Female gondolier turns tide of Venice's history

After a 10-year struggle, a German woman has breached one of Italy's oldest male-only clubs to become Venice's first female gondolier.

Alexandra Hai, 35, cannot sing and she has failed her basic gondola-steering exam three times. Nevertheless, a regional court has ruled that she can ferry guests to three one-star hotels in the city.



"We won, we won!" she said yesterday. "I am delighted. It has been my mission. I promise not to wear jeans and I have a beautiful gondola, clean and built according to tradition."

However, Roberto Luppi, the president of the gondoliers' co-operative, was unrepentant.

"It is very important to be able to steer a gondola. That is why we have the exam," he said.