Tonight the Sky Above Opuzen Will Be Lit Up by Hundreds of Drones
The Slobodna Dalmacija Cup sprint races will decide who gets first pick of starting positions for the 29th Lađa Marathon, followed by a light show never before seen at this event.
The Slobodna Dalmacija Cup sprint races will decide who gets first pick of starting positions for the 29th Lađa Marathon, followed by a light show never before seen at this event.
Tonight, August 5, 2026, Opuzen will host the traditional sprint boat races known as the Slobodna Dalmacija Cup. This competition, held on the Mala Neretva, is the first major showdown ahead of the 29th Lađa Marathon and carries significant weight, as the fastest crews earn the advantage of choosing their starting positions for the main race on Saturday.
The full program kicks off at 5 PM with a holy mass for the rowers at the Church of St. Stephen the First Martyr. At 6 PM, the competitive part of the sprint races on the water begins, lasting until 9 PM, followed by the announcement of the best crews, awards, and recognitions.
Unlike the main Lađa Marathon, which tests crews' endurance over more than 22 kilometers of rowing, the sprint races are a short and explosive test of form, strength, technique, and teamwork. Each crew competes individually, racing against the clock on a short course that includes a turn around a buoy and a return to the starting point. All teams use identical boats and prescribed equipment, and often hundredths of a second decide the final standings.
The results of the sprint races have a direct impact on Saturday's Lađa Marathon. The fastest crew tonight earns the right to choose first from which position they will start in the main race, the second-fastest picks next, and the process continues down to the last team. With a large number of boats starting simultaneously beneath the Lučki Bridge in Metković, the starting position can be of great importance. Choosing a good starting spot can give a crew a cleaner exit from the start, make it easier to achieve the desired direction, and avoid the congestion in the first minutes of the race.
This year's program in Opuzen will not end with the final stroke. The Neretva Rowers' Association, the event's organizer, has announced that starting at 10 PM on King Tomislav Square, after the winners are announced and starting positions are chosen, visitors will be able to enjoy a grand light spectacle.
"The sky above Opuzen will be illuminated by hundreds of drones in a magical light show. Come and enjoy this extraordinary spectacle," the organizers from the Neretva Rowers' Association told DalmacijaDanas.
Through coordinated flight and light displays above the town, the drones will form various shapes and content, potentially bringing Opuzen a novelty that has never been part of the Lađa Marathon program before.
The sprint races are a prelude to the 29th Lađa Marathon, which will take place on Saturday, August 8, 2026, starting at 5 PM beneath the Lučki Bridge in Metković. As is traditional, the finish line for the big race will be in Ploče. The course, which starts in Metković, passes through Opuzen, and ends in Ploče, stretches approximately 22.5 kilometers, and each team consists of ten rowers, one coxswain or helmsman, and one drummer.
The Lađa Marathon is an amateur sports competition where teams race in traditional Neretva boats. This event began with the aim of preserving the Neretva boat and the customs associated with the river, and over the years it has grown into one of the most famous sporting and tourist events in southern Croatia. Before the boats head down the Neretva toward Ploče on Saturday, tonight in Opuzen their starting lineup will be known.
