The 37th edition of La Ruta de la Sal now has over a hundred registrants

The presentation of the 37th edition of La Ruta de la Sal Rumbo Ibiza, one of the most emblematic regattas of the Mediterranean, which will be held from April 17 to 19, 2025, took place yesterday, March 26, at the Hotel España in Barcelona. This was reported by the organization through a statement.

The welcome to the event was given by Eduard Soler, director of Hotel España, representing OD Hotels, one of the official sponsors of the event. Subsequently, Juan Miguel Costa, insular director of Tourism of the Consell d’Eivissa, the main institutional sponsor of the regatta, opened the floor emphasizing "the key role of La Ruta de la Sal as an ambassador of the Ibiza brand and its contribution to promoting sustainable and quality tourism outside of peak season."

Journalist and academic Asún Paniagua, director of the Master's in Event Management at CETT-UB, hosted the event and referred to the support of the Balearic Government, which co-finances the event through the Sustainable Tourism Tax, managed by the Strategic Tourism Agency of the Balearic Islands (AETIB). She also highlighted the collaboration with Ports IB, the entity that will facilitate the docking of the fleet in the Port of Sant Antoni de Portmany, the final destination of the regatta.

Participation forecasts for La Ruta de la Sal point to a number very similar to last year, when 140 boats registered. This edition is expected to see about 900 racers cross the finish line in the Ibizan port in mid-April.

Miguel Tur, Councilor for Tourism of the Ajuntament de Sant Antoni de Portmany, detailed the preparations to welcome the participants and highlighted the "positive impact of the regatta on the municipality."

La Ruta de la Sal Rumbo Ibiza maintains its usual format: two simultaneous starts, one from the Real Club Náutico de Dénia (117 nautical miles) and another from Port Ginesta (140 miles), converging in Sant Antoni de Portmany. The heads of the involved clubs, Rodrigo de Febrer (Port Ginesta) and Javier Planas (Club Nàutic Sant Antoni), valued the logistical coordination necessary to accommodate hundreds of racers in such a short period of time.

On safety matters, Gerardo Gantes, head of Maritime Rescue in Barcelona, emphasized "the importance of prevention in offshore races like this." Pilar García, marketing director of Rumbo Norte Ibiza, also took part, presenting the new Accompaniment Program, an initiative "that will allow the public without nautical experience to follow the race aboard catamarans, joining the journey from Barcelona or Dénia."

One of the most striking new features was the presentation of the Micro Ruta de la Sal project by Xavier Martínez, a professor at the Faculty of Nautics of Barcelona. This initiative plans for 2026 the first regatta of unmanned autonomous sailboats, with the participation of seven Spanish universities.

Andrés Oliva, the race director and CEO of Enregata, highlighted the joint effort of public and private entities that make this internationally renowned event possible. According to data from last year's audit, La Ruta de la Sal generated a media value of two million euros, confirming the return for the participating brands and institutions.

Among the new sponsors are Veneziani Yachting (Boero group) and Viña Esmeralda (Bodegas Torres), joining established companies like Garmin, GlobeSailor, Vetus, and the renewed commitment of Ausmar, which names the Ausmar Regatta Circuit, of which La Ruta de la Sal is a part.

The event closed with remarks from Josep María Isern, president of the Federació Catalana de Vela, who recalled his experiences in the regatta and its value as an introduction to offshore sailing for generations of sailors.