The video of the VII Open Fotosub Lanzarote Mar de Lava has been chosen as the best journalistic report in the "Gran Premio Diario Vasco", thanks to the work done by its author, the underwater cameraman Gorka Leclercq.
The president of the Cabildo of Lanzarote, Pedro San Ginés, and the Minister of Tourism of the first Island Institution, Echedey Eugenio, took the opportunity to publicly congratulate the "prestigious" cameraman for his recognition in the 40th edition of the International Underwater Film Cycle of San Sebastián (CIMASUB), held between November 7 and 13.
The video, which has been jointly financed by the Lanzarote Foreign Promotion Society (SPEL) and the Art, Culture and Tourism Centers (CACT-Lanzarote), "exhibits the beauty of the island's seabed through the eyes of several of the underwater cameramen" who participated in the last edition of the Open Fotosub Lanzarote Mar de Lava contest, organized by the Pastinaca Underwater Activities Club, held at the end of last June. It shows all the ins and outs of a championship of this modality, "one of the most difficult to perform as is underwater photography", explain from the Island Corporation.
For the author of the documentary, Gorka Leclercq, "it is a great satisfaction that the film has been awarded among the numerous productions from around the world that participated in the dean of European underwater image festivals, even more so this year 2016, in which San Sebastián was chosen as the European Capital of Culture." "Although even more satisfying - he added - were the numerous questions asked by the audience after the screening of the video, inquiring about the funds of Lanzarote, the Atlantic Museum and the Open Fotosub Mar de Lava." In this sense, he was satisfied because "you can say the objective is more than fulfilled."
The film will be distributed by several national television stations and will be screened at the different tourist fairs to continue promoting this sporting activity of great interest that also has many fans and practitioners on the island of Lanzarote.
Specifically, San Ginés expressed his recognition to Gorka Leclercq "for the award received that demonstrates the great quality of the documentary, masterfully highlighting all the beauty of the Lanzarote marine platform. This award is undoubtedly great news, since it has also been awarded by what is considered one of the most prestigious underwater image festivals, which will be an element of incalculable promotional value for the island."
Also, the president thanked Pastinaca for the work done "for their contribution to the enhancement of our seabed" and highlights "the success of the Open Fotosub Lanzarote Mar de Lava contest that aligns with the Cabildo's firm commitment to positioning the island as a first-class sports tourism destination through the European Sports Destination brand and, particularly, for a segment of high strategic value such as scuba diving, both for the expenditure it makes in the destination and for the impact abroad that it makes of that other world full of natural wealth that we have under the sea."
A benchmark among underwater photography championships
The Open Fotosub Lanzarote Mar de Lava has become one of the benchmarks of underwater photography championships at the national level. In its seven editions, photographers with numerous national and international awards behind them have participated.
It should be remembered that the last edition of this underwater photography contest was held during the days 24 and 25 of June in waters of Lanzarote, from Pechiguera to Caletón Blanco, and had the participation of 23 teams from the Canary Archipelago and the Peninsula.