Ciutadella to host the Balearic Underwater Imaging Championship

Ciutadella will become the epicentre of Balearic underwater photography from 29th to 31st of May 2026 with the staging of the Balearic Underwater Imaging Championship, an event that will bring together athletes specialising in underwater photography in the waters off the Menorcan coast, organised by Club Nàutic Ciutadella.

The competition, called BAFOSUB 26, will feature teams made up of pairs consisting of a photographer and an assistant, who must meet the federation requirements established under FEDAS/CMAS regulations, including a minimum qualification of 2-Star Diver, a valid federation licence, and the corresponding medical documentation.

The championship will officially begin on Friday, 29th of May, with participant accreditation, document checks, the presentation of the event, an explanation of the safety and emergency procedures, as well as the technical meeting and the draw for the dives. The main competition day will be Saturday, 30th of May, when the two competitive dives will take place, initially scheduled at Pont d’en Gil and Cala’n Forcat, with reserve locations already defined by the organisers in case of weather changes or force majeure.

The competition will be held using air, with a maximum depth of 30 metres and a time limit of 70 minutes per dive, while decompression dives will not be allowed. Each team will have two 12-litre tanks per dive, although they may also bring their own tanks within the regulatory limits.

One of the championship’s main attractions will once again be the variety of photographic categories, including wide angle with diver, wide angle without diver, fish, close-up/macro, themed photograph, and creative photograph. In this edition, the themed photograph category will be dedicated to “Posidonia, as a characteristic element of our Balearic sea”, with the aim of highlighting the ecological and scenic importance of this key species for the marine ecosystem of the Balearic Islands.

The regulations also emphasise the commitment to photography that respects the marine environment, making it clear that any image showing manipulation of the surroundings or of marine specimens will be disqualified. A daily limit of 250 photographs is also established, including control shots, together with the obligation to submit the files in both JPG and RAW format.

The closing ceremony will take place on Sunday, 31 May, at the Club Nàutic Ciutadella restaurant, where the trophy presentation, image screening, and a social lunch for participants and organisers will be held.

The registration deadline will close on Sunday, 10th of May, at 11:59 p.m. In addition, in order to make the stay easier for participants, the organisers have included in the information annex a guide to recommended dive centres and accommodation in Menorca.

With this event, Ciutadella reinforces its role as one of the leading venues for underwater imaging competitions in the Balearic Islands, combining sport, creativity, and the promotion of marine heritage in a privileged setting.