Playa Dorada was once again the starting point for the La Bocaina International Crossing this Saturday, an event that celebrated its 21st anniversary this weekend and once again met the expectations of the brave participants from different islands of the archipelago, other autonomous communities and several European countries, who had the goal of joining the two easternmost islands of the Canary Islands stroke by stroke.
This year the brothers Eneko and Joseba Saezmiera were the first to step on the ramp of the port of Corralejo, with a total time of four hours and one minute. Alienor Izarzugaza was the fastest swimmer, completing the 15 km in four hours and twenty-eight minutes.
The crossing maintained the format of recent years with three groups of swimmers divided by the swimming pace of each participant; slow, medium and fast. As in the last edition, this year there was also a challenge mode, in which the participants went solo accompanied by an assistance kayak.
Before the first ray of sunshine came out, there were already swimmers in the vicinity of Playa Dorada and an atmosphere began to be breathed that combined nerves, excitement and the desire to repeat or experience for the first time the unique sensations transmitted by this test. Minutes before giving the different starts, the Councilor for Sports of Yaiza, Ángel Lago, thanked the organizers and participants for making a new edition of this event a reality and gave words of encouragement to all the swimmers.
The first to touch the water were the participants in the slow group, identified with a white cap, who after a few minutes of warming up and being 08:00 hrs began to give their first strokes. In this group we highlight the presence of the Gran Canarian Sergio Medina who at 69 years old completed his sixteenth La Bocaina Crossing, “It is my last participation because I want to manage my forces now for smaller crossings but I have enjoyed this test again until the last stroke and next year although I do not participate I hope to be able to come to encourage all the participants”, declared the veteran swimmer after crossing the finish line.
At 08:10 hrs the participants of the middle group started the test, wearing an orange cap that would later serve to be the most visible during the course of the test. It has been the largest group of this edition with more than thirty swimmers, mostly Valencians who accepted the challenge. The fastest swimmer in this edition came out in this group, Alienor Izarzugaza, was the first surprised and upon arriving in Corralejo commented that she signed up in the middle group because she “came to do the test with three friends to enjoy” and after the first kilometers “she saw that she could go at a faster pace so in the first refreshment station she moved to the other group”. Alienor assured that at no time did she know that she was in first position of the females. The youngest swimmer in this edition also participated in this group; Erika Rivero from Majorera, with 20 years old, wanted to be part of the history of this test and after arriving on her native island she stated that “she had loved the test, exceeding expectations” and threatened to return next year with a more ambitious goal.
Finally, being 08:20 hrs, the start of the fast and challenge group was given, with green and red caps respectively. In this group were the participants who sought to establish the best time in this edition. The Saezmiera brothers arrived at the Corralejo ramp with a lead of more than seven minutes over the second classified. Eneko Saezmiera stated that “he had pulled in the last kilometers with his brother but did not expect them to reach the finish line with such an advantage”. As an anecdote they claimed to have seen a turtle, something that is not very common and that they loved. Both transmitted the good feelings they took from the test and their intention to return next year.
In the challenge mode, highlight the German, Lars Kalenka, who invested three hours and thirty-five minutes to reach the Majorera coast. Kalenka said that he had “prepared the test in a lake in his country” and that he was pleasantly surprised by this great sporting event.
All the swimmers highlighted the good work of the security device that surrounded them during the course of the test, a team that was composed of members of Civil Protection of Yaiza, Red Cross boats, several tracking boats (test volunteers) and a large number of kayaks led by components of the Los Marlines Canoeing Club. The good condition of the sea and a swell in favor of the swimming of the participants caused that there were no remarkable incidents in this edition.
As usual, the organization gave all the finishers a small gift with which they remember having joined swimming the 15 km that separate Lanzarote and Fuerteventura. One more year the Asociación Deportiva Aguas Abiertas de Lanzarote has been in charge of the organization of this event, with the sponsorship of Islas Canarias, European Sport Destination through Turismo Lanzarote, Lanzarote Deportes, Ayuntamiento de Yaiza and Hotel Dreams Lanzarote Playa Dorada Resort y Spa. With the collaboration of the Ayuntamiento de La Oliva, Naviera Armas, Real Club Náutico de Arrecife, Puerto Marina Rubicón, Coca-Cola, Ambrosías Tirma, Papagayo Bike, Aó Experience, Windbluesports Driving Center and Bar Snack Playa Dorada.
