Swimming hat and goggles at the ready for Estepona’s charity sea challenge

Sea loving swimmers are limbering up for a splash in the Mediterranean this weekend, as Estepona prepares to host the ninth edition of its very popular Virgen del Carmen Coronada Swim Crossing.

What does the race day involve?

Sunday, July 26 will see La Rada beach, close to Plaza del Diario ABC, a square named after the Spanish national newspaper ABC, transformed into a bustling meeting point for swimming fans. Kicking off at 11am, the event is organised by Club de Natacion Estepona (CNE) with backing from Estepona Town Hall. Officials confirmed the details during a presentation this week, ahead of final preparations for a day expected to attract hundreds of participants.

Non-competitive and run on a not-for-profit basis, the crossing is held to promote swimming as a sport and bring together local athletes and visiting swimmers keen to test themselves in open water. Nine editions in, it is a popular and well-loved event for the area for not just the swimmers but spectators too.

A cause behind the crossing

Charity is the focus of the event, working with the Hermandad Nuestra Señora del Carmen Coronada, a local religious brotherhood devoted to the Virgen del Carmen, patron saint of sailors and fishermen, organisers are asking every swimmer to bring a kilo of non-perishable food on the day. Donations will go to Caritas Parroquial del Carmen, the parish branch of Caritas, the Catholic Church’s charity network, which will distribute the food among local families in need.

Routes for every age group

Four distances have been designed to suit swimmers of different ages and abilities. Youngsters born between 2016 and 2018 can take on a 300-metre route, with those born between 2012 and 2015 tackle 600 metres. Adult categories, open to anyone born from 2007 onwards, offer a choice of 1,400 metres or 2,600 metres, the latter covering two laps of the course.

How to sign up

Places are capped at 300 swimmers, and registration closes on Friday, July 24 at 5pm. Anyone wishing to take part, or check the full rulebook, can do so through the official timing platform dorsalchip.es.

This year’s crossing, mixing sporting challenge, family-friendly categories and support for a local charity is the perfect day out. If the water isn’t for you and you prefer to sit with an ice cream and spectate, then locals and beachgoers can watch for free by heading to La Rada beach near Plaza del Diario ABC from around 11am on Sunday, no ticket or swimming costume required.