Swim marred by jellyfish stings

Many of the participants of the VI Volta al Penyal d'Ifach swimming endurance race which took place last Sunday had another force to cope with apart from the tides. “The waters were infested with jellyfish. There were loads”, some competitors complained. The annual 3.6 kilometre race runs around the Peñon d’Ifach, and this year a record number of swimmers competed.

Some people published their stings on their social network pages, with many suffering multiple times.

Curiously and in those same comments, some of the athletes thought it added to the challenge.

The organisers spoke of a “little handicap of jellyfish that did not diminish the illusions and desire of the participants at all.”

In fact, the event, which departed from Cala del Racó and finished at La Fossa beach, had 750 registered competitors (compared to 550 last year) and by 2020 it is expected to reach a thousand. It is organised by the Nautical Club of Calpe with the support of the Fishermen's Association and the town hall itself.

Carlos Cuesta, (Neptuno L'Alcúdia), Andrae Smycek (SCW Eschborn), Maite Bañuls (CN Ondara), Fernando Calvo (CN Master Morvedre), Luis Enrique Vallejo (CN SOS Bétera), Leire Santacreu (CN Calp), Manuel Farrona (CN Maste Murcia), Yaiza Grimaldos (CN Calp), Raquel Zamora (Naturasports), Mª Jesús Giménez (Medusas Peligrosas), Álvaro Ortiz (CDUPV) and Milla Botella (CN Ontinyent) were the winners in their respective categories in this VI Volta around the Peñon d'Ifach.

Carlos Cuesta in the male category and Andrea Smycek in female, were the absolute winners.

The mayoress of the town, Ana Sala, thanked everybody involved in the swim as well as the organisers and sponsors because “together we are making this test a world reference in its category.

There are many crossings, but none compares to to Peñon”, she said.