A Closer Look At Yesterday’s Regatta
Although the Great Siege was won over 450 years ago, the Maltese still fight for victory every year on the 8th of September at the traditional Regatta.
Instead of empires clashing against each other, we now have Maltese towns. Gone are the swords and scimitars, replaced instead with old, sleek wooden boats, skill, strength, and endless hours of practice. As one Senglean local told me “you need to be a wise sailor to understand how to race well, despite the winds which may be against you”.
Songs with lyrics written specifically for the Regatta were the soundtrack to the event, as people wearing yellow and red walked around with ‘regatta’ hats and festa t-shirts. The passionate spectators were about as entertaining to watch as the races themselves, as they went out of their way to get the best views from the fortified walls of the city.
From the Isla side of things, the tension was high as they battled it out against Marsa. Senglea eventually placed second, but despite the disappointment of seeing Marsa taking home the shield, the people still cheered their team on.
Here are some more shots from the rest of the day: