The Cabildo supports the solidarity challenge Kilometers for smiles, a sports event that will take the Canarian runner Cipriano Peña to cover the distance of 130 kilometers that separates the Punta de Teno lighthouse from Santa Cruz, passing through the Teide. This initiative, which will begin today and end on the 17th in Gran Canaria, aims to support families with children suffering from cancer or rare diseases.
The Island Councilor for Sports, Concepción Rivero, presented the details of the event together with the co-founder of the Kilometers for Smiles association, Christian Ramadán. During the press conference, Rivero congratulated the organization for this initiative “in which sport and solidarity come together with the aim of giving visibility to childhood cancer and other rare diseases and raising funds so that families can better cope with the extra cost that treatments entail.
Also, encouraged citizens to join this challenge and accompany the athlete Cipriano Peña during any part of its journey. He assured that “it will be very entertaining to approach the roads, highways and public areas of the different municipalities that are part of the route to see them run with a solidarity purpose.”
For his part, Christian Ramadán explained that “the Kilometers for Smiles association seeks to collect funds, toys and food to reach children who suffer from rare diseases or cancer.” He added that they currently work with the Maternal and Child hospitals in Gran Canaria and San Juan de Dios in Tenerife and that is where the proceeds will go.
The adventure will begin at the Punta de Teno lighthouse at 7:00 a.m. today and will end at the Santa Cruz pier after passing through the Teide National Park and numerous municipalities in the north of the island. Cipriano Peña, accompanied by some volunteer athletes, will embark in the capital of Tenerife on the ferry that will take them to Gran Canaria to continue the challenge through Pico de las Nieves to Maspalomas and thus unite the two capital islands.
The runner who leads the challenge
Born in Puerto del Rosario (Fuerteventura), Cipriano Peña has participated in long-distance competitions such as the Tenerife Bluetrail, the mountain race organized by the Cabildo through Ideco; the Transgrancanaria; ultraking; the UTMB or various editions of Ironman, among other long-distance races in different countries.
