La Ruta de la Sal Rumbo Ibiza presents its 38th edition with 140 boats pre-registered

Hotel España Ocean Drive provided the spectacular setting for the media presentation of the 38th edition of La Ruta de la Sal Rumbo Ibiza, which will take place from April 2nd to 4th, 2026. With 140 boats already pre-registered and nearly a thousand sailors expected to participate, it remains the offshore regatta with the largest participation in Spain.

Eduard Soler, director of Hotel España Ocean Drive, opened the event as host and as a representative of the OD Hotels chain, which has sponsored the regatta for several years. Meanwhile, Andrés Oliva, the race director, highlighted the extensive network of public and private entities that make the event possible, emphasizing the Consell d’Eivissa as the main sponsor and the Balearic Government, which supports the event through the sponsorship of the Strategic Agency for Sustainable Tourism of the Balearic Islands.

Among the new developments mentioned by the race director is the launch of La Micro Ruta de la Sal, an initiative focused on the development of autonomous navigation applied to sailing. The project will take shape this year with an exhibition event of autonomous sailboats on April 5 in the Bay of Sant Antoni, an initiative promoted by the Barcelona Faculty of Nautical Studies, represented at the event by Professor Xavi Martínez.

Another key focus of the 2026 edition will be promoting female participation in offshore sailing. Natalia Via-Dufresne, a two-time Olympic medalist and head of sports projects at the Barcelona Capital Náutica Foundation, presented the all-female team that will compete aboard the historic yacht Charisma, designed by Sparkman & Stephens and built in Barcelona in 1970.

The event also highlighted the regatta’s connection with Ibiza, reflected since 2024 in its official name. In this regard, Miguel Tur, Councillor for Tourism of the Sant Antoni de Portmany Town Hall, stressed the importance of the event for the municipality that hosts the finish of the regatta and ensures its social dimension with the large welcome celebration awaiting sailors upon their arrival in Ibiza.

The logistics of the event were addressed by Rodrigo de Febrer, captain of Port Ginesta, the port that, together with the Real Club Náutico Dénia, hosts the start of the regatta. Meanwhile, Javier Planas, commodore of Club Nàutic Sant Antoni, explained the organizational challenge of receiving the two participating fleets in Ibiza, a logistical effort made possible thanks to the collaboration of Ports IB.

Safety at sea was another key aspect highlighted by Javier Valencia, maritime captain of Barcelona, who emphasized the importance of properly preparing both equipment and crews, as well as the opportunity offered by offshore regattas to sail as part of a large fleet under the supervision of an experienced organization.

The event was closed by Joan Balaguer, vice president of the Catalan Sailing Federation, who underlined the role of La Ruta de la Sal Rumbo Ibiza as one of the major events on the Mediterranean sailing calendar.