"The Ocean Race" - Tivat will live to the rhythm of the sea

This September, the Bay of Kotor will become the stage for one of the most important sporting and educational events on the European continent - the final of the prestigious Ocean Race Europe.

The city of Tivat, as the host of the final stage, is already actively working on organizing a program that goes beyond the scope of a purely sports event, the organizers announced.

"For the local community and international organizers, this is an opportunity to demonstrate how sailing tradition, sustainability, science and education can be combined into one visionary platform for the future," they emphasize.

The Mayor of Tivat, Željko Komnenović, does not hide his pride that Tivat has the honor of being the final destination of the European regatta, which is being held for the first time in the Adriatic Sea.

"We are delighted with the arrival of The Ocean Race Europe in the Bay of Kotor. The event is planned for the period from September 15 to 21, but the city administration has been cooperating with the organizers since the beginning of the year. We have supported the project since 2023, when Captain Vladimir Šparović put forward the idea of making Boka the destination of the final stage," Komnenović pointed out.

The race finale is at the very entrance to the Bay of Kotor, while the sailboats will be tied to pier 1 of the luxury Porto Montenegro marina in Tivat.

The recognizable Tivat waterfront will become the epicenter of the event, as the Ocean Life Park will be set up on this stretch with numerous entertainment and educational facilities.

"In the penultimate week of September, Tivat will live to the rhythm of the sea. Entertainment, educational and promotional content is planned in the Porto Montenegro part of the settlement, as well as on the Culture Square. The Museum and Gallery space will become a media center and a place for journalistic teams from all over the world, while the large summer stage of the Culture Center will be one of two stages where the accompanying program will take place. During this period, we will have a partially changed traffic regime in the city itself, and part of the large parking area in Arsenalska Street will also be adapted to the needs of the race finale," said Komnenović.

He adds that a large number of guests from Europe and the region are expected during this week, and children and young people will have a special place in the program.

"During this week, a large number of children and students from Montenegrin schools are expected to attend specially organized educational events, and the educational aspect of the event is supported by the Faculty of Maritime Studies in Kotor, the Institute of Marine Biology and the Faculty of Architecture, which provides support in the construction of the University of Montenegro pavilion within the Ocean Life Park. Also, numerous non-governmental organizations and associations, cultural and artistic societies, sports clubs with an emphasis on sailing, will have the opportunity to present the tradition, culture and rich maritime heritage of these areas."

In parallel with all preparations, the local government is also cooperating with the relevant services to improve waste management practices.

"The competent Secretariat and the Public Utility Company are already working out the plan in detail and identifying areas that we can improve thanks to the support, practices and knowledge of the organizers of The Ocean Race Europe. Based on all this, you can only imagine how extensive and demanding the organization of an event of this caliber is, which will truly present Boka to the world," said Komnenović.

The Ocean Race Europe: The regatta is more than a race - it's a mission in service of the sea

The race starts on August 10 in Kiel, Germany and includes six other European cities: Portsmouth (UK), Matosinhos-Porto (Portugal), Cartagena (Spain), Nice (France), Genoa (Italy), before finishing in the Bay of Kotor in Montenegro.

"This will be the first final of The Ocean Race Europe in the Adriatic, and we symbolically end the race by connecting the Baltic and the Mediterranean in a unique European story," said Peter Rush, Communications Director of The Ocean Race.

But the race is only part of the story. As Ruš adds, the main pillars of Ocean Race Europe are education, science and sustainability. During each leg, crews collect scientific data on sea quality such as water temperature and salinity, oxygen and CO₂ levels, microplastic concentrations and eDNA (ecological DNA). In addition, some teams will be tasked with setting up floating buoys that will send real-time meteorological data to coastal stations over several years.

"The idea and main goal is to provide scientists and researchers with more data to better understand the changes taking place in European waters. Cooperation with Montenegrin partners such as the Faculty of Maritime Studies and the Institute of Marine Biology allows us to use the collected data locally and regionally," said Ruš.

Organizers believe that the event will significantly strengthen Montenegro's reputation as a sustainable destination, but also open the door to new generations in the maritime sector.

"Children and students here are not observers, they become active ambassadors of the ocean. The finish in Tivat sends a strong message, which is that even smaller communities, with rich traditions, can be leaders in the fight for marine conservation. And that is precisely the core of The Ocean Race mission," concluded Ruš.