The Intermunicipal Community of the Aveiro Region (CIRA) considered the first edition of the moliceiro "boat racing season", following UNESCO's World Heritage recognition, as "a true success" in the enhancement, promotion, and safeguarding of this iconic cultural manifestation of the region.
The holding of the five planned races saw "the highest ever participation of vessels" and "strong public attendance", with the Palheiros Race in Ílhavo standing out as the major new feature of 2026. CIRA states that these results demonstrate the involvement of skippers, owners, entities, local communities, visitors, and tourists united in the spectacle of vessels navigating the waters of the Ria lagoon.
The 2026 Moliceiro Boat Racing Season concluded last weekend in Murtosa, with the São Paio Race – Torreira/Murtosa, leaving "a very positive balance" that confirms the success of the Aveiro Region's commitment to creating an annual calendar dedicated to this tradition, from May to September.
For the 2027 edition, whose calendar will be announced in the last quarter of this year, CIRA intends to strengthen and consolidate the enhancement of this art, increasing the number of races and promoting complementary actions coordinated with local communities and the 11 Municipal Councils, with the aim of making the racing season a moment of encounter between tradition and contemporaneity, heritage and tourism.
