Darren Scicluna shares how stalwarts Club Regatta Bormla prepares for the high stake’s competition on the 8th September, and the ecstasy of victory.
If there’s one tradition that sets all of the Three Cities abuzz this time of year, it’s certainly the annual regatta – a multi-heat boat race tournament that takes place in the middle of the Grand Harbour.
The regatta is held twice yearly, once in March and again in September, commemorating the national holiday dedicated to Our Lady of Victories, and at this end of the woods, it equals (if not surpasses) football for the passion and fervour it elicits!
Long time stalwarts of the race Bormla, are feeling confident this year, as they prepare to take on eternal rivals Birgu, Isla and the rest of the teams, in what promises to be yet another exciting and highly entertaining tournament this 8th September.
Edward Bonello met up with Darren Scicluna, 47, who has been secretary of Club Regatta Bormla since 2017, to get an understanding of what it takes to run such a prestigious club.
“It’s a fairly large-scale operation, which takes up a great deal of energy from a lot of people, all year round,” Darren explains. “Naturally, the days leading up to the September race, which is the more prestigious title, are filled with non-stop activity, endless training and the odd fund raiser to get our supporters united ahead of the big event.”
The September regatta goes back to the 1950s, with official records showing the title being contested in the post-War period. However, the origins of such races in the Grand Harbour are much older than that, with professional barklori, or boatsmen, cheekily challenging each other as they ferried people from Valletta to the Three Cities and back. The show of prowess quickly gathered popularity, and it wasn’t long before the regatta became an actual sport.
“It takes a lot of sacrifice, especially for our rowers who have to train and stay fit in order to be able to face the gruelling ordeal. The different races make use of different sized boats on which two or four rowers give their all to get their boat across the finish line first,” Darren continues.
Together with bocci, regatta is perhaps one of the last remaining bastions of traditional sports in Malta, however, the discipline hasn’t stayed frozen in the past, as it has evolved through the decades.
“Since 2018, there is a women’s race which is getting a lot of interest from prospective young rowers. In fact, discussions of expanding female participation into further races of the regatta are firmly on the table,” Darren adds.
“Being one of the stronger, more consistent clubs in the field, thankfully we are blessed with a nice number of young men and women who yearn to face the Grand Harbour waves in one of our boats. We are ever-so grateful for their support and commitment, which gives us unrivalled satisfaction.”
And the satisfaction is not just metaphorical, as it also comes in the shape of some serious silverware that Club Regatta Bormla boasts.
“Past successes motivate us to take our club to the next level,” Darren reflects. “A few days ago, we were pleased to receive recognition of a unique record the club holds, which goes back to 2018, a year that will always remain etched permanently in every Cospicuan’s heart. That year, we managed to obtain 11 first places out of 11 races – a full deck of wins, practically an impossible feat to ever be repeated. These successes fill our hearts with even more passion for the regatta, and enthusiasm to win again,” Darren concludes.
The annual Victory Day regatta takes place in the Grand Harbour on the afternoon of the 8th September. The best spots to follow the races are Valletta’s water’s edge (Ta’ Liesse side), Senglea point, and Vittoriosa beneath Fort St Angelo, but make sure to get there early as the place gets crowded quickly.
For more information on the traditional regatta, click here.
Do you have a fascinating story to tell? Drop us a line at [email protected]
