ZAGREB, March 25, 2018 – For the first time in history, the European Space Industry regatta, the Ariane’s Cup, will sail on the Adriatic Sea.
The 39th edition of the Cup will navigate the Hvar aquatorium starting from the Baotić marina in Trogir and reaching the Pakleni Otoci islands. The regatta will feature more than 110 boats with around 800 crew members, all members of the European Space Agency.
The regatta and accompanying programme will last from 6 to 9 October 2018. While the regatta will consist of five races, the participants also look forward to meeting several key industry speakers from Croatia. During their downtime, everyone will have a chance to explore the Hvar archipelago and enjoy the vast natural and historic sites – see the old fortress of Hvar, enjoy the local cuisine and replenish their strength.
The Ariane’s Cup dates back to 1979 – the year of the first Ariane launch. At the inaugural regatta, some ten boats with personnel representing three French companies departed from the port at La Trinité, Martinique. Its success led to the creation of an annual gathering, which took on a European dimension in 1982 when the event was organised at the port city of Le Crouesty, France, and sponsored by Arianespace.
During its three decades, locations in England, France, Germany, Greece, the Grenadines, Guadeloupe, Italy, Spain and Sweden have welcomed the event, which encourages participants to discover the Cup’s host town and relax with colleagues as well as indulge their passion for adventure boating.
The Organisation et Secretariat de la Coupe Ariane (OSCAR) was created in 1984 to manage the growing event, which has evolved into a premier gathering of maritime enthusiasts.
Event sponsorship rotates among the Ariane program’s industrial partners, European space agencies, and Arianespace, which is once again backing the Ariane’s Cup for its milestone 30th year celebration.
