A delegation of the Alka society of knights announced in Split this past Monday that all was set for the 298th Sinj Alka race which is to be held on August 4, adding that preparations for the jubilee 300th race in 2015 have already begun.
This year's tournament will be the first time since Croatia became a member of the European Union on July 1 and Split Dalmatia county authorities have assured that they will continue to finance the tournament.
The Alka os a traditional a tournament where a rider on horseback at full gallop races down a 160 m track and tries to spear the centre of the small iron circle called the ring (alka), which is suspended at a height of 3.22 m above the ground. The race is held every year in the first week of August in Sinj, the Split hinterland, to mark the victory over the Turkish conquerors. According to legend, 700 Croatian soldiers from Sinj managed to fight off 6,000 Ottoman Turkish invaders in 1715.
The race is a continuation of knightly competitions in this honour.
The event is added to the list of intangible cultural heritage of United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
