The Truth About Venetian Sports
The term “bucket list” never appealed to me, instead I prefer to say that I’ve compiled a list of future experiences—a wish list that will take me around the world and allow me to discover new places and entertaining people. For the moment joining a rowing club in Venice is high on that list. Even though I’ve never been particularly athletic, I discuss going to the gym and even playing tennis like it’s actually going to happen. But I don’t do these things; I only talk about doing them over coffee and cake. So, when I learned Venetian rowing was more about eating and drinking than actual exercise I knew I had discovered my “sport.”
A Two Man Row Boat
“On Saturdays we row over to Burano for seafood risotto,” a friend told me. He’s a member of the Sete Mare club and often entices me with restaurant stories and recipes, bragging about wonderful meals consumed while exercising. “On Sundays we row over to this little island for a few glasses of prosecco, then head back to the clubhouse for a family-style meal. The best cooks in Venice are members of our club. We constantly try to out do each other in the kitchen.”
The Vogalonga on the Grand Canal
Between meals there is actual rowing and much of it is practice for one of Venice’s biggest events: the Vogalonga, or Long Row. It’s a 30-kilometer course around the islands where medals are awarded for just participating. Rowing crews come from all over Europe, racing to the finish line, not realizing there are so many wonderful restaurants to stop at along the way. The Venetians come in toward the end and never seem to be in a hurry. They row standing up in their traditional fashion, which dates back to ancient times and is a necessity to avoid running aground in the lagoon’s low waters and narrow channels.
Sete Mare Rowing Club
Afterwards there’s prosecco and snacks and eventually a multi-course dinner back at the clubhouse. Without a doubt, these are my future people and the Vogalonga one of my future experiences.
Tired of boats? How about this big, strong man holding up the facade of an ancient church?
Tags: delicious expeditions, festivals in Venice, kris rudolph, rowing in Venice, sete mare venice, venice expat blog, Vogalonga
