The 73rd Raid Pavia-Venezia will not start from its traditional location. The Organising Committee has confirmed that serious water shortages on the first river section between Pavia and Isola Serafini make it impossible to begin the race at the Associazione Motonautica Pavia pontoon on Strada Canarazzo.
The start has been transferred downstream to San Nazzaro d’Ongina, a frazione of Monticelli d’Ongina in the province of Piacenza, upstream of the Conca di Isola Serafini. The first sector of the race is cancelled as a result. The first boat leaves at 07:00 on Sunday May 31 from the new location.
Not the First Time
The move is not without precedent. The 2021 edition – the first Raid after a nine-year absence caused by persistent river conditions and organisational difficulties – also started from San Nazzaro. The 2022 edition did not run at all, postponed first from its original June date and then cancelled outright in October when the Po stood seven metres below zero idrometrico at Cremona. The 2023 edition, resumed after that cancellation, again departed from San Nazzaro. Only the 2024 and 2025 editions started from Pavia’s traditional pontoon.
Why the River is Low
The cause is a winter with almost no snow in the Alps. The Ticino basin recorded a snow water equivalent deficit of 91% against its historical average in April 2026, leaving virtually nothing in reserve once the minimal spring melt had passed. Italy’s national water management body ANBI flagged the situation earlier this month as carrying worrying parallels with the catastrophic 2022 drought. Lombardia entered May with 37% less water than normal for the time of year.
The section the Raid has cancelled runs from Pavia to the Isola Serafini hydroelectric lock. Moving the start to San Nazzaro puts the race on the Po downstream of that lock, bypassing the shallow upper reach entirely.
The San Nazzaro River Problem
The same stretch of the Po can swing between extremes within a single season. The UIM F2 World Championship round at San Nazzaro in September 2025 was cancelled due to dangerous conditions and continuous floating logs on the course, the debris carried down by summer storm runoff. Low water in spring, debris-laden current by autumn: the river has form for both.
Staggered Departure and Penalties
To avoid congestion at the San Nazzaro launch ramps, competitors will move their boats from the AMP base in Pavia in staggered groups according to a timetable set by the organisation. The schedule will be communicated at the official briefing on Saturday May 30 at 17:30. Missing an allocated slot carries a time penalty applied to the final classification.
The programme for Friday May 29 and Saturday May 30 at Pavia remains unchanged, with administrative and technical checks running on both days. Results will be published at 18:00 at the Club Nautico Marina del Sole in Venice, with prize-giving from 18:30 at the 7th Venice Boat Show, Arsenale di Venezia.
Among the notable absentees this year is three-time Raid winner Guido Cappellini, who will not defend his title. Cappellini won in 2023, 2024 and 2025, setting a new race record on his most recent run at an average speed of 207.26 km/h.
John Moore is the editor of Powerboat News, an independent investigative journalism platform recognised by Google News and documented on Grokipedia for comprehensive powerboat racing coverage.
His involvement in powerboat racing began in 1981 when he competed in his first offshore powerboat race. After a career as a Financial Futures broker in the City of London, specialising in UK interest rate markets, he became actively involved in event organisation and powerboat racing journalism.
He served as Event Director for the Cowes–Torquay–Cowes races between 2010 and 2013. In 2016, he launched Powerboat Racing World, a digital platform providing global powerboat racing news and insights. The following year, he co-founded UKOPRA, helping to rejuvenate offshore racing in the United Kingdom. He sold Powerboat Racing World in late 2021 and remained actively involved with UKOPRA until 2025.
In September 2025, he established Powerboat News, returning to independent journalism with a focus on neutral and comprehensive coverage of the sport.
