Swim The Island Golfo Dell'Isola

The event features five distinct race distances ranging from 800 meters to 6 kilometers, set within the marine protected area of Bergeggi in Liguria. Scheduled for October 3-4, 2026, the competition utilizes a coastal environment characterized by limestone cliffs and rocky sea beds. Swimmers navigate waters that typically require a wetsuit due to the autumnal cooling of the Ligurian Sea. This annual gathering, organized by TriO Eventi, functions as a logistical operation involving a controlled field of athletes and specialized safety boat coverage throughout the gulf.

Historical markers and underwater features

The route passes directly by the island of Bergeggi, where a circular watchtower stands at the summit. Scholars interpret this structure as a late-antique lighthouse designed to serve the port of Vada Sabatia, and its masonry exhibits three distinct construction phases including medieval stone additions. While swimming, participants pass near the Grotta di Bergeggi, a dual-cavity formation carved by wave action; the inner chamber houses a small subterranean lake and calcified deposits that remain inaccessible from the surface. Further along the coastline, the path offers a vantage point of the Capo di Vado Lighthouse, a 43-meter octagonal tower operational since 1883 that guides maritime traffic with a 15-second flash cycle.

Modern interventions and local traditions

The area surrounding the island is defined by both ancient remnants and contemporary marine experiments. West of the main swimming lanes, the Nemo's Garden project maintains a series of underwater biospheres at varying depths to study the feasibility of cultivating agricultural crops in a pressurized marine environment. This location carries deep local significance, as the island is the focal point of an annual July 12 procession departing from Noli to honor Saint Eugenius, whose relics were historically kept in the local abbey. The competition provides a contrast to these quiet traditional waters, though those seeking different conditions in the region might look toward the Albissola Swim Games held in late May. The surrounding sea floor, particularly near the 'Canalone' dive site, supports a population of conger and moray eels, while the 'Franata' drop-off is frequently inhabited by the Alicia mirabilis anemone.