The 40th edition of the Regata delle Befane was run on the Grand Canal today in honor of the Feast of the Epiphany. Five competitors--dressed in the garb of of the ancient witch who fills the stockings of good children with candy, and those of bad ones with coal, in the early hours of this holiday--set off from beneath a Rialto Bridge packed with observers to the vaporetto stop of Sant'Angelo, before turning back to finish where they'd begun.
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| Above and below: the rowers didn't lack for company as they raced |
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| Witches, witches everywhere! Local rowing clubs transformed themselves into covens to participate in the pre- and post-regata festivities |
Just another good reason to climb into a boat!
ReplyDeleteAnd to do so at a time of year, Helen, when the weather might not otherwise seem too inviting for the activity.
DeleteI've always enjoyed watching that when we've been in Venice at this time of year. But I'm sure there have been more than five taking part usually?
ReplyDeleteThere are a lot of costumed participants--members of rowing clubs--in the corteo on the Grand Canal before the official race, and also you'll see them on it afterwards, Ella. But the race itself, as far as I've seen usually, has five competitors.
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