Woman Lowers a Bag of Beer from a Bridge into a Boat
While the 29th Marathon of Boats on the Neretva brought new winners, a charming gesture from Stablina and an educational workshop in Metković showed how this tradition unites the entire community.
While the 29th Marathon of Boats on the Neretva brought new winners, a charming gesture from Stablina and an educational workshop in Metković showed how this tradition unites the entire community.
Last weekend, the Neretva River was the stage for the 29th edition of the Marathon of Boats, an event that once again produced a wealth of stories about togetherness and friendship. From the tense competition for the Domagoj Shield to touching human gestures, the boat season once again confirmed its special place in the hearts of the local population.
Special attention was drawn by the crew Škrapa from Momići, known for their cheerful spirit. During the race, while rowing through Stablina, they experienced something unusual. An unknown woman on a bridge lowered a bag full of cold beer into their boat using a rope. After finishing in 15th place, the Škrapa team launched a search on social media for the mysterious benefactor.
"Dear people and Marathon followers, help us find a particularly wonderful woman who, in Ploče, dropped a bag full of cold beer into our boat, lowered by rope from under the bridge! Let everyone up to the third generation come forward and tell us who she is so we can give her a Škrapa t-shirt! Thank you!" the team posted.
The search didn't last long. It was soon discovered that it was Snježana Družijanić, a rower from the Stablina women's team, who had previously been a guest at their Lažijada event in Momići.
"We found her, or she found us. A beautiful story no matter how you look at it," the Škrapa team announced, adding: "Thanks to everyone for the calls and questions about finding the woman who pulled off such a feat in Ploče, but we've discovered her identity: she is a rower from the Stablina women's team - Snježana Družijanić, and she was at our Lažijada in Momići. Some stories are truly miraculous, and this boat season has brought us many beautiful stories and friendships! May it continue! Cheers until the next event! Škrapa - an institution, not a whim."
In the sporting part, the first place in the Marathon was shared by the crews Crni put from Metković and Gusari from Komin.
That the Marathon of Boats is not just a sporting competition but a deeply rooted part of the Neretva identity was also shown by the creative and educational workshop held on Friday before the race. At the premises of the Association of Persons with Disabilities Prijatelj in Metković, children and users had the opportunity to experience the charms of this tradition firsthand.
The workshop was organized by Martina Nikolić, a former rower and coach of the Gusarica team, now a member of UL Metkovke. She brought her medals and shared personal stories from the Neretva. A particularly emotional moment was the arrival of six-year-old Domagoj Senta, a big marathon fan, who proudly showed off the medals of his father Mile Senta, a rower for the UL Crni put team, as well as the trophy won at the speed race in Opuzen on August 5th.
The family dimension of the event was further emphasized by the girls Iva and Mia Musulin, who gave Martina a t-shirt from the UL Crni put team. Their father, Josip Musulin, is also a rower for that team, and their mother Katja joined them at the workshop.
To complete the experience, the Neretva Boatmen's Association lent props, including the recognizable shield. Participants browsed the monograph "25 Years of the Marathon of Boats" and the picture book "Neretvanske lađe" by author Anamarija Dominiković. After the educational part, creative work followed: drawing motifs from the Neretva and painting plaster boats made and donated by the Integrative Workshops Prijateljica plus. The children took their creations home as lasting souvenirs.
