The Sailing Point Easter Regatta (April 17–20, 2025) is set to break records this year. Around 700 young sailors in the Optimist class from 33 countries will compete at sea. For many of them, this regatta will serve as key training for the World Championship, taking place this summer in Portorož.
During the Easter holidays, Portorož will be alive with young sailors. Pirat Sailing Club is hosting the 31st Sailing Point Easter Regatta, featuring the highest number of participants ever. The largest fleets traditionally come from Germany, Austria, and Italy, but participants from farther countries like Peru, Bermuda, the USA, Brazil, Hong Kong, and Singapore are joining this year's regatta as well.
Mitja Margon, president of JK Pirat Portorož, commented: “We’re thrilled with such a strong turnout. The quick response and how fast we filled all the slots surprised us. We believe it’s thanks to the high quality of our on-the-water organization, which has become our trademark thanks to our experienced team. For the first time, there will be two race courses, which will be a test for our team as we prepare for the upcoming World Championship. Although the new coastal and marina developments are not fully finished, they’re already ready to host the participants. This is an upgrade for events like this. Having such infrastructure is essential and a great motivation for future challenges.”
This year’s regatta will also feature many side activities. The grand prize in a raffle will be an Optimist dinghy by Exo Boat. One lucky participant will find a golden whistle hidden in a chocolate egg made by local company Tramontana, winning them this prestigious prize. Children will also participate take part in the traditional beach clean-up, and mascots Kapko from Rižanski Vodovod Koper and Kareta Carletta, the little turtle from Okolje Piran, will promote water conservation and waste separation.
Over its 31-year history, the Sailing Point Easter Regatta has grown into one of the most important youth sailing events in this part of Europe. The event is a major opportunity to promote Slovenia, Slovenian Istria, and Portorož and Piran as sailing-friendly destinations. Every year, the regatta attracts the best young European sailors and reinforces Portorož’s reputation as a top sailing location year-round.
The members of Pirat Sailing Club are eagerly anticipating the final stages of work on the Portorož Sailing Center. The Municipality of Piran, in collaboration with the Ministry of Economy, Tourism, and Sport, is carrying out a major €2 million infrastructure project, with the ministry contributing half of the funding.The project includes expanding the slipway for launching boats, installing a temporary docking platform for race boats, and enlarging the event venue, allowing for even larger participation at major sailing events. This infrastructure upgrade comes at just the right time, as Pirat Sailing Club will host the biggest event in the club’s history from June 27 to July 6 – the Optimist World Championship, with around 300 sailors from 66 countries expected – a record-breaking attendance in the competition’s history. The championship is organized in cooperation with the International Optimist Dinghy Association (IODA), and around 60 dedicated volunteers will help ensure everything runs smoothly.
