Water sports in Garda Trentino: what’s new for 2025, including events and initiatives that embrace sustainability.
In Garda Trentino, water sports and sustainability are an inseparable pair. New developments for 2025 confirm the destination as a reference for those who love the outdoors and care about nature: three Blue Flag-certified lakes, the achievement of Platinum level Clean Regattas certification, the first regatta course in the world powered entirely by electricity. Other new developments include the assignment of the Italian Youth Championships for single classes to September, the introduction of the division of the One Hour Classic into two weekends, one for fins and one dedicated to foils, and the Garda Trentino Sailing Academy with Ruggero Tita.
Garda Trentino, a destination recently awarded GSTC certification, confirms its position as one of Italy’s most advanced destinations for those who enjoy water sports in harmony with nature. Thanks to the Pelèr, a morning wind that gives way to the Ora, a southerly breeze, both the northern shores of Lake Garda and the hinterland enjoy regular winds, making Garda Trentino the ideal destination for activities such as sailing, windsurfing, wingfoiling, wakeboarding, and SUP. A region where a passion for the outdoors combines with environmental protection, for a truly unique experience.
Sustainable initiatives:
The Sailing Youth World Championships, which took place in July 2024, recently achieved Platinum-level Clean Regatta certification, the highest international recognition for sustainability in sailing events.
A long journey led to the title, thanks in part to many innovations aimed at protecting the environment, including the world’s first fully electric race course, consisting of: electric buoys that, in addition to being more precise and efficient, prevent pollution of the lake bed; pilot boats with electric motors for stationary use; and five electric inflatable boats from VSR’s Zer0 line, to minimize the impact on the lake ecosystem.
But other innovations are also included among the projects to protect the lake’s natural environment. Some inflatable boats from the historic Fraglia Vela Riva sailing club in Riva del Garda will be equipped with next-generation Suzuki engines: an innovative system allows the water used for cooling to be filtered and purified of microplastics, actively contributing to the cleanliness of the lake. For several years, the club has also been running a project, in collaboration with the University of Trento and the Maffei High School in Riva del Garda, that also uses Seabin, employing smart devices to collect microplastics directly from the water.
At the same time, the Autonomous Province of Trento has commissioned specialized divers to remove non-native species from the lakebed, in order to preserve native vegetation and maintain the lake’s natural balance.
Without neglecting the importance of raising awareness: since 2022, the “AGS – the lake begins here” campaign, created by Alto Garda Servizi Spa and the Municipality of Riva del Garda, has promoted responsible behavior starting with everyday actions, with a focus on environmental education. And starting in 2024, the Garda Trentino Clean Up Days have been organized, environmental awareness days dedicated to collecting litter from beaches, roads, and trails.
The unmissable lakes of Garda Trentino
These and many other precautions are designed to safeguard the turquoise treasures of Garda Trentino, from the most famous Lake Garda to the many smaller lakes—but only in size.
Lake Garda
Lake Garda, the largest in Italy at 370 km², is the ideal setting for combining the relaxation of a seaside holiday with the adrenaline rush of outdoor sports. Caressed by the wind, it is one of the capitals of the international sailing circuit, hosting several clubs and being the scene of major annual events—more than 75 in 2025, with 250 days of racing in total—including the historic Lake Garda Optimist Meeting, which also holds the Guinness World Record for the largest single-class regatta in the world, attracting over 1,000 participants from over 30 countries.
Not just traditional sailing: the waters of Lake Garda also offer space for foil disciplines, a true revolution in the world of sailing, both on boards and boats. Garda Trentino is among the leaders of this transformation: here, visitors can test their skills with windsurfing, high-performance boats, and wingfoiling. Wingfoiling, which involves a board and an inflatable wing, not connected by cables or hooks, is a thrilling and accessible water sport. Precisely because of its simplicity and freedom of movement, it represents an excellent entry point into the world of water sports and is supported by the presence of numerous specialized schools in the area.
Foiling also finds its place in the One Hour Classic, a unique regatta, which this year is divided into two weekends: June 14-15 for the fin category and June 21-22 for the foil. On August 30-31, there will be the One Hour Wing Foil for the wing category. Foiling will also be present in the Italian Single Class Championships, organized by 4 sailing clubs, which will land in Garda Trentino from September 2 to 7, 2025. On this occasion, over 1,000 young sailors will compete in the Optimist, ILCA4, ILCA 6, Techno293, iQFOil, and Waszp classes.
Among the new features for 2025 is the inauguration of the Garda Trentino Sailing Academy with Ruggero Tita, a member of Team Luna Rossa, which will compete in the thirty-seventh America’s Cup, and helmsman of the Italian Sail GP team. Tita will guide the young sailors of Garda Trentino in a training program that also includes boats such as the Waszp, Switch, and 29er.
The minor lakes:
Even the smaller lakes of Garda Trentino are perfect natural training grounds for experimenting with a wide variety of disciplines. Lake Ledro, a UNESCO biosphere reserve, is the ideal destination not only for swimming, thanks to its 24°C (75°F) bathing waters, but also for canoeing, sailing, stand-up paddleboarding, windsurfing, and wakeboarding—a discipline that combines snowboarding, water skiing, and surfing, available in Trentino only on Lakes Ledro and Terlago. Furthermore, from June 26 to 29, 2025, the lake will host the OM International Ledro Match Race, an exciting sailing competition based on the match racing format, in which two boats compete against each other. A unique event, taking place on the second-highest regatta course in Italy!
In the picturesque Valle dei Laghi, descending towards the “Val del Vent”, you come across Lake Cavedine, where the Ora del Garda wind creates perfect conditions for sailing, in a fascinating landscape dominated by the Marocche nature reserve and with views of Monte Brento and Monte Casale.
Among the area’s other gems are three lakes awarded the Blue Flag in 2025, a recognition that recognizes water quality and environmental protection. Lake Lamar, twin to nearby Lake Santo from which it is separated by a landslide, is ideal for hiking and relaxing moments surrounded by greenery. Lake Tenno, meanwhile, is at the heart of the Local Nature Reserve established in 2024 to protect a truly unique ecosystem: the rocky, vegetation-free lakebed gives its waters extraordinary clarity and a deep turquoise color. The landscape, virtually untouched over the last hundred years, is dotted with just three lakeside homes, offering a haven of timeless peace and silence. Finally, Lake Terlago stands out for its sporting spirit: Trentino’s first “wake area” was established here, where wakeboarding can be practiced amidst breathtaking scenery, framed by the imposing peaks of Monte Bondone and Paganella.
Garda Trentino confirms its position as a true breeding ground for talent in the water sports scene. Its world-class athletes are testament to this: Ruggero Tita, double Olympic gold medalist and Red Bull Italy Sail GP helmsman; Nicolò Renna, IQ Foil world champion; Bruno Martini, IFCA slalom world champion; and Chiara Benini Floriani, who achieved a prestigious 5th place at the Olympics.
Photo Credits: Garda Dolomiti Spa Archive
© CodeZeroDigital / Matteo Garrone / Switch One Design
© Giovanni Mitolo /FIV
Garda Dolomiti S.p.A. Tourism Board
Garda Dolomiti S.p.A. Tourism Company is a joint-stock company whose mission is to promote and disseminate the tourism image of Garda Trentino (the northern shore of the lake, including the areas of Riva del Garda, Arco, Val di Gresta, Nago-Torbole sul Garda, Dro, Drena, Tenno, Valle di Ledro, Comano, and Valle dei Laghi) through the creation of tourist information and assistance services, tourism marketing initiatives, and specific projects aimed at enhancing the destination’s tourism offerings and the environmental, cultural, and historical heritage of the area in question.
