Cuore Labronico
The term Labronico indicates an absolutely unique, linked to those who possess language, spirit, culture and ancestry, ingredients of a quintessence with deep roots, immersed in the most remote times.
The Tuscan city of Livorno has origins that are lost in the legend of the mythological temple of Ercole Labrone, around which the oldest inhabited area of the city would have developed. Built by the Lydians, an Anatolian population with a strong Greek influence that shone at the turn of the 7th and 6th centuries BC. linked to the cult of Hercules Labrone, a figure adored in particular by the water and above all in the ports.
Main port of the Grand Duchy of Tuscany and one of the busiest ports in the entire Mediterranean basin, Livorno became an important economic center animated by merchants from any nation, as specified by the Livornine Laws issued by Ferdinando I De’ Medici, which gave it the characteristics of cosmopolitan city par excellence.
Since 1881 it has been the headquarters of the naval academy of the Italian Navy and today its economy is still mainly linked to the sea, remaining one of the most important ports and national industrial centres, despite the fact that for some time there have been important difficulties, so as to be recognized as an “area of a complex industrial crisis”.
Livorno is therefore a city with a port identity and centuries-old maritime tradition. In this context, some epic figures called in dialect “Risiatori” were born. Seafarers and longshoremen who, every day, braved the sea aboard small fishing boats to reach incoming ships and thus ensure the right to be able to unload them. Whatever the weather conditions were, they gave life to a real race with no holds barred, no rules and no fear, survival was at stake, whoever arrived first took all the stakes, the others just had to try the next day. Each district had its own crew of Risicatori who, given their importance in the community economy, were considered and respected as personalities.
Every year the city sees this piece of history brought back to life through “Le Gare Remiere (rowing boats racing)” between the city districts; a series of spectacular challenges, soaked in sweat and brackish. Not only real sports competitions, but also great celebrations of passion and folklore which, with ups and downs, have renewed the link between Livorno and its sea for about five hundred years.
Despite the strong identity of Labronian culture, the rowing environment has been facing various challenges for several years due to rapid social change. The community struggles with dedication and pride for its authenticity, seeking to address these challenges through initiatives of social inclusion and awareness-raising, even among the younger generation.
Rowing is a tradition that has involved thousands of Livornese in all ages, giving Italy the feats of the legendary Otto of the “Scarronzoni” (Cioni, Balleri, Bracci, Barsotti, Vestrini, Del Bimbo, Garzelli, Barbieri and Milani) capable of winning silver at the 1932 Los Angeles and 1936 Berlin Olympics, not to mention the many internationally renowned rowers who succeeded them.
All the districts of Livorno have their own cellar, their Gozzo (Tuscan fishing boat), their characteristic coat of arms and their colors which refer to precise origins and traditions.
(Borgo Cappuccini (white-black), Labrone (amaranth – yellow – light blue – black), Ardenza (red-green), Ovo Sodo (white-yellow), Pontino (red-yellow), Salviano (amaranth-white), S Jacopo (white-green) and Venezia (red-white)).
The rowing season opens on April 25 with the “Liberation Trophy”, a preparatory race for the great classics: the “Barontini Cup”, the “Risiatori Cup” and the “Palio Marinaro”, four events to be conquered by the history, culture and charm of the heart of Livorno.
These are the starting point and the destination of a journey over the course of a year, during which within each district, different generations intertwine, sharing experiences, commitment, and sacrifice, and building relationships rich in humanity.