PRESS RELEASE
Sport and the environment: introducing the Tiber Skiff, the first international rowing regatta on the Tiber
- The regatta takes place from 25 to 27 September, as part of “We Can Blu It!”, organised by the piùblu association
- Athletes from around the world will compete, putting environmental issues centre stage
- The river takes the leading role, with events, sporting competitions, workshops and activities
- For three days, the stretch between Ponte Milvio and Ponte Sant’Angelo becomes a global platform for sport and sustainability
Rome, 4 August 2026 — Registration is now open for the Tiber Skiff, the first international rowing regatta on the Tiber. The race will be the sporting heart of “We Can Blu It! 2026”, organised by the piùblu association and built around the connection between sport, the environment and health. From 25 to 27 September, the Tiber will become a hub of sport, environmental education and civic participation.
Now in its third edition, “We Can Blu It!” continues to grow. This year it is delivered in collaboration with the Italian Rowing Federation and AS Luiss, with Almaviva, the Italian digital innovation group, as main partner. The focus turns to the river that gave rise to Rome itself, with the patronage of the Ministry of the Environment and Energy Security, the Lazio Region, Roma Capitale’s Department for Agriculture, Environment and Waste Management, CONI, the Italian Canoe and Kayak Federation, WWF and the Marevivo Foundation. Adnkronos joins as media partner. Technical sponsors supporting the initiative include Filippi Boats, the world’s leading designer and builder of Olympic rowing boats, Six Senses Rome, Dott, the European urban micromobility company, and Segafredo.
The Tiber Skiff is the standout new sporting addition for 2026. Inspired by the celebrated “Silver Skiff” in Turin, the international regatta will bring athletes from around the world to the capital. On 26 September, the Tiber will be transformed into a genuine international rowing arena.
For three days, the stretch between Ponte Milvio and Ponte Sant’Angelo becomes an open-air stage, where sport, environmental sustainability, scientific outreach and civic participation come together through events, competitions, workshops and hands-on experiences. The aim is to restore the Tiber to its rightful place at the centre of the city, bringing citizens, students, athletes, tourists, institutions and businesses back to experience the river as a shared resource, a home to real environmental and biodiversity value, and a place where different communities meet.
The Almaviva Blu Race, on 27 September, is another of the competitions within “We Can Blu It! 2026”, which offers a rich schedule of activities: from canoe and kayak races, with sessions open to the public, to inclusive initiatives developed alongside the Special Olympics movement.
Promoted by piùblu, an association working to protect rivers and aquatic ecosystems, “We Can Blu It!” also features a detailed programme of environmental action involving citizens, schools, universities and local associations. This takes in participatory clean-ups along the Tiber, work to restore and enhance access points to the river, environmental monitoring, and outreach sessions on water quality and the effects of microplastics, held with ISDE, Doctors for the Environment.
An experiential village, open to the whole city, will also be built on the riverbanks, offering workshops, educational activities, conversations with researchers and outreach specialists, a space set aside for schools and universities, sports areas, and a main stage hosting talks, prize-givings, performances and discussions on the future of rivers and cities. The village will also welcome WWF, Marevivo, Greenpeace, Retake Roma, FAI, Legambiente, LIPU, Plastic Free, Evera Clean Up, Ostia Clean Up and Tevere Day.
Among the key moments will be the “Blue Talk”, a discussion exploring how the environment, health and urban regeneration intersect, bringing together representatives from institutions, academia and the scientific research community.
Press office
piùblu Laura Bastianetto
M:338/3333513
laurabastianetto@gmail.com