The competition, marking the first time the city hosts an international event of this magnitude in nautical sports, will feature 580 crews. The official presentation was attended by the mayor, Juan Franco; the deputy delegate of the Junta de Andalucía in Campo de Gibraltar, Javier Ros; the vice-president of the Provincial Council of Cádiz, Javier Vidal; the delegate councilor for Sports, Alejandro Rodríguez; the International Rowing representative of the Spanish Rowing Federation, Juan Luis Márquez; the president of the Andalusian Rowing Federation, Fernando Briones; and the president of the La Línea Sea Rowing Club, Abel Salas.
This event will place La Línea de la Concepción on the international map, particularly significant as Beach Sprint will debut as an Olympic discipline at the upcoming Los Angeles Olympic Games. Mayor Juan Franco highlighted the municipal commitment to sports, especially nautical specialties, and encouraged citizens to enjoy the spectacle from the beach.
Fernando Briones, president of the Andalusian Rowing Federation, thanked the institutional support, calling it a strategic investment to consolidate the municipality as the capital of this specialty in Southern Europe. He recalled that the arrival of the continental event is a milestone after starting with smaller competitions.
Juan Luis Márquez, International Rowing representative of the Spanish Rowing Federation, praised the work done to secure the venue, mentioning previous experiences such as the Beach Sprint Youth Cup and the National Championship. He emphasized the suitability of the Linense coastline for its facilities and natural conditions, as well as the strength of the local athlete base.
The vice-president of the Provincial Council of Cádiz, Javier Vidal, framed the tournament's sponsorship within the institution's tourism and sports promotion plan, highlighting the positioning of La Línea de la Concepción in sea rowing. The deputy delegate of the Junta de Andalucía, Javier Ros, emphasized the value of sport as an economic and tourist driver for the region.
Abel Salas, president of the La Línea Sea Rowing Club, described securing the continental venue as the realization of a project initiated over a decade ago, noting the socioeconomic impact that the influx of visitors will have on local businesses and hospitality.
The sports program will combine European events with the Spanish Endurance Championship. The schedule includes the European Nations Championship of Beach Sprint (Wednesday and Thursday), and in parallel, the European Nations Championship of Endurance, the European Clubs Championship of Endurance, and the Spanish Championship of the specialty (Friday to Sunday). An leisure and commercial activation zone will be set up on Puerto Chico road with gastronomic areas and food trucks.
