The 4th edition of the spearfishing Trophy in honor of Juan Antonio Maríheld in Ibiza

This past May, the town of Santa Eulalia in Ibiza hosted the 4th edition of the spearfishing championship, honoring the resilience and perseverance of Juan Antonio Marí. A donation was also made to the Elena Torres Association, which works in the field of cancer research.

As part of the local May festival celebrations in Santa Eulalia, the 4th edition of the “May Festivities Spearfishing Trophy” took place. The event was organized in tribute to Juan Antonio Marí by the Santa Eulàlia-based Club de Actividades Subacuáticas La Escollera and the Club s’Embarcador from Sant Antoni.

Maintaining its local spirit, the event welcomed participants from various islands. A total of 34 people, divided into 12 teams, took part in the fishing day, which ran from 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM. The weigh-in of the catches was held at 5:00 PM on the promenade, followed by a celebration dinner at the Club. The winning team, Jandro, Andrés, and Raúl, though not natives of Ibiza, secured their victory with 46 fish, the largest being a 650 g snapper. Second place went to the team of Alex Abato, Sergi Baque, and Borja Ramírez, who caught 37 fish, including a standout 950 g mullet. In third place were Jose Mari, Faustino, and Mateo, who earned their spot on the podium with 32 fish, the biggest being a 1.5 kg sea bass. Thus, the podium was entirely made up of teams from Mallorca, who outperformed the local teams.

The “Biggest Catch” trophy was awarded to Jabir and Alfonso’s team, who, despite finishing ninth overall, managed to catch the largest single fish: a 1.7 kg meagre. Special mention also goes to Juan Antonio Marí himself and his team—Javi Tur and Manuel—who achieved an impressive 4th place.

In total, all participants caught 118 kg of fish. Of that, 70 kg were donated to the Elena Torres Association for cancer research and to Caritas. The remainder was served during the evening’s group dinner for all attendees.

A video production by La Selva Producciones was created to commemorate the tournament. It features interviews with the organizers, Juan Antonio, and his closest friends and teammates. The video highlights Juan Antonio’s journey: after a serious accident eight years ago that led to the loss of a leg, he never stopped fighting and continued doing what he loves most—fishing. For this reason, he was honored for his perseverance and for embodying a passion for life and the sea, encouraging others to enjoy it too. The video also showcases the role of spearfishers in promoting sustainable fishing and protecting the marine environment. As tournament winner Raúl Aguiló stated, “We are the eyes of the sea. We always collect plastics because it hurts to see anything that can harm it.”

Juan Antonio’s spirit and determination continue to inspire his fellow sportsmen to push forward every day. “My wish is to see him on the podium. His accident didn’t stop him, and that deserves admiration,” said teammate Javi Tur. “For me, this event means a lot. It represents the strength of the human spirit and the willpower that makes anything possible. Juanan embodies everything about human resilience,” added Diego Alcalde, a friend and president of Club La Escollera. The tribute video closed with everyone chanting together: “100% sustainable and selective spearfishing!”—a rallying cry in defense of their sport and marine sustainability.

“What I take with me is the gratitude of everyone and many friends, both old and new. It’s an honor,” Juan Antonio said. “To anyone who’s been through what I have, I’d say don’t set big goals—just take small steps.” With this, he encouraged others facing adversity not to give up, reminding them that there’s always light after the darkness.

The event organizers extended their thanks to the Santa Eulàlia Town Council, the San Juan Town Council, and the Consell of Eivissa, as well as to all sponsors and attendees, for making it possible to host this event once again during the May Festivities of Santa Eulàlia.