A Successful Inaugural Swim
This past Saturday, October 4th, the coastline between Porís de Candelaria and Tazacorte beach witnessed the first-ever ‘Isla Bonita Swim Crossing’. The event, whose acronym ‘Tibo’ was displayed on participant t-shirts, caps, banners, and the winners’ podium, was hailed as a great success by the organizers. Despite being a new addition to the Canary Islands Open Water Cup, the swim attracted over 100 swimmers from six different islands across the archipelago.
A Journey Through La Palma’s Natural Wonders
The main event began on the coast of Tijarafe, where the mayor, Yaiza Cáceres, was present to witness the start of the demanding 6.5-kilometer race. Swimmers set off from Porís towards the famous Cueva Bonita. In a spectacular segment of the course, participants swam through one of the cave’s openings and exited via the southern mouth to continue towards the finish line at Puerto de Tazacorte. Awaiting them there were Raquel Rebollo, the Councilor of Tourism for La Palma, and Toni Santana, the Councilor of Sports for the Tazacorte City Council.
More Than Just a Race
According to participants, the event’s success was not only due to the impeccable organization by the Club de Tenis Valle de Aridane and the La Palma Island Sports Service, which was made possible with the support of various sponsors. The true triumph lay in the unparalleled swimming experience itself. Swimmers raved about the opportunity to enjoy dramatic cliffs, large schools of fish, breathtaking seabeds, and the chance to traverse what many call the “Sistine Chapel of the Atlantic”—the Cueva Bonita. This natural wonder was a particular highlight for the athletes, who, upon arriving at Puerto de Tazacorte, expressed nothing but joy and happiness despite the exhaustion from completing the two available course distances.
Podium Finishers
In the 6.5-kilometer race, the top three positions for men were secured by Carlos Alberto Pérez Flores (Club Natación Baja Larga), Arnaudis Domínguez Cabrera (Club Natación Metropole), and Miguel Ángel Rodríguez Reyes (Club Natación Las Palmas). For the women, the first to finish were Isabel Valido Carreño (Club Natación Las Palmas), Aihnoa Santana Flores (Salpicaswim), and Leire Romero López (CN Reales).
The 1.5-kilometer race saw a mixed field of boys and girls. The finishing order was: first place Pablo Nonato (CD Teneteide), second place Beatriz Pérez Hernández (Club de Tenis Valle de Aridane), third place Izán Hernández Hernández (Club Náutico de La Palma), fourth place Elena Cinci (Tenerife Master), fifth place Irene Lorenzo Afonso (Club de Tenis Valle de Aridane), and sixth place Mohamed El Kounichi Lebari (Club de Tenis Valle de Aridane). The full results can be viewed online.
Looking Ahead to the Next Edition
The credential collection and trophy ceremony took place at the facilities of the Club de Tenis Valle de Aridane, where participants, volunteers, and organizing entities shared a lunch. Once again, swimmers from various islands expressed their strong support for the event. With an eye on the next edition, the organization is committed to maintaining the opportunity to swim through these spectacular landscapes and to establishing the race as a benchmark for open water swimming in the Canarias. They have already noted the few improvements that can be made for next time. Eager not to miss out, swimmers from Lanzarote and Fuerteventura have already promised to book their travel further in advance to secure a spot in the second edition.
