Every year Mali Losinj, the largest place on the island of Losinj, (the Croatian Island located in Kvarner Gulf) organises a New Year’s Cup in spearfishing (underwater fishing).

The event includes two competitions, the Winter Cup of Cities and the European Cup of Nations, and this year it will be hold from 28th to 30th of December.

The Winter Cup has been held 47 times and the European Cup 37 times, pooling spearfishermen (underwater fishers) from ten nations.

The bond between Mali Lošinj and underwater fishing is attested to by a monument to the spearfishermen -  the work of sculptor Ante Starcevic of Zagreb, who created the monument based on the original by sculptor Vinko Matkovic of Rijeka.

Spearfishing  - Underwater fishing or apnoea (temporary cessation of breathing) fishing is numbered among the extreme sports as it entails many hours of extreme exertion at great depths, working at the limits of physical strength the fishers are subjected to, and the many potential dangers present in these conditions. It is the most selective kind of fishing as the fisher chooses the fish he or she will catch.

And while it is a sporting discipline, spearfishing knowledge has always been passed on among a small body of enthusiasts. Fish rich locations are kept a top secret.

Spearfishing is attracting a growing number of hobbyists and professionals from year to year.

The New Year’s Cup in Mali Lošinj, like some other international events, are an indicator of the excellence of the top athletes and their exceptional physical and psychological preparedness.

Kvarner Map + Losinj Travel Guide + Mali Lošinj Tourist Board : www.tz-malilosinj.hr