April 21, 2019 - The 30th round of the Croatian First League was held on April 19 and 20 because of the Easter weekend. It was a rather exciting round that saw Dinamo clinch the Croatian championship title for the 20th time, and Hajduk pull a massive upset and huge win against Rijeka at Poljud. 

Istra 1961 v. Osijek (1:0)

Istra and Osijek opened the 30th round in Pula on Friday, April 19, 2019, in front of 763 fans. 

While the first half went without goals, it was Istra’s Mierez to score with two minutes to go, shocking Osijek for the 1:0 victory. 

Istria is currently in 9th place with 21 points, while Osijek is in 3rd with 50. 

Slaven Belupo v. Dinamo (0:1)

Belupo and Dinamo met on Friday, April 19, 2019, in front of 1,882 fans in Koprivnica. 

It was another game without goals in the first half, though Dinamo’s Gojak managed to score three minutes into the second half for 0:1, which was the final score of the game. With this win, Dinamo also claimed the Croatian championship title for the 20th time. 

Slaven Belupo is in 8th place with 26 points, while Dinamo is in first with 79. 

Rudeš v. Lokomotiva (1:2)

Rudeš and Lokomotiva met on Saturday, April 20, 2019, at Kranjčevićeva street stadium in Zagreb in front of 100 fans. 

Karačić scored first for Lokomotiva for 0:1, though Štrkalj equalized with a penalty in the 32nd minute for 1:1. Rakić retook the lead for Lokomotiva in the 80th minute for 1:2, which was the final score of the game.

Rudeš remains in the last place with 10 points, while Lokomotiva is in 5th with 47. 

Inter Zaprešić v. Gorica (2:2)

Inter and Gorica met in Zaprešić on Saturday, April 20, 2019, in front of 1,224 fans. 

Inter scored first thanks to Serderov in the 13th minute, while Lovrić scored a penalty for Gorica 10 minutes later to equalize. Gorica was given another penalty which Zwolinski nailed in the 58th for 1:2, though Šimunec equalized for Inter in the 80th for 2:2. 

Inter is currently in 7th place with 28 points, while Gorica is in 6th with 46. 

Hajduk v. Rijeka (4:0)

Hajduk and Rijeka met at Poljud to close out the 30th round on April 20, 2019, in front of 14,752 fans. 

Hajduk’s Jurić scored already in the 2nd minute of the famous ‘Adriatic Derby’, forcing the crowd into a frenzy. Hamza Barry scored for 2:0, and it was 3:0 at the half thanks to a goal in the 45th minute by Caktaš. 

But Hajduk wasn’t done yet, and Caktaš scored again in the 50th for 4:0, completely stunning Rijeka and, quite honestly, all Hajduk fans. 

Hajduk is currently in 4th place with 50 points, while Rijeka is in second with 56. 

You can see the full table here. 

To read more about sport in Croatia, follow TCN's dedicated page. 

Think you can predict the ending of GoT? Let the Unforgettable Croatia agency know!

If one thing has put Croatia on the map more than anything else for film and TV buffs, its the hit Game of Thrones series which has taken the world by storm, leading to countless visits to the many Croatian filming sites, particularly those in Dalmatia's southernmost city of Dubrovnik, which plays Kings Landing in the series, as well as Split.

While the Game of Thrones hysteria has been met with both positive and negative conclusions from residents of popular cities like Dubrovnik and Split, there is no doubt that economically speaking, Croatia has benefited beyond belief.

As Lider writes on the 19th of April, 2019, the British-American agency Unforgettable Croatia has announced a competition in which the task is to guess the ending of the wildly popular Game of Thrones (GoT) series and the reward for the one who manages to decifer the unfolding of the series' events will be rewarded with a trip to no less than GoT heaven - Croatia. So far, more than 5,000 people have sent Unforgettable Croatia their thoughts about who will take the throne at the end of the hit series.

The winner will be awarded a tourist-style tour of the various locations where the popular series was filmed across Croatia, more specifically Dalmatia, including Split, Klis, Hvar, Vis and Dubrovnik. Game of Thrones took off like few could have ever imagined, and the promotion that brought to Croatia was and remains unquantifiable. The first episode of the final season alone, which broadcast on Sunday attracted a record 11.8 million viewers.

Graham Carter, the owner of the British-American Unforgettable Croatia agency which launched the this GoT inspired competition, had his business in mind, which would further flourish by increasing the overall interest in travelling to Croatia. Every year, this agency brings about 5,000 passengers travel to Croatia, and they're hoping to increase that figure to 6,500 next year, as Carter revealed for Večernji list. Carter is currently residing in Split, where he is trying to establish a Croatian office for his the Unforgettable Croatia agency.

The winner of Unforgettable Croatia's competition will be offered half-board accommodation for a seven-day trip for two to Croatia, a tour of the Game of Thrones sites accompanied by a professional guide, and a visit to Hvar and Vis by sea. But there is, of course, a catch - the winner will not win the airplane tickets for travel, and they'll need to foot the bill for that themselves. 

GoT fan? Have your say! Click here.

Make sure to follow our dedicated lifestyle page for much more.

EgoFree, a music and community festival supporting homeless charities and the local art force, will be held for its fourth edition this month. 

A new hotel under construction at Split’s Bačvice beach, which saw its owners offer a 660 euro bribe to legalize 55 square meters, should open its doors on June 1. Although still under scaffolding, photos of the new hotel can be found on the Internet - and guests have already booked rooms, reports T.portal and Splitski Dnevnik on April 19, 2019. 

Namely, on the Booking.com website, the property is almost completely booked for the season. But how could it not be, when instead of construction workers atop scaffoldings, there are pictures of a luxury hotel with a swimming pool. These lavish rooms overlook the sea, and the hotel paints a picture of elegance - at the top of the hotel, the photos even show sun loungers and parasols. The controversial hotel will set you back 300 euro for a one night stay. You can see pictures of the hotel on Booking.com.

This new hotel is Villa Harmony, boasting six floors located directly next to the most famous beach in Split. Due to its size and appearance, Villa Harmony has caused a lot of controversy and complaints by Split citizens as the building blocks the view in this part of the city. When construction began in 2016, the Municipal Court in Split issued a verdict, which revealed that the area covered by the permit was reduced by 55 square meters. However, the project was still completed and went forward thanks to bribing officials of the Ministry.

Zoran Sikirica bought the land at Bačvice from former Split Mayor Željko Kerum through Oriens, where he was the director. The company then changed directors and moved to Trilj and Sinj before finally returning to Split.

Last year, Sikirica said that the four-star hotel saw an investment of 32 million kuna and was expected to open by the end of 2018. In all likelihood, problems with documentation were the cause of the delay.

Villa Harmony should have 26 rooms and a large penthouse and saunas, a gym, a restaurant and an outdoor bar by the pool. Eight rooms should have a jacuzzi. Sikirica’s company Špinut is also known for building two apartment blocks in the same Split district a few years ago. The project was worth 25 million euro.

Zoran Sikirica, one of the four suspects named in USKOK's action for giving and receiving bribes in the Ministry of Construction for this hotel, is said to have escaped arrest by traveling to Israel on Wednesday.

To read more about lifestyle in Croatia, follow TCN’s dedicated page. 

From the 11^th – 14^th April, 2019, I attended the PBZ Easter Regatta (Uskršnja Regata) on Hvar island. I was the only woman in a 12-man crew, aboard “Franko II” (First 47.7) with Mario Kundih at the helm; as a first-time crew together, we won the ORC-Nauta class.

This year marked the 23^rd Anniversary for the PBZ Easter Regatta (Uskršnja Regata) on Hvar island (previously held in Vodice). The Easter Regatta was the second regatta in a series of four regattas for the CRO-ORC Cup – the most important ORC regattas in Croatia. As such, this regatta attracts a myriad of high-calibre sailors and a variety of yachts – ranging from a Salona 34, X-41 all the way up to the very sexy TP52; and, while there were a few crews from Slovenia and one from the Czech Republic, it is a predominantly Croatian dominated regatta.

Photo credit: Miro Zadravec

I was invited to join the crew aboard “Franko II” (First 47.7) by Mario Kundih, and was to be the only woman in a ’12-man’ crew. I would be lying if I said I wasn’t a little apprehensive. While I have been at sea here for 7 years now, 2018 was my first year getting into the world of sailing – thanks to doing a skipper training course with Kundih aboard an X-43 last year, and my first season with my husband sailing a Scorpio 72 in Charter. The world of regattas is still very new to me and I have a lot to learn; so, I was extremely honoured to be asked to join the crew for the 2019 Easter Regatta.

I met “Franko II” and half our crew in Primošten on Tuesday for a day of sail training and delivering the yacht to Hvar, in preparation for Thursday’s first race. As with anything in Croatia, it was – first coffee, provision the boat, then we were on our way to Hvar. Unfortunately, there was no wind, so we motored all the way, but around 4 pm, the wind picked up, so we did some night sailing around the port of Hvar until 9 pm, practising manoeuvres and getting acquainted with the boat and each other.

My earlier apprehension about sailing and being the only woman aboard, quickly washed away as I felt immediately comfortable with the guys aboard. I had experienced Kundih’s relaxed yet informative approach to sail training last year, and this was the tone that was set aboard. As a crew, we had a mix of experience between us, the connecting factor between all of us being Kundih; some of the guys he has been sailing with for years, half the crew are experienced skippers – sailing in charter every year, while others (like myself), he had recently trained and were very ‘green’ in regards to the world of regattas. Considering Kundih came first in the ORC-Nauta Class the last two years, and 3^rd overall last year, I was impressed that he was willing to form a new crew and take a ‘risk’ on some of us, just to give us the opportunity to sail in this sort of high-calibre regatta.

After a few hours of sailing manoeuvres: tacking, raising the spinnaker, jibing and dropping the spinnaker; we got a spot on the Riva in Hvar, and I was reminded how much I love Hvar pre and post-season.

I prepared an easy bolognese for dinner, not because I had to (being the only woman) but because I wanted to, my way of saying ‘thanks for having me aboard’. But ‘true colours’ were shown quickly when a few of the boys immediately said: “please don’t feel you have to cook just because you are the only woman.” They jumped in to help and did all the cleaning up, who said Croatians aren’t gentlemen?

With no race day the following day, we took the opportunity to have a few drinks and get to know each other; a brilliant night, sitting around the table in the salon, drinking and singing until the small hours of the morning. Team bonding at its finest.

We had planned to train together on Wednesday, but rain all day and no wind hindered these plans. The rest of the crew arrived to Hvar that evening – four more guys to make our 12-man crew complete. We went out for dinner with another great crew from the Czech Republic and had another night of gemišt (the sailor's choice) and singing. But it was a much earlier night (for most), as we had the first day of racing on Thursday and were hoping to hit the water early to get in some training altogether as a complete crew.

Easter Regatta: Race Days

Thursday’s racing was an upwind – downwind race, with three races for the day; with a forecast of up to 20-knots and SE winds (Jugo), it was to be a good day of racing. Our 10 am race start was delayed, but instead of heading back to port as half the fleet, we stayed out and used it as an opportunity to train – because we still hadn’t all trained together. As a 12-man crew, we were a lot of bodies on the boat, with mixed experience and it was essential that everyone knew their role. Mario Kundih was our helmsman, Luka Bebler was our tactician, Luka Blaic our key sail trimmer and all-rounder, Korado Gabo on mainsheet, Rudi Marx and Siniša Bartolin our Mast-men, Tomislav Šujeranović and Matej Doždor our bowmen. Ivan Cevra, Matija Bogadi and Alex Bilik formed the rest of our pitmen. I was ballast and floating – mostly on the bow. And, we had Miro Zadravec on board as our official photographer.

Photo Credit: Tash Pericic

Considering half the crew were very experienced skippers, it was going to be interesting to see how we would work together and cooperate – ‘too many chiefs’ came to mind. Add this to the fact that we were a first-time crew together, first time on the boat and an international crew (Croatia, NZ, Slovakia and Germany), it was clear that communication and teamwork were going to be vital to our success. It was either going to be a fantastic few days, or a really stressful week!

After practising a few manoeuvres, we geared up for our first race. With 13 yachts in our ORC-Nauta class, we had a strong start and quickly took a decent lead, which we needed because of our handicap. In race one we came 1^st, R2 – 2^nd, and R3 – 1^st. So, after calculations for our first day of racing, we were coming 1^st overall. A solid start for a first-time crew together.

Photo Credit: Miro Zadravec

As it turned out, day one would be our most exciting day of racing in the Easter Regatta; with an upwind-downwind course and great wind, it was more a skilled, technical race, less about tactics. A great vibe and dynamic quickly established itself aboard. The only drama was our spinnaker pole not shooting for the last two races, but thanks to quick reactions and leadership, we managed to keep it under control to cross the line – we probably lost around 30 seconds, but maintained 2^nd place in the second race and first overall. And more importantly, we survived our first day of racing – no injuries, major dramas and an excellent team energy maintained throughout.

Photo Credit: Tash Pericic, manually handling the Spinnaker to get across the line!

The next two days of racing were navigational races in less wind, making it a game of tactics over fast action and technical sailing. Friday was a slow day, on the Spinnaker for most of the day in search of wind but it was a great chance for me to learn more on the bow, and fine-tune my skills in bringing in and prepping the spinnaker. As it was my first serious regatta and I had less experience than the rest of the crew, I was thankful to be ballast and floating on the bow, to have a prime position to watch everyone, learn, and jump in when I could. The course was from Hvar across the channel to Vis, returning around the Pakleni islands, finishing in the port of Hvar.

Photo Credit: Dubravka Pajk

While it was a quiet day for the majority of the crew, it was still a full day of concentration for Kundih, our tactician and main trimmer. Even though the vibe on the boat was light, and a few gemišt were always in hand, it was great to watch these guys work, see their concentration and hear them talk tactics. My initial thought that there may be too many ‘chiefs’ aboard, was easily allayed as yes, there were discussions and a few differing opinions over the 3 days, but the boys managed to respectfully listen and/or compromise. I have worked on a lot of boats and seen many different crews, and it is typically ego which kills the vibe on a boat; considering the level of experience half the guys had, the lack of ego and pride was truly admirable.

Photo Credit: Tash Pericic

We had a different sort of photo-finish over the line: we were behind two other yachts in our class, and 100 m from the finish line, the two yachts ahead of us lost their wind and came to a complete standstill; we somehow managed to keep our wind and crept over the line to finish first! This just goes to prove that while skill and tactics are key, lady luck still has her part to play sometimes. After calculations, we came 4^th overall for day two.

Day 3 of racing leaves even less to write about; light winds and another day of mostly downwind sailing. It was another navigational race, in front of Hvar and back down the channel; we had until 3pm to complete the race and the majority of the fleet didn’t manage this. Floating in the currents may be a better way to describe the day’s sailing, rather than racing. But still, any day at sea is a good day.

Results and Prizegiving

We finished 1^st overall in our ORC-Nauta class, which was Kundih’s third year in a row placing first in his class. In 2^nd place was Krka D (Elan 410) with Sebastijan Levstik at the helm, and 3^rd place Srna V (Bavaria CR 46) with Ciril Vrančić as helmsman.

Photo Credit: Uskrsnja Regata, FRANKO II, our winning team - missing a few crew members.

The winner of the ORC-Racer/Cruiser and overall winner of the Easter Regatta was veteran Tonko Rameša and his team aboard X-Cite (X-41). One-Salona (Salona 34) with Karlo Kuret at the helm came 2^nd, and Andela X (X37) with helmsman Teo Piasevoli placed 3^rd.

Overall winners, team X-Cite, photo credit: Uskrsnja Regata

Thanks to PBZ and great sponsorship, there was a large pool of prizes awarded. You can read the full results here.

Evening Entertainment for the Easter Regatta

The PBZ Easter Regatta (Uskrsnja Regata) is well-known for being not only a fantastic sailing regatta bringing together some of Croatia's finest sailors, but also for its organisation and great entertainment. This year's regatta was no different. The first night saw us partying in Hotel Park, with dinner and a DJ. The second night was definitely the highlight with the “Bodulska Večera“, which saw top chefs from the island preparing signature and traditional dishes in the Arsenal building. There was everything from škampi and mussel bužara, hand-rolled macaroni, gregada, pašticada to peka lamb; all sides of the gorgeous Arsenal building boasting food and top Hvar wines – like Ivan Dolac. Then a live band took it up a notch for a fantastic evening of singing and dancing. The final night kicked off with fireworks in the port of Hvar, followed by prizegiving. The night was actually a much ‘tamer’ atmosphere – though I think many spread the party into Hvar’s bars and clubs. Regardless, our crew still shone, as basically the only ones on the dancefloor all night!

Photo Credit: Easter Regatta Official

Comments from our Helmsman and Trimmer

Mario Kundih: “Together with a few friends and fellow skippers, we formed Sailing Club Endemi in 2010 with the aim to participate in the Easter Regatta, this was our 9^th year competing. The spark which started the story was a love for sailing and the sea. Since then, we came 1^st in the Second Open Group in 2011, and came 1^st in our class (Open Nauta), the last two years (now the last 3 years).

In the beginning, I wasn’t sure if we chose the right boat for the regatta but somehow, I believed in FRANKO II (First 47.7) and the crew. However, this year was always going to be a challenging race, as, for the first time there was an ORC Rating System (Handicap) for the Nauta class, which meant that each crew had to pull the absolute maximum from their boats if they wanted a good result – it was no longer enough to have the biggest or fastest boat. In short, the point of the ORC Rating System is to allow boats of different sizes and characteristics to race each other with an equal chance to win – with times corrected applying the handicap. This meant, everyone was on a similar playing field. There were a lot of great sailors in the fleet this year, so with the ORC handicap, it was a greater challenge.

The other challenge was in the organisation of the crew and boat before the race even began. The boat didn’t have ORC certificate, so we had to organise all the measurements one week before, then we realised that the main sail was too old to race with, so, in the last minute we changed for a slightly newer sail (still old), but this sail didn’t fit our mast, so we had to change some parts… in the end, we managed all of these things and it was a good decision. We got the ORC Certificate a few days before the race. Then, heading into day 1 of racing, we still hadn’t all trained together! But somehow, we managed to pull together and make it work.

First day, we had good wind and we came 1^st in two races, 2^nd in one, which placed us in a very good position. Next day was navigation with lighter winds, it was very hard to make decisions about where to tack, jibe… where to go to find some wind and avoid the sea current or use it to our advantage. We crossed the line first in our class, but with the adjusted time we came 4^th overall, which was still a great result because our boat was the largest and heaviest in the fleet – making it more of a challenge for us in light winds.

Photo credit: Easter, Regatta 2019 Miro Zadravec

The last day, we had even lighter winds and were racing against our strongest opponent – Krka… we chose to go right, closer to the islands, expecting some breeze, but it was the wrong decision and all of the fleet overtook us. At the end, we knew we had good points, so we could discard this race, which means we had to wait to see Krka’s result in the final race. Krka didn’t achieve 1^st place so that was enough for us to start celebrating. It was not an easy regatta and each crew member played their part in it.

I can honestly say that this was the sweetest victory on the Easter Regatta so far. I will always remember my first victory in the Open Class in 2011, but this was definitely the sweetest. And I have to thank all of my crew for this, it was an honour to be the skipper for such an amazing crew, we were really like ONE from the beginning to the very end.”

Luka Blaic: “I met Kundih 10 years ago and we have been sailing together since; I have only missed one Easter Regatta since then. Kundih’s energy and passion for sailing was something that distinguished him from other helmsmen; Kundih always gives his whole heart and makes you give the best from yourself in return – it is easy to sail with someone when you see so much passion in them.

I had a great time on this particular regatta, despite the weather, this regatta was a knot better. One of the main reasons for this was the energy between the crew.”

Photo Credit: Tash Pericic

My Experience Aboard… 

The Atmosphere aboard Franko II was absolutely fantastic for the entire 5 days, far better than I could have asked for. It takes a lot to bring together the right mix of people, to balance personalities and expectations – particularly in sailing. Then, to set and sustain a great atmosphere aboard for a week is another thing entirely. This is a huge credit to Kundih for setting a great tone in such a diverse group (in age, experience and cultures), and also to the entire crew for the respect and good nature they brought to the table each and every day. If I was worried about being the only woman among 12 men, I shouldn’t have been. I’ve always said that the sea breeds the best humans, and is a natural setting for friendship and comradery – this last week proved this true again. The guys showed me nothing but respect, support and encouragement all week. Even drinking into the night with them, the respect and good nature never once waned.

I took the time to learn more about sailing and observe all of the crew. Overall, what I saw was a group of guys passionate about sailing; those with more experience willing to teach and those with less experience, thirsty to learn. I witnessed humility and incredible leadership among some of those with the most experience. By this point, it goes without saying that Kundih set a great tone aboard – a calm and confident leader that didn’t feel the need to assert his authority, but rather empowered every crew member to do their job. This is easier said than done during dramatic moments.

A special mention also needs to be said for Luka Blaic our main trimmer; he was quiet until something needed to be said, everything he said had a purpose and he was happy to teach, but he was also there to jump to action with solutions when shit went wrong. His knowledge of every aspect of the boat was apparent and his humility spoke volumes; he was someone to learn from and a leader in his own right. Of course, I could say a few words about each of the crew but then this would turn into a novel. We were basically “Ocean’s 12”, everyone had a talent and contributed to the ‘whole’ – whether in singing, dancing, hilarity, humility… and of course, sailing.

As well as the aspect of sailing and learning about race sailing, I also had a chance to have insightful conversations with each of the guys. I had first-time fathers sharing their joy and showing me photos of their little ones, other fathers telling me how much they love taking their kids sailing and instilling in them the same passion for the sea. I talked psychology and leadership skills with another sailor who is a Managing Director in his company. Had another new sailor tell me about how he can’t wait to start earning decent money so he can take his parents travelling and share new experiences with them. One of the guys explained to me how he took a risk and quit his IT job to pursue a career at sea. Almost the entire crew works at sea during summer, so we all shared experiences (good and bad) and traded ‘insider info’ of favourite restaurants, destinations etc. If you are willing to listen, everyone has a story to tell and with mutual respect, we can all appreciate what the other brings to the table.

Learning to sail and the competitive nature of regattas is just one aspect, to me, the rest is all about the people.

The Real Secret to our Success at the Easter Regatta?

I think it is clear to see by now that a huge part of the secret to our success was great leadership, teamwork and respect. I think we also didn’t take ourselves too seriously; we were all in, excited and committed to the sailing, but there was no unnecessary tension. Kundih and other key players set an overall relaxed tone, which encouraged everyone to be their best.

The other secret may possibly be gemišt... sail hard, play hard – right?! But, don’t quote me on this.

Looking ahead to the Easter Regatta 2020

Overall, an incredible experience at the 2019 Easter Regatta in Hvar, and finishing 1^st in the ORC Nauta Class was just the icing on the cake. I am grateful for being given the opportunity to join this crew in the Easter Regatta. This is how these sorts of industries move forward – by encouraging and inspiring passion in others, whether the younger generation or newer sailors like myself.

Now I’m hooked and already looking forward to the next regatta. A huge congratulations to all competitors and organisers for a fantastic event, see you all in 2020!

Photo credit: Miro Zadravec

Photo credit: Miro Zadravec

 All photos copyright to accredited photographers, special thanks to Miro Zadravec for being aboard with us to capture the action!

Follow our dedicated page Total Croatia Sailing for more news in sailing, or our Sports Page.

This year, the B2Run Business Race is part of the international B2Run family! Thus, the Croatian edition of the race has made its mark on the world map, as businesspeople from Zagreb, Osijek, Rijeka, and Split will run under the same name as more than 250,000 participants from eleven countries around the world. Recall, in the past four years, this race was held in four Croatian cities - Zagreb, Osijek, Rijeka, Split - which saw more than 20,000 runners from about 800 Croatian companies, reports Dalmatinski Portal on April 18, 2019. 

The HT B2Run race will open in Split this year on Thursday, April 25, at 6 pm - and the Dalmatian capital will also be the first B2Run business race this year in the world! The Split race will feature 750 runners from 54 companies. The race traditionally begins on the Riva, and runs through the whole city on the route: Riva (start) - towards Sv. Frane - Trumbićeva obala - Obala kneza Branimira - Šetalište Ivana Meštrovića - entrance to Vila Dalmacija - Šetalište Ivana Meštrovića - Obala kneza Branimira - Trumbićeva obala - finish on the Riva. 

All the participants of the Croatian HT B2Run race will also run for prizes. Prizes are awarded at the national level after the end of the last race in Zagreb and at the local level after the completion of each of the four races. Awards will be given in various categories including NajFit and KreatTim, the fastest craft, association or club, and the fastest large, medium and small company. All the participants will enter the national final of the fastest runners, the quickest CEO, the fastest state institution, IT firm, beverage producer, food producer, media team, the fastest ‘young lions’, the most motivated team and the best support team. For each of the categories, there are also attractive prizes such as travel insurance, sportswear, food and drink awards, and more.

Among the runners will be 44-year-old Marin Koceić, the winner of last year's B2B RUN race in the male category of big companies and the famous Croatian triathlete from Ericsson Nikola Tesla.

“We have a strong and good team. Wherever Ericsson Nikola Tesla competes in full, we want to win. The B2Run is a superior race, as far as organization and atmosphere are concerned. Everything works as it should,” Koceić said.

Up to now, Marin has worked on almost all the releases of the HT B2Run Business Race, which proved to be a useful tool for building corporate culture, employee satisfaction, business community connectivity, and encouraging employees to adopt healthy living habits. Last year he won the 5k in 16 minutes and 40 seconds which is among his best results in that regard.

"I'm not sure if I will break my record this year, but regardless of it I always have the chance to compete in this race in Split with my colleagues," added Koceić, who also emphasized the value of running and moving:

“In the 21st century, because of their sedentary lifestyle, many are turning to run because it is the easiest way to be active. People want to stay in nature and take care of their health. This race is great because it encourages business people and business colleagues to socialize, move, entertain.”

The HT B2Run race this year distinguishes itself from its previous charity thanks to its main partner HT. All the runners of the HT B2Run business event this year will participate in a significant running humanitarian challenge - in the city that records the fastest running time, Hrvatski Telekom will launch a digital literacy program for the local population through free educational workshops in city libraries.

After Split, the B2Run business race will continue in three other Croatian cities - Rijeka on May 23, Osijek on June 12 and Zagreb on October 3rd. The competition in Split was organized in cooperation with the Split Triathlon Club.

You can read more about the business run here. 

To read more about sport in Croatia, follow TCN’s dedicated page. 

As Morski writes on the 15th of April, 2019, the Mediterranean Festival of Books, a book fair with a sales and festival nature will be organised by the Association of Publishers and Bookstores of the Croatian Chamber of Commerce (HGK) and under the auspices of the Ministry of Culture, Split-Dalmatia County and the City of Split, will be held from the 8th to the 12th of May, 2019.

A record 100 exhibitors will be offering discounted books with up to seventy percent off, with around 10,000 titles to choose from.

As always, entrance is free and during the five days of the festival, you will be able to see the latest publications covering a space of more than two thousand square metres in the large hall of ŠC (Arena) Gripe, and there are also three other stages where the Mediterranean Festival of Books program will take place.

In addition to the well-known Bookvarij and Mali Bookvarij locations where children's workshops, panel discussions and a professional program will be held, the evening part of this event related to all things books will also be located at the "Cukarin" hospitality facility in Gripe.

Fifty program activities have been prepared, and the expectation is for as many as 35 promotions of the latest works of some award-winning and acclaimed authors to take place.

Among other things, this year's Mediterranean Festival of Books program will include panels consisting of prominent lecturers who will talk about important local topics, and there will of course be a multitude of workshops for the youngest among the festival's visitors on offer. Numerous promotions for new children's editions are also being planned.

All information and a detailed oveview of the Mediterranean Festival of Books 2019 program with its workshop schedule is available here, as well as having been published on the event's official Facebook page and on Instagram.

The Mediterranean Book Festival is being organised with the support of numerous partners such as the Split Tourist Board, Split University, Split Student Centre, the Split Sports Facilities public institution, Hotel Zagreb - Split, Cukarin Gripe, Slobodna Dalmacija, Europlakat, Mandis, CineStar, Barcaffè, CedevitaGo, and Kala.

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In the upcoming summer flight schedule, which is from March 31 to October 27, 81 new routes will operate to Croatian airports, including regular, low-cost and charter lines, from 24 world markets, reports Dalmatinski Portal on April 15, 2019. 

Additionally, the first week of the summer flight began with a record 252 flights, which displayed a 30 percent increase compared to the first week of the summer flight schedule last year. Most of the flights in the first week were recorded at the airports in Zagreb, Split, and Dubrovnik.

“New airlines and increasing the number of rotations are, among other things, the result of the activities of the Croatian Tourist Board. We collaborate with airline companies through strategic promotional campaigns in important markets, aiming to position Croatia as an attractive and well-connected year-round destination. We are particularly pleased with the new intercontinental line between Philadelphia and Dubrovnik, which joins Croatia and the United States market for the first time in 30 years,” said Croatian Tourist Board director Kristjan Staničić, adding that this year he has strategic marketing partnerships with tour operators and over 40 million kuna was provided to airlines.

Looking at the markets, most of the new lines, or 14 of them, are from German cities, followed by 12 new lines from the UK market, 8 lines from France, 5 lines from Italy, and 4 lines from the Netherlands. Analyzing the summer flight schedule by the number of rotations, most rotations are planned between Croatia and Germany, the UK, France, Austria, and Switzerland. Most new lines will fly to airports in Zadar, Split, Dubrovnik, Pula, and Rijeka. Most Croatian airports this year also recorded an increase in the number of rotations when looking at the previous season, and according to the absolute number of new rotations, the Zadar airport has a 25 percent increase, while Pula follows with a 7 percent increase and Dubrovnik with 4 percent.

When looking at airlines, most new routes were launched by Ryanair, namely 15 of them, followed by eight new lines from Volotea, six new lines from TUI and five new easyJet lines.

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Easter, the largest Christian holiday, is creeping up. Because the spring holiday also traditionally marks the start of the preseason, Split this year will be decked out with colorful Easter eggs, traditional specialties and commemorative music organized by the Split Tourist Board, reports Dalmacija Danas on April 15, 2019. 

On Tuesday, the Association of Split War Veterans will paint Easter eggs on the Riva from 10 am to 2 pm. All of the youngest are invited to join and are encouraged to paint the most colorful egg to brighten up their Easter table.

Members of the "Trogir Musicians" Association will host a special holiday concert at the Vestibule on Monday at 5:30 pm.

The children's choir "Srdelice" will delight guests in Diocletian's basement on April 16 at 6:30 pm, and on Easter Day from 11 am to 2 pm, the Riva will play host to the manifestation “Delicious Easter Morning". In cooperation with the Split Tourist Board, the bakery Babić and the company Dalmacijavino, citizens and guests of Split can enjoy 1000 portions of cheese and 1000 glasses of Dalmatian dessert wine, Prošek. All visitors can also expect a music program by the "Transacoustic" band.

You can find the full Easter program for Split below. 

16.04. - 19.04. Coloring Easter eggs on the Riva

Every day from 10 am to 2 pm, the traditional Easter egg painting with children, citizens and tourists will be held in collaboration with the Association of Split War Veterans’ section of artists. Note: In the event of bad weather, the artists will hold the workshops at their studio, located at Šižgorićeva 1

15.04. Lent Concert at Vestibule at 5:30 pm

The Lent Concert performed by the Association of Trogir Musicians. 

16.04. “Way of the Cross: Museum of the City of Split: Cellars of Diocletian's Palace - West Riva 6:30 pm

Performance of the Children's Choir "Srdelice"

21.04. Delicious Easter Morning on the Riva (central stage) from 11 am to 2 pm 

The traditional distribution of 1000 portions of cheese, 1000 glasses of prošek, and colorful Easter eggs with a special Easter program including the “Transacoustic" band starting at 12 pm

22.04. Easter concert on the Riva (central stage) - 12 pm

Easter Concert of spiritual music performed by the "Combo Project" band

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Split’s wishes have finally come true. Hotel Marjan, once a symbol of the Dalmatian capital which for the last 11 years has been the city’s eyesore and a threat to the heart of the flourishing tourist town, is ready for sale, reports Slobodna Dalmacija on April 15, 2019. 

Namely, the bankruptcy was completed for "Adriatic" d.d. by making a conclusion about the sale. The process is final and the final document produced by the judge of the Commercial Court in Split, Ivan Čulić, will go to Fina, who will look for a buyer.

Fina will sell the hotel by an electronic public auction. The hotel itself is 5,679 square meters, with a substation, parking lot, three courtyards and stairs, altogether making up nearly 12,000 square meters. According to bankruptcy law, four auctions are envisaged. In the first the object cannot be sold below three-quarters of the established value, the second below one half, the third below one quarter, while the fourth is sold for one kuna.

According to the accepted assessment by court expert Jure Malenica, the price is EUR 58 million or HRK 432 million (VAT included, so that there would be no confusion), which means that the buyer must offer approximately EUR 44 million in the first auction. In the second auction EUR 29 million, then EUR 14.5 million, and so on. 

The bankruptcy administrator Ante Gabelica is convinced that the unfinished hotel will soon be sold since it is an attractive property in a prestigious location.

Interestingly, there is no lack of interest, but the keys to the future owners are firmly held by the "Adris Group", whose "Adria Resorts”, through the purchase of receivables, has already invested an amount that is close to or even higher than the total estimated value of the object. There would be an uproar if Adris did not eventually buy the hotel. After all, the powerful Rovinj company already announced a significant investment in Split in its annual plan.

Recall, Željko Kerum bought the hotel "Marjan" in 2005. Kerum paid HRK 170 million, which was three times more than the required HRK 57 million. Less than four years later, a contract with "Hilton" was signed, and Kerum became the mayor one month after that. Works on “Marjan” were quickly interrupted, and in 2015, it all ended with the bankruptcy of “Adriatic”.

Fortunately, Split’s best-known eyesore will soon get a new owner who will give a new dimension to the tourist offer of the city.

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