Registration Opens for the "Olimpiade dele Clanfe" and the "Rampigada Santa": Trieste Gears Up for Its Most Beloved Craziness
TRIESTE – Summer in Trieste kicks into high gear with the official opening of registrations for two of the city’s most original and eagerly awaited events: the Olimpiade dele Clanfe and the Rampigada Santa, both conceived and organized by the social promotion association SPIZ.
The 18th edition of the Olimpiade dele Clanfe will take place on Saturday, July 26, 2025, at the Ausonia Seaside Resort, starting at 2:00 PM. Registration will remain open until Thursday, July 24: anyone eager to dive into the challenge — whether with spectacular acrobatics or spectacular belly flops — is welcome. As per tradition, participants will perform a dive of their choice from the region’s beloved beach styles — such as the clanfa, American bomb, or kamikaze — enhanced with battle cries, outrageous costumes, wild choreography, flips, and other hilariously absurd additions. Judging is based on three criteria: technique, splash, and morbin (local slang for fun, flair, and spirit). And often, it’s the morbin that seals the deal.
This wildly popular event started in 2008 almost as a joke and quickly became a must-see summer highlight, attracting up to 200 divers aged 4 to 82, divided into age categories (plus one legendary category: the UFO, reserved for the weirdest, most creative dives). Once again, the much-loved tradition of “gastronomic bribery” returns — where judges are humorously “influenced” only by food and drink offered by participants, in a playful parody of real-world corruption.
In September, the party moves to the Karst Plateau with the 14th edition of the Rampigada Santa, scheduled for Sunday, September 21, 2025. Starting at 9:30 AM, the Scala Santa will be closed to traffic to make way for participants ready to face one of Trieste’s steepest ascents — on foot or by bike: 2 kilometers long with an elevation gain of 326 meters. Starts will be staggered every 30 seconds from Roiano, with the same goal as always: to prove that “if you can make it up that hill, you can go anywhere on foot or by bike.”
But the Rampigada isn’t just about effort — it’s also a celebration and a moment to reflect on sustainable mobility. On Saturday afternoon, the Obelisk Square, normally used as a parking lot, will become a pedestrian zone filled with booths, an Oktoberfest-style beer stand, and plenty of live music. The event also aims to keep attention focused on the Opicina Tram and the cultural heritage of the area.
Just like the Olimpiade dele Clanfe, categories in the Rampigada have quirky names in local dialect, creating a unique atmosphere where competition meets comedy, civic engagement, and a deep love for Trieste.
Registration for both events is open on the SPIZ Association website: www.spiz.it
