YACHT MED FESTIVAL 2011 HISTORICAL REGATTA OF THE ANCIENT MARITIME REPUBLICS Gaeta, Saturday 16th April, 2011, h.16.00 SPORTING COMPETITION During the sporting competition the rowing crews of the four Cities challenge each other; each crew is composed by 8 rowers and 1 helmsman, on board of boats built of fibreglass, which stand out in their colours and their wonderful figureheads: a winged horse for Amalfi, a dragon for Genoa, which evokes St. George, the patron of the city, an eagle for Pisa, which symbolizes the ancient relationship between the Republic and the Holy Roman Empire, and a winged lion for Venice, which evokes St. Mark, the patron of the lagoon city. The figurehead which crosses the finishing line first, at the end of 2 kilometres course, will win the sought-after gold and silver trophy, built by Scuola Orafa Fiorentina (Florentine Goldsmith’s School), representing a rowing galleon held by 4 hippocampus and behind which there are the 4 Republics’ coats of arms. The trophy is kept for one year by the winner city, and then it is offered again as prize in the following Regatta. EVOCATIVE HISTORICAL PARADE THE AMALFITAN PARADE The social classes (magistrates, military and people) of the Campanian Republic, dating back to the beginning of XI century, are represented in the Amalfitan parade. Among the prominent figures there are the duke, the greatest authority of the city, and the knights with the broadsword, whose vestments were used by the members of the Order …