Rowing Regatta: the great university challenge on the Po returns on 1st October 2026

On Thursday 1st October 2026, the River Po will once again provide the setting for one of the most eagerly awaited sporting challenges of Turin's autumn season: the Rowing Regatta, now in its 28th edition. The event has become a well-established fixture on Turin's university sports calendar, once again bringing together crews from the University of Turin (UniTo) and Politecnico di Torino (PoliTo) as they compete for victory. Joining the challenge once again is ESCP Business School, a special guest at the event since 2022, further strengthening its international dimension this year.

The day will begin at 4:30 p.m. with institutional greetings at the Rectorate of the University of Turin, via Verdi 8. At 4:45 p.m., the traditional boat parade will set off along Via Po and Piazza Vittorio Veneto before reaching the Murazzi del Po, where spectators will be able to watch the exciting final stages of the competitions. The award ceremony will follow at the Murazzi del Po, followed by the University Party at One.

The programme for the 2026 edition includes:

• 4:30 p.m. – institutional greetings at the UniTo Rectorate (Via Verdi 8, Turin)
• 4:45 p.m. – boat parade along Via Po – Piazza Vittorio, arriving at the Murazzi del Po
• 5:15 p.m. – mixed university race
• 5:30 p.m. – dragon boat challenge
• 6:00 p.m. – mixed quadruple sculls faculty challenge
• 6:30 p.m. – women's quadruple sculls: UniTo – PoliTo – ESCP
• 7:00 p.m. – men's eight: UniTo – PoliTo – ESCP
• followed by the award ceremony at the Murazzi del Po and the University Party at One.

The main competitions – the women's quadruple sculls and the men's eight – will be raced over a distance of 400 metres, from Ponte Vittorio Emanuele I in Piazza Vittorio Veneto to Ponte Umberto I in Corso Vittorio Emanuele II. The crews will compete in three upstream heats, with the overall winner determined by the best combined placing across the three races.