Marco Sandi and Antonio Vorace for the Tre Carrare Battisti district are the winners of the first round of the 40th edition of the Palio di Taranto, the traditional event with the boat race which sees the city districts compete with oars on May 8th, day that opens the civil and religious celebrations in honor of San Cataldo, patron saint of the city of Taranto.
It was an exciting race between the eight competing crews, each representing a city district, who battled along the 3,100 meter course. The traditional rowing boats set off around 6.30pm from the body of water in front of the Palio nautical headquarters and circumnavigated the old city with the evocative passage under the arches of the Sant’Egidio bridge (the stone bridge).
The Palio had a prologue around 4pm on 8 May when the draw was held in the parade ground of the Aragonese Castle to establish the starting grid. Immediately afterwards there were greeting messages from the institutions and the departure of the historical procession “In the footsteps of Persephone” organized by the Artava association. It is a historical and mythological re-enactment of the period of Magna Graecia which ended in the courtyard of the Archbishopric where the archbishop mons. Ciro Miniero blessed the rowers and the oars of the boats. The second round of the Palio will take place at night next July.
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