Organised by Daniel Parres of Parres Watersports, La Gran Carrera del Mediterráneo SUP Race – the Great Mediterranean Sea SUP Race – returns for its 8th edition on 7–8 November. This year’s event will host the 2026 Spanish Federation Long Distance League and count towards the Mediterranean Circuit.
The two-day event kicks off on Saturday, 7 November, with registration and fun activities, followed by race day on Sunday, 8 November.
Join some of Spain’s top SUP racing talent for a spectacular coastal race along the shores of Alicante, Elche and Santa Pola, with the iconic island of Tabarca on your left!
What’s included in your registration
For all categories:
Race pack.
Event T-shirt.
Medals for the top three finishers.
Refreshments.
Secure board storage area.
Additionally, for PRO (Elite) and SUB18 categories:
Finisher’s medal.
Bus transport to the respective race start locations.
Club Discounts
You can benefit from a special group registration discount:
6–10 participants: 5% discount
11–16 participants: 10% discount
17 or more participants: 15% discount
How to claim your discount
The club must request a discount code by emailing comunicacion@parreswatersports.com, stating the club name and approximate number of participants.
Once the code has been received, athletes can apply it when completing their registration.
First registration period: Until 25 October, 23:59.
Second registration period: Until 7 November, 12:00 noon.
Chip and Race Pack Collection
Race chips and rider packs can be collected at Varadero Beach on 7 and 8 November.
7 November: 16:00–18:00.
Collection will also be available on 8 November, race day.
Board Storage
All participants may leave their boards in the supervised storage area at Varadero Beach, except participants in the SUB16, Open, Inflatable Open, SUB18 and Elite categories. These participants must leave their boards on the organisation’s trucks, which will transport them to the respective race start locations.
Boards may be dropped off on Saturday, 7 November, between 10:00 and 20:00.
Each participant is responsible for ensuring their board is clearly labelled.
Please note: If, in exceptional circumstances, a participant cannot drop off their board until race day, they must take it to the relevant race start location early in the morning and then make their way to the rider collection point in Santa Pola. We strongly recommend arriving no later than 07:00.
Board Transport
16:00–20:00: Equipment storage at Varadero Beach and loading of boards belonging to SUB16, Open, Inflatable Open, Elite and SUB18 participants onto the organisation’s trucks.
Board bags and race packs will be stored on the organisation’s truck, which will travel to the finish area so that participants can collect their equipment when they arrive.
Transport for Participants to the Start Locations
The bus will collect participants departing from Urbanova Beach promptly at 07:15 from the Vatasa parking area in Santa Pola and transport them to their respective start locations.
Important: Please arrive at the pick-up point well in advance, as the bus will depart promptly at 07:15. Please bear in mind that most roads will be closed that day due to the running race. We will provide information in advance on the best way to reach the pick-up point.
Race Briefings and Mandatory Equipment
The skippers’ briefing for all categories will take place online via Zoom on Saturday at 20:00. You will receive a link by email in advance to access the meeting.
A reminder briefing will also be held at each category’s start location.
The following requirements apply to all categories:
A safety leash must be worn.
The official event T-shirt must be worn over any other clothing or equipment.
Life jackets: Only participants in the SUB8, SUB10 and SUB12 categories are required to wear a life jacket. The race director may announce that life jackets are recommended rather than mandatory.
Federation Licence and Insurance
All participants must hold a valid licence through FESurf (the Spanish Surfing Federation) or one of its affiliated federations.
Participants without a federation licence may purchase weekend insurance through FESurf for €10. This must be arranged at least three days in advance.
For licence and insurance enquiries, contact: comunicacion@parreswatersports.com
Participants registering online will also have the option to pay the federation licence fee during registration, and the organisation will arrange the licence on their behalf.
A federation licence is not required for the Rookie category.
Finish Line and Prize-Giving
Upon reaching the Crono4sports finish line, participants must leave their board and cross the finish line carrying their paddle.
Participants in the Elite race will receive a finisher’s medal.
Prize-giving will take place after each race. Please pay attention to announcements for the exact timing. The top three finishers in each category must remain in the prize-giving area after completing their race.
Lunch will be served from approximately 13:30 in the organisation’s marquee.
Rookie Fun Category
The aim of this category is to introduce more people to the SUP community, allowing them to experience the atmosphere of an event and take part in an accessible and enjoyable way.
The Rookie race will cover a distance of 2.5 km. All participants will receive a medal, with additional recognition for the first three finishers.
The race will be supervised by the club and organised as a club activity. Participants will be covered by the club’s activity insurance. When registering, they may therefore indicate that they hold a federation licence in the licence section (this applies to the Rookie category only).
The club will have inflatable boards available. Individual boards can be provided to participants who request a reservation in advance by emailing the organisers.
As with the other categories, Rookie participants will receive a race pack containing the official event technical T-shirt. Refreshments and lunch are also included.
Contact
For enquiries, please email: comunicacion@parreswatersports.com
