Travesía a nado Cala Montgó 2026

The morning in L’Escala begins long before the first swimmers take to the water, with the local community and the SWIMNOLIMITS organizers transforming the tranquil Platja de Montgó into a vibrant hub of preparation. Swimmers return year after year, drawn by the rare opportunity to navigate the rugged beauty of the Montgrí Massif, a limestone formation where steep cliffs plunge directly into the sea. This event serves as the opening stage for the season, acting as a direct precursor to the OncoSwim, which challenges athletes just one week later. The event is deeply rooted in the local landscape, offering distances from a 50m kids' sprint to a demanding 5000m odyssey.

The coastal path and the depths

As you push north toward the Trencabraços, the coastline reveals its defensive history, marked by old watchtowers built centuries ago to guard against Mediterranean pirate raids. The 5000m route is particularly notable for its path over the visible remains of the Cotentin shipwreck, where the water clarity allows for a hauntingly clear view of the submerged structure. Further along, the 3000m course carves a passage through the 'vault', a 100-meter tunnel beneath 80-meter high cliffs that defines the identity of this race. This wild, untamed stretch of the Costa Brava is starkly different from the currents near the mouth of the Ter river, where sediment from 'la Gola' creates the fine sands of neighboring beaches. The area is also watched over by the four cylindrical towers of the Montgrí Castle, a 14th-century fortress that dominates the skyline from the heights above the swimmers.

Marine biodiversity

The entire swim takes place in proximity to the Medes Islands, one of the most vital marine reserves in the Mediterranean. This proximity to a protected archipelago fosters an environment where marine life thrives, often visible during the longer course segments. While the race follows buoyed lines, the surrounding ecosystem remains a testament to the conservation efforts of the region. As the event marks the start of the Copa Swim No Limits, participants often find themselves navigating these waters with the knowledge that they are traversing a site of immense natural and historical value, from the echoes of the 1694 Battle of the Ter to the quiet, ancient silence of the underwater caves.