Certified divers will compete with cameras and smartphones at the tenth MARES Underwater Photo Marathon. What is confirmed is an international competition—not an open-access festival programme for day visitors.
A photography competition comes to Rab for three days
The Croatian diving club Roniti se mora is staging the tenth MARES Underwater Photo Marathon Cup on Rab from 11 to 13 September 2026. The event combines two competition dives with subsequent judging and an awards ceremony by an international jury.
The organiser says participants will come from several countries, making Rab a meeting point for underwater photography that weekend. That does not automatically make the event a public festival: the published rules do not currently include a confirmed visitor programme with freely accessible demonstrations, dives or an exhibition.
Participation is for certified divers
At least an Open Water Diver certificate or equivalent qualification is required. This threshold matters: the marathon is not a try-dive or an opportunity to use scuba equipment for the first time without training. Participants must bring the usual documentation and be fit for the planned dives.
According to the rules, the photography classes cover DSLR and mirrorless systems, compact cameras and mobile phones, with video categories as well. The exact classification follows the regulations. Anyone simply planning a visit to Rab should not assume that a camera or diving equipment will be provided spontaneously on site.
The competition images will be made on Saturday
Two competition dives are planned for Saturday. The images will be produced within the set conditions and time windows, then selected, submitted and judged. The awards ceremony is scheduled for Sunday.
The sea decides which subjects actually appear: visibility, light, currents and animal encounters cannot be ordered. A good underwater competition therefore assesses not only spectacular encounters but also the idea, technique and respectful treatment of the habitat.
The published prices are not day tickets
The organiser lists €150 for the competition package. A €300 full package also includes two nights with half-board in a shared double room while suitable capacity remains available. These prices are for registered competitors and are not admission fees for spectators.
The original registration deadline published by the organiser was already in August. It would therefore be wrong on 8 September to promise that registration remains open or that hotel rooms are available. Late applicants must ask the organiser directly and should pay only after their participation is confirmed.
Exact access for day visitors remains unclear
The announcement does not clearly state where the awards ceremony will take place in a publicly accessible venue or whether guests without accreditation can attend any part of the programme. Nor is a precise dive site presented in the public rules as a spectator destination.
Anyone travelling to Rab because of the competition should not simply search the bays for divers. That could disrupt the event and create unnecessary traffic. Only short-notice information from the diving club or local hosts is reliable if a public programme item is added.
Underwater photography requires distance
A camera does not change the rules of diving. Animals must not be moved, touched or pushed into position, and sensitive growth must remain undisturbed. Buoyancy control, distance and consideration for other teams matter more than a shot that can only be created by interfering.
Nor should a sighting automatically be posted on social media with its exact location. Restraint can protect sensitive or protected species. The competition is at its strongest when it makes the Adriatic visible without consuming the place where the photograph was taken.
What can be added after the weekend
Only after the awards ceremony will the winners, awarded categories and submitted subjects be known. Until then, rankings, records or claims about the best visibility are speculation. Golden Beach therefore separates this verified preview from the later result.
If the organiser publishes an official gallery, the article can be updated with winning images and jury decisions. Copyright belonging to the photographers and organiser must still be respected; a public gallery is not a blanket licence to reuse its contents.
Evidence
Sources & date
Sources support the facts. Planning notes and recommendations are Golden Beach editorial assessments.
- 10. jubilarni MARES Underwater Photo Marathon Cup 2026Roniti se mora · 2026 announcement, checked 8 September 2026dates, venue, entry requirements, categories, schedule, packages and original registration deadline
- Međunarodno natjecanje u podvodnoj fotografiji na RabuMorski.hr · 8 September 2026current event announcement, international scope, jury, two competition dives and awards ceremony
- Plan upravljanja destinacijom Rab 2025.–2029.City of Rab · 2026, checked 8 September 2026local destination context; no additional confirmation of a public competition programme
