Colourful boats racing across the Grand Harbour, supporters cheering from the waterfront and crews battling for local bragging rights have made the Maltese Regatta one of the most recognisable traditions associated with Victory Day.
Yet the story behind the spectacle stretches much further back than the modern competition.
SportMalta traces traditional rowing events in Malta back to the Middle Ages, while describing 1955 as the beginning of the first professional rowing challenge.
Competitive racing in its modern form might therefore be relatively recent, but the boats and maritime traditions behind it have roots stretching back centuries.
From working harbour boats to racing boats
Long before they became part of a sporting competition, small boats played an important role in everyday life around Malta’s harbours.
People, goods, sailors and supplies needed to travel between ships and shore, helping create a maritime culture in which these vessels became part of the working harbour.
Several types of traditional Maltese boat are now used in Regatta racing, including the dgħajsa tal-pass, dgħajsa tal-midalji, kajjik and frejgatina.
A very Maltese style of rowing
The spectacle is distinctive not only because of the boats, but also because of how they are rowed.
The Malta Rowing Federation explains that some traditional boats use a combination of seated and standing rowers. Standing competitors employ a forward-facing Venetian-style technique, making the races look noticeably different from conventional competitive rowing.
The boats also present different challenges to their crews.
The dgħajsa tal-pass can be raced by two or four rowers, while the lighter dgħajsa tal-midalji uses four. The smaller kajjik is raced by two rowers, while the frejgatina has two seated rowers and a coxswain.
Races cover approximately one kilometre through the Grand Harbour, turning months of preparation into a few intense minutes of competition.
Local rivalry is part of the tradition
The Regatta might celebrate maritime heritage, but there is nothing ceremonial about the competition once racing begins.
Clubs represent different communities, with supporters identifying their crews through the colours associated with each locality.
The traditional rowing association includes clubs representing Birgu, Birżebbuġa, Bormla, Isla, Kalkara, Marsa, Marsamxett and Siġġiewi.
That community connection has helped turn the event into much more than a race, with generations of supporters following their locality on the water.
Why does the Regatta take place on Victory Day?
Malta’s National Regatta is traditionally held twice a year, on Freedom Day on 31 March and Victory Day on 8 September.
The September races form part of the wider Victory Day celebrations, bringing Malta’s maritime and sporting traditions together with a national holiday commemorating major events in the country’s history.
For Victory Day on 8 September 2026, the traditional Regatta in the Grand Harbour is scheduled to begin at 11am.
Centuries of maritime culture on the water
Part of the Regatta’s appeal lies in how many elements of Maltese identity come together in one spectacle.
The boats have their roots in harbour life, the rowing techniques are distinctive, and the competition remains closely tied to the communities represented by the crews.
All of it unfolds in the Grand Harbour, surrounded by fortifications that have witnessed centuries of Malta’s maritime history.
When the traditional boats take to the water this Victory Day, they will be racing for more than the result. The spectacle will also keep a centuries-old connection between Malta’s harbour communities and the sea alive.
