The Playa Honda Avenue hosted this Friday morning the official presentation of the XIII EMMAX Crossing – Playa Honda, one of the most consolidated events of the open water calendar in the Canary Islands. The event, which will be held next Saturday, September 6, will bring together about 250 swimmers from up to five nationalities, with representation of athletes from the Basque Country, Barcelona, Valencia, the Canary Islands and other points of the peninsula.
The crossing will be valid for both the Canary Islands Open Water Cup and the Lanzarote Island Cup, and will have a special element: more than 50 participants will debut in a swimming crossing, reflecting the inclusive and initiation character of this competition.
The presentation ceremony was attended by the mayor of San Bartolomé, Isidro Pérez, the Minister of Sports of the Cabildo of Lanzarote, Juan Monzón, the Councilor for Sports of San Bartolomé, Alexis Hernández, and Alejandro Acuña, representative of Tripasión Eventos, organizing entity.
The mayor, Isidro Pérez, stressed that the EMMAX Crossing “is already a well-established event in Lanzarote, thanks to the work of Tripasión, the Cabildo and all the collaborators, in addition to the efforts of the Sports area of the City Council”. He added that the goal is that on September 6 “the Playa Honda avenue will be filled with color, people and sport, also boosting the magnificent restoration of the area”. Pérez praised the permanent open water circuit installed on the beach, “unique in Lanzarote and which for six years has been a great support for swimmers”.
The Minister of Sports of the Cabildo of Lanzarote, Juan Monzón, highlighted the importance of this event within the island and regional calendar. “We are here one more year in this long-awaited event. It is the 13th edition of the crossing and, at the same time, the 4th stage of the Island Open Water Cup. In addition, it is part of the Canary Islands Cup, which gives it an added value within the regional circuit”, he said. Monzón congratulated Councilor Alexis Hernández “for keeping alive such an awaited event in the calendar” and recalled that this type of events “not only allow the participation of all ages, from children to adults, but also help to boost the commercial, tourist and pedestrian areas of the island”.
For his part, the Councilor for Sports of San Bartolomé, Alexis Hernández, stressed the inclusive and family value of the Crossing. “We are back with the 13th edition, which this year is within the Canary Islands Premium Cup and the Island Cup, which makes it a renowned regional event. In addition, we have categories from Prebenjamines to inclusive and family modalities, which makes the EMMAX Crossing an event open to all”, he said. Hernández invited citizens to enjoy a different day: “It is not only for water professionals, but also for families who can swim together. We want Playa Honda to be a celebration of sport, the beach, the avenue and local restaurants on September 6”.
Finally, Alejandro Acuña, representing Tripasión Eventos, thanked the involvement of all the entities that make the event possible. “We want to thank the public and private institutions that are once again betting on this event and allowing it to continue to be a reality”, he said. He also dedicated a special recognition to the participants: “They will be the real protagonists, enjoying the open waters in a competitive way, but also in a pleasant and fun way, in the spirit of coexistence that characterizes the EMMAX Crossing”.
The XIII EMMAX Crossing – Playa Honda has the support of the Sports Area of the Cabildo of Lanzarote, Turismo Lanzarote, the Security and Emergency Consortium of Lanzarote and La Graciosa, Cajasiete, B15 Active and Restaurante EMMAX. In addition, the inclusive modality will once again be held thanks to the support of the “la Caixa” Foundation through CaixaBank, and the support of the Social Welfare Area of the Cabildo, which promotes the participation of diversity, ensuring that all participants can enjoy the sport in equal conditions.