The beginning of August in the Neretva region is marked by the famous Marathon boat race. It will be the same this weekend when an amateur sports competition is held in the race of boats, traditional autochthonous vessels in the Neretva valley. The first race was held on September 13, 1998, and since then it has been held on the second Saturday in August, under the auspices of the President of the Republic of Croatia, and organized by the Neretva Boatmen's Association.
The boat marathon started thanks to lovers of the Neretva region, but the very beginning was marked by unusual circumstances. Just before the 1st Lađa Marathon, it was raining, so the organizers were afraid if they could organize the race at all, but they broke through: Let's ride with the song: " and let it thunder and let it be grey, Neretva is spelled beer..." After that decision, the rain stopped and the sun appeared, shining on 18 boats, about two hundred boatmen and more than twenty thousand people who came to cheer the boatmen on.
It will be the same this weekend, and before the 27th Boat Marathon on Saturday, the Speed Race has already been held, while the Boat Marathon is scheduled for this Thursday.
The interesting thing about this year's race is that 15 new boats were built at the Stipaničev Shipyard in Tribunj for the race that takes place this Saturday. While boats are racing on the Neretva, tens of thousands of people gather along the entire stretch along the river to be part of the fantastic spectacle on the Neretva.
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