The Islote de Fermina hosted this Monday morning the presentation of the third edition of 'Lanzarote Foil Challenge' during a press conference, which was attended by organizers and sponsors of the sporting event.
Consolidated as one of the most attractive regattas for windsurfing lovers, which is the first international regatta that goes around Lanzarote in 'Windsurf Foil' in a single day. For the moment, 20 participants have already registered and will travel 200 kilometers of coastline on a surfboard in nine hours without stops. The best national and international athletes come one more year to this unique event, the first ultra regatta in the world of these characteristics.
The presentation ceremony was attended by the Minister of Sports of the Cabildo de Lanzarote, Juan Monzón; the Managing Director of Tourism of the Canary Islands José Juan Lorenzo; the head of the Marketing and PR area of Lanzarote European Sport Destination, María Martín; the CEO of Marina Rubicón, Rafael Llaso; and the vice president of the Windsurfing Club Los Charcos, Esteban Nieto.
Lanzarote is preparing one more year to host this regatta, betting in this way on "events of this type that give an added value to the island in sports, but also in tourism and economic matters", as highlighted by Monzón, who hopes that "more editions will follow with a greater number of participants", since "this sporting commitment is very important", he added.
The Managing Director of Tourism of the Canary Islands, José Juan Lorenzo, for his part, recalled that with the strategy of attracting professional sports tourists launched by this public company, it has been possible to "consolidate worldwide the objective fact that the Canary Islands offer professional athletes the opportunity to enjoy first-class facilities, as well as unique climatic and natural conditions". In the case of Lanzarote, Lorenzo emphasized its "positioning as a venue" for Olympic sailing training. "Lanzarote hosted the qualifying event for Europe and Africa for the 'Tokyo Olympic Games', which had a significant advertising impact, and with a view to Paris 2024 it will once again be crucial for these athletes, as at least 40% of world Olympic sailing will be prepared in the Canary Islands, specifically in Lanzarote and Fuerteventura."
In this line, Rafael Llaso, has confirmed that "Lanzarote is more than consolidated as a winter Olympic sailing center worldwide. We have more than 500 sailors with an average stay of more than 80 days and this year we are going to greatly exceed the figure". Something new in this regatta is that it is broadcast in streaming, something that María Martín has pointed out, stating that "65% of tourists who windsurf usually get information through social networks, so its streaming broadcast is a plus".
He also pointed out the number of sailors who come to the island from October to March and has stated that "Lanzarote is a gift of a destination where athletes enjoy landscapes that perhaps many locals do not know". The 'Club de Windsurfing Los Charcos' together with the 'Federación Canaria de Vela' and 'Marina Rubicón' is once again organizing this sporting challenge for the third year, which in the words of the vice president of the club Esteban Nieto, "is once again a challenge in which about 20 sailors from 11 nationalities will participate, which gives an idea of the impact that this event is acquiring".
The regatta will be held in the modalities of 'Windsurf Foil' and 'Kite Foil' and its final date will depend on the wind conditions during the week. The 'Lanzarote Foil Challenge' will consist of six scoring sections. The first stage will start at 8 am from Marina Rubicón to go up the coast of Janubio to El Golfo. The second section will last about two hours until reaching La Santa from where the third section will begin to La Graciosa, estimating its arrival at about 2 pm.
Costa Teguise will be the destination of the fourth section to continue downwind to Playa Honda. So that at 7:00 pm the athletes finish the regatta in Marina Rubicón.
Everything is starting to be ready for this third edition in which athletes of different nationalities are already preparing to face this challenge that will lead them to test their own limits.
