María Bravo and Sergio Cruz win the Doñana Challenge

Fernández highlights the impact on the local economy of Sanlúcar and its surroundings of a sporting event that grows in number of participants

 

The malagueña María Bravo and the Sevillian Sergio Cruz have been proclaimed winners in absolute category of the sixth edition of the Doñana Challenge, triathlon that has been celebrated today with an outing in the Bajo Guía Beach of Sanlúcar de Barrameda (Cádiz) and final in Punta de Malandar, after traveling 90 kilometers by bicycle, 1 km. of swimming at the mouth of the Guadalquivir (2,8 kilometers in the modality of relays) and 30 kilometers of running on the beach along the Doñana shore.

The competition was attended by the Minister of Tourism and Sports Francisco Javier Fernández, who highlighted the participation record of this edition, "with more than 700 athletes between the absolute test and the Mini Challenge, which have made everyone who wanted to get closer to Sanlúcar enjoy the Doñana Challenge. "

In that sense Fernandez has underlined "the importance of this type of sporting events that get this weekend Sanlúcar and its surroundings touch one hundred percent of hotel occupancy, which also benefits the hospitality industry and the tourism of the localities".

Fernandez wanted to thank especially "the selfless work of the more than 300 volunteers who have collaborated a year more and without whom the test would not have been possible" These volunteers have carried out tasks ranging from attending the provisioning points to helping the triathletes in the withdrawal of numbers or in the ceremony of delivery of medals and trophies. The counselor also wanted to highlight the collaboration of a large number of members of the Civil Guard of traffic and municipal police of the municipalities where the Challenge ran, as well as the sports clubs of Sanlúcar, which have developed a support work for the celebration of the event.

The Seville Sergio Cruz has returned to be the protagonist as last year where he already achieved victory. Cruz entered the finish line with a time of 4: 24: 22, followed by the malagueño Rubén Bravo - brother of the winner in the women's event - in second position with 4: 31: 29, and Ezequiel Hernández in third position with a time of 4: 31: 56.

 

Doñana Challenge

 

Sergio Cruz has indicated after the finish that "This year I have found myself much better than in the last edition, very happy to repeat the triumph, but I still say that it is one of the toughest tests in which I have participated. I recommend everyone to do it, because it is something indescribable and it hooks you".

For its part, the malagueña María Bravo she has been the winner of a competition that she already knew, but in which she wins for the first time. Bravo was very happy because "I achieved the goal that had marked me, I had not played a triathlon for two years because of my double motherhood and the Doñana Challenge was the first one to run, and on top of that I managed to win, so I am very satisfied".

María Bravo entered the finish line in first position with a time of 5: 15: 39, followed by the triathlete of the Valencian Community Chantal Moros, with 5: 40: 59, and the American Christina Hammervold in third position with an 5 brand: 49: 02. It is the third consecutive occasion that two Andalusians are the first classified in the absolute category of Doñana Challenge.

In masculine relays the first classified one was the Pitijopos ABC team, with a goal time of 4: 42: 46. In women's relays the first classified were the girls of the CT Bahía de Málaga, who made a time of 5: 51: 52. And in mixed relays the winning team was the Albenmar, with a time of 4: 50: 10. The sixth edition of Desafío Doñana has again had a large audience following the competition, both the absolute test and the Mini Challenge, and that like the Challenge has beaten the record of participation of athletes.

The weather has also made living a day in very hot moments for the triathletes, who have suffered with the high temperatures and the hardness of the test. The triathlon was also attended by the general director of Activities and Promotion of Sport, María José Rienda, the president of the Andalusian Triathlon Federation, José María Merchán, and the territorial delegate of Culture, Tourism and Sports in Cádiz, Remedios Palma .

Desafío Doñana 2015 has been organized by the Ministry of Tourism and Sports of the Junta de Andalucía with the technical support of the Andalusian Triathlon Federation, and with the collaboration of the municipalities of Sanlúcar de Barrameda, Jerez, El Puerto de Santa María, Rota and Chipiona and the Doñana Natural Area.

Photos: JJ Úbeda

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