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A Closer Look At Yesterday’s Regatta

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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”.

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Inside the Regatta club, men socialise and wait for the boats to come back in.

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.

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‘Regatta’ hats and t-shirts sporting the yellow and red colours of Senglea’s team

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:

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Everyone crams to find any good spot to watch the Regatta. Some are more daring than others.

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A boy climbs a tree for possibly the best view of the races.

Were you there too? What’s your favourite part about the Regatta? Tell us in the comments!

READ NEXT: 14 Reasons You Need To Head To Isla Right Now

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Spectators gather at the edges of the fortified walls of the city to watch their team racing closely for the win.

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People wait around until it is time for the next race as they cheer on their team.

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