Today, Malta comes together to celebrate Freedom Day – the anniversary of the withdrawal of the last British troops and the Royal Navy from Malta.

However, this day is particularly special for some as it also marks the return of the highly anticipated bi-annual Regatta!

Traditionally, thousands of spectators line the nooks and crannies overlooking the Grand Harbour, hoping to catch a glimpse of the races.

Teams from Valletta, Birgu, Bormla, Isla, and a few other coastal towns like Kalkara race to the encouraging cheers from the crowd.

GuideMeMalta.com caught up with Sinclair Cassar – President of the Regatta Association – to learn more about this race. This is what he had to say:

Where’s the event taking place? 

Valletta’s Grand Harbour will be hosting this prestigious event. Unfortunately, this year there will be no live audience to the public health regulations in place, however the race can be easily viewed from the Upper Barrakka Gardens. 

When will it commence?

The big event will commence at 12:30pm. 11 races will take place with intervals of 25 minutes in between each race.

How many people would attend this event, usually?

In normal circumstances, we’d usually have over 1,000 people watching from Valletta and around other port areas. This year, however, audience numbers are highly limited but there will still be audience members in the nearby areas.

How many teams will be participating? 

You have eight clubs participating in 11 races –  that is a total of 75 teams from the eight districts.

What route will the teams be following?

The racecourse is set in the Valletta Grand Harbour (VGT). It will start from the VGT area, with the finish line being next to the Customs House. A total of 1,050 metres will be covered.

Which team are you rooting for?

Main Image: Facebook/TCM Photography