First rowing circumnavigation of Malta this century

World Rowing Tours are special and none so more than this year’s circumnavigation of Malta.

In the Mediterranean Sea just south of Sicily, Malta proved to be the ideal location and popularity of the Tour required it to happen twice to accommodate everyone.

The first group finished the tour with a record. They became the first circumnavigation of Malta by rowing boat this century. However strong winds caused a two day delay and the proposed six days had to be reduced to 2 ½. Despite this, five of the six legs were completed – 100 kilometres of coastal rowing.

Rowing in Malta is small – it joined World Rowing as a federation in 2015 – but a fortuitous visit to the Island by World Rowing’s Tour organiser, Warwick Marler opened up the idea of a rowing tour.

After watching a regatta for the traditional Maltese Tal Pas boats, Marler discussed coastal rowing with the then president of the Maltese Rowing Federation, Joseph Grima. Racing in these traditional boats date back 450 years and they are unique in combining a curious mix of seated with standing rowers in the one boat.

Not long after Malta joined World Rowing, the University of Malta Rowing Club was formed and two coastal solos purchased. Then with the visit of Marler, the seeds for a World Rowing Tour began to form.

For the Tour more coastal boats had to be purchased and this was made possible through grants, government support and support from World Rowing. Also every entry on the Tour paid a boat rental fee which then went to help with the purchase of boats.

For this 2023 Tour participants came from around the world including South Africa, Finland, France and Zimbabwe. Two groups were formed as only 30 rowers could take part at a time and the two Tours took place in early April.

At the end of the Tour the boats will remain with the University of Malta Rowing Club and it means that Malta is now fully resourced to develop coastal rowing at all levels including at the high performance level with the goat of competing at the Commonwealth Games and Youth Olympics. Malta now has four coastal quads, four coastal doubles and two coastal solos.

The Tour circumnavigated Malta, the largest island. The proposed addition of  the Island of Gozo, was not possible due to weather constraints.

The rowing took place in the Mediterranean Sea. The first day of rowing went from launching at the sandy beach of Mellieha Bay, around the small island of Comino, a stop at the Blue Lagoon and finishing at Gneja. The second day was two legs where rowers passed some of the tallest limestone cliffs in Malta to Ghar Lapsi, then past Wied Iz-Zurrieg ending in the fishing village and port of Marsaxlokk. The third day was also 2 legs  on to the Grand Harbour in Valetta and finishing the circumnavigation at Mellieha Bay.

The rowers also had the opportunity to try Maltese traditional rowing.

The boats are to be used again with an ANZAC Day regatta coming up on 25 April.

More on the 2023 World Rowing Tour: https://worldrowing.com/event/2023-world-rowing-tour

The traditional Maltese Tal Pas Boats: https://siggiewi-rowing.com/rowing/regatta/