The facilities of ‘La Marina de Valencia’ were the venue for the VII Regatta of the SUMA Mediterranean Fixed Bench League, held on Sunday 26th March. The weather conditions were optimal and allowed the celebration of a day of high-level rowing that began at 9:00 am and took place throughout the morning. The regional competition, organised by the Rowing Federation of the Valencian Community and supported by SUMA Gestión Tributaria, is now in its seventh of eleven scheduled stops. More than 550 sportsmen and women took part in an event hosted by Club Remo Ciudad de Valencia, whose regatta course was located in front of the ‘Veles e Vents’ building.

The regatta had the participation of six categories, between children and veterans, and included a SCM (formed by people who have overcome breast cancer). All the groups completed 700 metres and overcame one tack, except the junior and absolute boats, which raised the level to 1,400 metres and three tacks. The particularity of this race, unlike others, is that the starting line was located in the middle of the race course and half of the boats in each leg started in the opposite direction to the rest. In this way, the teams could not compare their situation in the race with their rivals until they were facing each other in the direction of the finish line.

The start of the mixed children’s category saw the participation of a team from Club Rem Cía Gandía, while the Mixed Category Promotion race saw a boat from Real Club Náutico Valencia. The cadet races were attended by ten teams. Club Náutico Santa Pola achieved a double victory, in the male and female categories; and a team formed by athletes from Club Rem Cía Gandía and Real Club Regatas Alicante won the mixed race in this age group. The Alicante club also repeated its triumph in the SCM Promotion category and had a presence in the Men’s Youth category. Club Náutico Santa Pola, for its part, completed its particular triplet of gold medals thanks to the victory in the junior female event.

The veteran category was the one with the highest number of participants, with a total of 22 boats. The winning club in this age group was Club Rem Denia, who won both heats. The two veteran finals, male and female, were exciting and kept the excitement up to the last stroke, to the point that the difference between the first classified and their companions on the podiums were counted by hundredths of a second.

The absolute race also had a single winner, Secció Esportiva Universitat d’Alacant, which was the winner in both heats. The women’s victory came to an end after 7 minutes and 9 seconds. Real Club Regatas Alicante and Club Náutico Santa Pola, second and third respectively, completed the medals. In the men’s race, the university team completed the course in 6 minutes and 28 seconds, ahead of Real Cub Náutico Denia and Real Club Regatas Alicante.

The SUMA Mediterranean Fixed Bench League faces its final stretch, as there are only four races left to reach its conclusion. After the day in Valencia, the competition will hold the next regatta in the waters of Denia, next Sunday 2nd April.

Report by ‘24/7 Valencia’ team

Article copyright ‘24/7 Valencia’