Boat Marathon - Croatia Great tradition

Medieval pirates inspired the modern-day Neretva river boat marathon, which takes place annually during the second weekend of August. The Neretva boat marathon, or Maraton Ladja, is held on the Croatian stretch of the river between Metković and the seaport of Ploce and covers 22.5 kilometers.Rowing in this kind of boat is extremely hard and it takes whole year of physical preparation for whole team to be ready for the race.

The original Boat (ladja) It was used for weddings, funerals etc. Because of its narrow size, it was able to enter every one of the rivers that flowed into the Neretva as well as the Neretva River itself.

The race is named after the traditional timber-built vessels, the ladje, which were used throughout the ages as water vehicles to transport people, livestock and produce.There are about 40 teams and seven hundred rowers participating in the race and giving the best of themselves. But, although it is a matter of prestige, victory in this race is not the most important. The main factors are the courage and the desire to uphold the tradition, to remember the lives and efforts of our ancestors.

Boat Marathon is an amateur, sporting competition which involves the racing of ladje

Since the old ladje were all of different dimensions, and so that all competitors would race in vessels of the same size, in 2004 new custom-made ladje were built, which would be used specifically for the Maraton ladje.

Tens of thousands of spectators line the banks of the 22.5-kilometre (14-mile) course from Metković to Ploče, as some 300 competitors set off in the traditional narrow wooden boats.

A team of 10, plus a coxswain and drummer, somehow fit themselves into the cramped craft, and then they row like crazy. For the best partying and feasting, onlookers should head for the start or finish of the race.

The competing ladja must be wooden, comprise a traditional shape and must meet the official competition rules as far as actual dimensions are concerned. That is, the length must be between 7 and 8.2 meters, the width between 2.45 and 2.8 meters, the depth is 70cm, with 23 spokes or wooden rods. The actual oars themselves must also be made of wood.

The winners normally achieve their goal in about 2 hours and 15 minutes, following continuous, non-stop rowing. On average, close to 50,000 spectators line the entire route of the course each year. Spectators follow the race in cars on either side of the river, by train (which also hugs the river route) and/or on board the many boats and other water vessels that accompany the ladje

The most exciting aspect of the race each year is the start. With more than 300 competitiors in 30 odd ladje in two rows, combined with the rhythmic beating of the drums by each team's drummer, makes for a colorful and noisy spectacle.

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