On Wednesday, 28th February, the La Laguna City Council hosted the launch of the XIII City of La Laguna Night Race, a unique event known for its nighttime schedule and route winding through the historic streets of the city centre. This edition stands out for having achieved a milestone by having 40% of its participants being women, with all available spots already filled. As a result, a total of 2,250 individuals will be taking off from Plaza de El Adelantado this Saturday in various race categories.
Present at the launch were Badel Albelo, the President of the Autonomous Sports Organization, and Ivo López, the representative from Gesport, the organizing company.
Badel Albelo highlighted the significance of this race which contributes to an already diverse sports calendar, making La Laguna the municipality with the highest number of sports events and federation licenses on the island. “La Laguna continues to host major sporting events, as evidenced by the recent I Cultural Carnival Race and the II Little Valiente March,” Albelo mentioned. Additionally, the Mayor announced that apart from the La Laguna Night Race, March will also see the initiation of the Race for ALS, aimed at raising funds for research on this illness through Teidela.
Commenting on the City of La Laguna Night Race, the head of the Autonomous Sports Organization expressed delight at the increased female participation. “We have 40% of registrations from women, totalling 900 participants lining up this Saturday. This is a remarkable feat for such events in Tenerife, showcasing La Laguna’s commitment to gender equality in sports,” stated Albelo.
The race will cover distances of 5km and 10km, with the latter comprising two laps of the course. Albelo emphasised the route “which showcases the most emblematic streets of our city”, underlining the event’s importance for the local commercial scene and the municipality’s athletes, who receive support from local institutions for their sporting endeavours.
The councilor underscored the Council’s dedication to promoting healthy lifestyles through sports participation, a commitment that involves organising such events and enhancing sports facilities across the municipality. Albelo also extended gratitude to the Sports Area staff, external companies, and volunteers for their efforts in facilitating sports events and promoting active lifestyles.
Ivo López described the XIII City of La Laguna Night Race as “the go-to race for runners” which has received approval from the Spanish Athletics Federation. He praised the race’s timing – avoiding daytime heat, the unique climate of La Laguna, and the flat course designed for the event.
The race day will kick off with children’s races starting at 6:00 p.m. The shorter race distance will begin at 8:00 p.m., followed by the 10km race ten minutes later. “The event has a record-breaking number of 2,250 registrations, with 70% opting for the 5K and 30% for the 10K,” noted the Gesport representative.
Race numbers can be collected the day before the event on Friday, 1st March, from 10:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m., and on the race day from 11:00 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. López encouraged the residents of La Laguna to come out and support the runners, referring to the race as “a blend of sporting excellence and visual and auditory splendour.” These factors have positioned the event as the fifth most popular race in Tenerife.
