90a Travessia al Port de Salou

The water here carries a weight that reaches far beyond the simple rhythm of a stroke. As you push past the initial phase of the swim, your gaze inevitably drifts toward the rugged silhouette of the Cape, where the shoreline shifts from manicured beaches to a series of jagged, secluded inlets like Cala Morisca and the striking Penya Tallada. It is in these Mediterranean waters that the 90 Port de Salou 2026 takes place, an event organized by the Club Natació Reus Ploms that invites swimmers to trace a historical horizon.

While you navigate the course, you are essentially crossing the same maritime path that defined the destiny of the Crown of Aragon. It was from this very harbor that King James I gathered his fleet in 1229 to launch the historic conquest of Majorca, a decisive maneuver triggered by persistent pirate raids on Catalan vessels. Years later, in 1286, King Alfons III would follow the same nautical departure to conquer Menorca. Today, the modern skyline provides a different perspective; as you swim, you can spot the early 20th-century modernist chalets along the Passeig Jaume I, designed by Domingo Sugrañes, a notable collaborator of Antoni Gaudí.

Race day logistics

The event, scheduled for September 11, 2026, offers two distinct distances: a 1550m route starting at Els Pilons and a 2150m course that departs from Platja dels Capellans. If you are looking for a shorter, more coastal experience before this date, you might consider the 11th Tarraco Open Waters held just days earlier, or the XI Cambrils Marine Mile which precedes the season. Entry fees range from 12 to 25 EUR, covering the logistical requirements of a well-organized sea crossing, including the timing chip and bib. The route is carefully designed to avoid the commercial port traffic, concluding instead at the open expanse of Platja de Ponent. Whether you are a competitive federated swimmer or a participant in the open category, the experience remains anchored by the visual continuity of the GR-92 coastal path, which follows the cliffs and provides a constant, elevated vantage point for those watching from the shore.

A lone swimmer, then a race

Antoni Gispert swam the harbour alone in 1921; the Reus Ploms club turned it into a race in 1932 and has organised it ever since. The date is fixed — 11 September, the Diada — with the finish on the Platja de Ponent and the federated course measuring 2,150 metres.