice.  Sometimes they come and row in England too!

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