Vessel Marathon - Neretva River, Croatia

Vessel Marathon (Maraton ladja) is an amateur, sporting competition which involves the racing of ladje (vessels native to the Lower Neretva River which flows throughthe Republic of Croatia). It is held annually on the second Saturday in August, on a course 22.5 km long, under the direct patronage of the President of the Republic of Croatia.
Ladje were used by the old Neretva pirates of yesteryear, who terrorised these parts in the 10th century. With the modernization of life, ladje have almost become technologically redundant, and as a result became a relic. In many cases they could be found ruined and 'shipwrecked', half submerged in various parts of the many tributaries.

So as to preserve the significance and history of the ladje, in 1998 the very first race involving these relics from the past was organized from Metkovic to Ploce. At the start of the inaugural race, there were a total of 18 local crews. It so captured the imagination of the locals that with each year a new record number of entries is received. As for the old half-ruined ladje lying peacefully in the rivers, they were awaken from their slumber and repaired to live another day in the following year's race.

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.
Each rowing crew consists of 10 rowers, a drummer and a cox, or oarsmen. There can be a minimum of 12 and a maximum of 18 persons in each squad. Anyone who is willing may form part of the crew: men, women, children.
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