The 17th Veleziana, the sailing competition supported by Generali and organized by the Compagnia della Vela in collaboration with Vento di Venezia, Diporto Velico Veneziano, and the Cortina d’Ampezzo Yacht Club, was held on October 19, 2025. The spectacular race extends from the San Nicoletto harbor entrance to the San Marco Basin.

This edition set a new record, with 297 participants at the start and 350 boats parading in a blaze of sails of various sizes and colors in the San Marco Basin, thanks also to the participation of the Vela al Terzo, the Dinghy, and the Hansa fleet dedicated to Paralympic sailing.

I am Veleziana. I am born from the wind, I dance on the water, I live between the open sea and silent canals.

Among the registered boats, Idrusa, an 80-foot (24.5 m) MaxiOne designed by Bruce Farr for ocean racing, supported by the Hotel Indigo Venice Sant’Elena, part of the HNH Hospitality group, finished tenth.

Idrusa set sail at dawn from Riva degli Schiavoni near Sant’Elena, a Venetian neighborhood known for its breathtaking sunrises and sunsets. Sant’Elena is named after the mother of the Roman Emperor Constantine, where he apparently sought eternal rest when it was still an uninhabited island.

Here, just steps from the Parco delle Rimembranze, stands the Hotel Indigo Venice Sant’Elena, a charming boutique hotel born from the restoration of an ancient convent, inspired by the ties between Western and Byzantine culture.

The heart of the hotel is the magnificent “secret” garden, a true rarity in Venice. Here, among palm trees, a solarium, and loungers, you can enjoy breakfast or an aperitif. A spectacle of tranquility and beauty, it’s a perfect way to start the day immersed in the calm of the slower pace of the lagoon, just like the crew of Idrusa who stayed here during their stay in the lagoon.

Open all day from 11:00 a.m., its Savor Restaurant Bar & Garden, thanks to the light filtering through the 360° windows on all four sides, offers the sensation of being enveloped in a green oasis.

Because of its proximity to Riva degli Schiavoni, the hotel is the perfect retreat for watching the regatta course and enjoying one of Venice’s most romantic and authentic neighborhoods.

This year’s edition was won by Arca Sgr, who set a new course record with a time of 40 minutes and 51 seconds.

The Secret

The Veleziana’s history began in 2007 thanks to a collaboration between the Compagnia della Vela and Claudio Demartis, with the goal of creating a large, popular event in the lagoon, similar to the Barcolana. Its unique feature is the tactical adaptation required of the sailors, who must transition from open sea sailing to sailing in the lagoon.