The 'Doñana Challenge' celebrates its VII edition on September 24 with a record of 542 registered and news on the route

The counselor, who presented the test in Sanlúcar de Barrameda, stressed its importance from the sporting point of view and its economic impact

The Minister of Tourism and Sports, Francisco Javier Fernández, presented today in Sanlúcar de Barrameda (Cádiz) the competition 'Challenge Doñana 2016', a test of endurance this year celebrates its seventh edition the next September 24 with new features in its route and a record of participation, after reaching, in the absence of closing the registration this night, the 542 registered athletes.

The 'Desafío Doñana' is a resistance race composed of three sports disciplines: cycling, swimming and running. It is a unique test within the sector's offer, and its uniqueness is determined by the different order and distances of the disciplines with respect to other triathlon competitions, and by a route that runs through places such as the mouth of the Guadalquivir River and the National Park of Doñana.

The counselor underlined the originality of this competition and stated that it is an important tourist-sports event of a special nature because it takes place in a unique and exclusive environment, and it diffuses both the image of Andalusia as a destination and its capacity for organization. In addition, he influenced his character one hundred percent Andalusian and stressed that it is a benchmark in the world of triathlon nationwide.

In this sense, Fernandez recognized the work of the Andalusian federation as organizer of the test and the evolution of this discipline in the community, which has become the most triathlon competitions, with a calendar this year of 162 tests, and it is one of the first in the national ranking in federated licenses and clubs, with 3.286 and 169, respectively.

Francisco Javier Fernández also emphasized the contribution of events such as the 'Desafío Doñana' to the promotion of sports and its economic and tourist impact on the environment, since it generates business volume for local companies and contributes to the deseasonalization by attracting numerous fans to hotels and restaurants in the area on dates of lower influx of visitors.

The race will be played next September 24 individually, both women and men, and relay teams female, male and mixed. Of the total number of athletes that will participate in the 2016 edition, 377 triathletes have registered in the individual category, almost an 23% more than last year, and the rest (165), integrated in 55 relay groups.

New 2016

The main novelty this year is that the bicycle race extends the distance to the 100 kilometers (10 more than in the previous edition), departing in Sanlúcar de Barrameda, and a route that will improve the safety of athletes and that will run through Trebujena (for the first time), Jerez de la Frontera, El Puerto de Santa María, Rota, Chipiona and Sanlúcar de Barrameda again.

Once the bicycle section is finished, the participants will have to swim a kilometer -2,8 kilometers for the relay teams- crossing the Guadalquivir river at its mouth to Punta de Malandar. The last section will begin there, which will consist of a foot race to be carried out entirely through Doñana, in a route of 15 kilometers one way and as many back.

Featured participants

The most outstanding participants in the event will be Huelva Emilio Martín, Duathlon world champion, the Madrid Alejandro Santamaría, runner-up and champion of Desafío Doñana in 2010 and 2011, respectively; the sevillian Sergio Cruz, winner of the last two editions; and in the female category the malagueña María Bravo, winner of 2015.

Further information: https://www.desafiodonana.com/