Playa de Las Cucharas hosted on Saturday a new edition of the Travesía Alejandro Candela, an event organized by CDN Nadamas Santa Rosa that once again brought together swimmers of all ages around sports and the memory of who was a member of the club, who passed away in 2018. The eighth edition of the race had nearly 200 participants and took place under ideal weather conditions, with wind and currents having hardly any impact, which allowed attention to be focused on the athletes' effort and the tribute to Alejandro Candela.
The day started on time with the youngest. The pre-benjamins were the first to dive into the water to complete a 50-meter course. The good reception of the event led to it being repeated to give the opportunity to participate to some children who had missed out on the first start, in a demonstration of the participatory nature of an event that seeks to bring swimming closer to all ages.
The competition continued with the infantil, júnior, and máster categories, whose participants, born before 2012, faced a 1,500-meter course. The starts were organized in heats, first with the boys and, a few minutes later, with the girls.
The men's race offered an intense fight for the top positions, with up to five swimmers competing for the podium. However, the dispute for victory ended up being focused on three representatives of CDN Nadamas Santa Rosa, who took the top spots.
Diego Vázquez was the fastest, with a time of 18 minutes and 35 seconds. The swimmer from the organizing club beat his teammates Nicolás Padrón and Eril Suárez, who finished 11 and 12 seconds behind the winner, respectively. The closeness between the top three maintained competitive interest until the finish line.
In the women's category, the fight for the top positions also had three protagonists from the first meters. Natalia Sasu, from CDN Nadamas Santa Rosa, managed to open a small gap to cross the finish line in first place with a time of 19 minutes and 40 seconds. Natalia Pérez and Catalina Rodríguez, both also from the organizing club, completed the course practically at the same time and shared second place with a time of 19 minutes and 42 seconds.
Younger categories and adapted swimming
After the competition for the older swimmers, it was the turn of the "alevines" (under-10s), who completed a 800-meter course. Aaron Mederos, from CD Nonadamos, took the men's victory with a time of 11 minutes and 37 seconds, while Andrea Fraga, from CDN Nadamas Santa Rosa, was the first female finisher with a time of 11 minutes and 41 seconds.
The "benjamines" (under-8s) faced a distance of 400 meters. Alexander Delgado, representing CDN Nadamas Santa Rosa, won the men's category with a time of 9 minutes and 52 seconds. In the women's classification, the victory went to Dana Sandoval, from CD Nonadamos, who stopped the clock at 10 minutes and 7 seconds.
One of the most notable moments of the morning came before the relay race, when the members of CD Creciendo dove into the water to also complete their own crossing. Some participants tackled the 400 meters, while others dared to take on the 800-meter course.
Beyond the times and classifications, the swimmers demonstrated immense strength, enthusiasm, and a desire for self-improvement with every stroke. Their effort was met with an immediate response from the public present at Playa de Las Cucharas, who welcomed them with a resounding ovation and the chant of "Champions, champions!".
The finish line thus became one of the most emotional images of the day, leaving a special memory for the participants and for all those who followed their journey. A moment that reflected the values of inclusion, camaraderie, and self-improvement that are also part of sports.
The competition concluded in the water with the relay race, in which the BDN2 group took the victory. The second position went to Los Inalcanzables, while Cuatro y el Mar completed the podium.
Once the races were finished, the participants moved to Club Santa Rosa, where they enjoyed a buffet lunch offered by the hotel establishment. The day of camaraderie was completed with "bandiola" sandwiches and Dos Cabras craft beer, served by Hernán Fondado.
The VIII Alejandro Candela Crossing once again fulfilled its dual objective: to promote swimming and keep alive the memory of a swimmer who was part of the CDN Nadamas Santa Rosa family.
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