You’ve already heard that the World Rowing Coastal Championships 2023 will be held in Barletta. We looked around online for you to see how this event is received in Barletta and what it means for the small town in southern Italy.

Coastal Rowing Championships as a reward for hard work

“This is an important result that rewards Barletta and the hard work of the local government,” said Mayor Cannito. It is the just reward “for the seriousness, the organization, and the hospitality lived during the two Italian Beach Sprint Championships in 2021 and 2022. We are excited to announce to the whole world that the event will happen in Italy. In the most popular region of all – Puglia – in our beautiful city of Barletta. This is a very prestigious event. It will bring a considerable activity to our city, promote the economy and local businesses and make Barletta internationally known. We will soon receive the highest federal officials in the city for more details. From today begins a long journey that will make Barletta more and more known in the world.” You can find the full article in Italian here. But we have summarized the most important information for you below.

Barletta will be Coastal Rowing capital

In fact, the Championships are an event that the municipal administration, led by Mayor Cosimo Cannito, has worked very hard to achieve. The Puglia and Basilicata Regional Committee of the Italian Rowing Federation, chaired by Roberto Pio Rizzi from Barletta, has also expressed its support for the bid. The idea of the candidacy was suggested by the national president of the FIC Giuseppe Abbagnale. He already praised the organizing committee chaired by Roberto Rizzi during the final of the Italian Beach Sprint Championships 2022.

In the presence of Mayor Cannito and regional and national representatives of the federation, the exciting idea was born to push the candidacy for a world event in September 2022. This happened after World Rowing reopened the award to the city of Sabaudia following its revocation. In addition to the city of the Disfida, the cities of Bari, Dubai and Malaga had also submitted their candidacy. If you have time, check out the history of the Disfida, and if you come to Barletta, also check out the monuments and learn more about the event there – A fascinating and important place of Italian history.

The entire City Council has worked hard for this event. Mayor Cannito and Rowing Federation President Rizzi worked closely with the Italian Minister of Sport and the central bodies of the FIC. They wanted to achieve a historic milestone for the southern Italian city, which has now become a national heavyweight in Coastal Rowing. Thanks to the experience gained in the last two years as host of the Italian Championships and as seat of the rowing center of the Federation of Rowing in Southern Italy, they are predestined to host the competition.

Currently, the Organizing Committee is being formed – the real machinery for the organization of the event that will bring athletes from all continents to the city from September 28th to October 8th, 2023. The next developments will soon be published in the official bulletin, which will be distributed through the event’s website and the social media channels that will be set up shortly.

We will, of course, keep you updated on further developments!