Maratón Santa Fe – Coronda para Aficionados

The Maratón Santa Fe – Coronda para Aficionados is an open water river marathon in the Coronda River, organized in the province of Santa Fe in Argentina. First contested on January 22, 1961 under the name Maratón Fluvial del Litoral Argentino by swimmers Dermidio Cabral López and Carlos Larriera, the historic event now opens its legendary course to amateur marathoners following the exact original path downriver. Departing from the Costanera Este of Santa Fe, the point-to-point journey covers a staggering 48 kilometers before finishing at the Balneario Municipal de Coronda. Organized by the Asociación Maratón Acuática Río Coronda, competitors can tackle the distance as solo swimmers, in duos, or in four-person relay teams, navigating within an official 10-hour cut-off.

Participation requires swimmers to be at least 16 years old. Strict marathon swimming traditions govern the race: wetsuits and floating materials are prohibited, individual soloists must submit proof of having completed at least a four-hour continuous swim in the preceding two years, and every entry must be accompanied throughout the entire distance by a dedicated motorized escort boat. The river offers warm swimming conditions, with water temperatures typically hovering between 26 and 28 °C (79-82 °F), while an average downstream current of 4 km/h carries swimmers south. What makes the Maratón Santa Fe – Coronda para Aficionados truly singular is the warmth from the shore, where crowds line the riverbanks for miles to beat drums and cheer the swimmers down every bend of the water.

Río Salado: from high Andean thaws to Santa Fe lagoons

The Salado River is an arterial waterway that travels 1,150 kilometers from its source in Salta Province to its meeting with the Paraná system. Far above the humid plains, the Salado begins with snowmelt and rainfall in the 6,500-meter peaks of Acay and Cachi. Before reaching Santa Fe, the river's high-altitude surge is tempered by the Cabra Corral Dam, allowing it to feed extensive marsh wetlands and seasonally inundated plains across Santiago del Estero Province. During rainy summer periods, the Salado can overflow its banks in Santa Fe Province, but as it terminates, it spills calmly into the Paraná through an expansive floodplain characterized by quiet backwater lagoons.

Río Coronda and the deep Paraná River shipping channel

The primary channel of the race is the Coronda River, which runs as a secondary branch and natural tributary of the massive Paraná River network.

Following the boats from Río Santa Fe to Río Coronda

The 48 km route of the Santa Fe – Coronda Aficionados swim runs along the main course of the Río Santa Fe, through Cuatro Bocas, and down the main course of the Río Coronda. The course is not marked on the water: the official boats show swimmers the way. Only the finish area is clearly signposted, so swimmers can see the finishing plate and touch it. At the Balneario Municipal de Coronda a touch plate marks the end of the marathon. The organisers describe the Aficionados swim as an experience and a personal challenge rather than a competition, although times are recorded and finishers are recognised. The October pre-marathon for the Aficionados swim can be done in a wetsuit, because the river water is expected to be a couple of degrees above 20 °C (68 °F).

Balneario Municipal de Coronda: sandy beaches and quiet river islands

The final strokes of the 48-kilometer test bring swimmers onto the sands of the Balneario Municipal de Coronda. The Coronda riverfront greets arriving athletes with wide beaches of yellow sand and rows of traditional straw umbrellas, serving as a social gathering place for local families. Recent urban improvement works along the promenade have upgraded public lighting and transformed pedestrian paths along the water's edge. Off the sand, the Coronda River is celebrated for its calm waters, making the bay a favored playground for recreational water sports and boaters. The river system supports healthy populations of freshwater game fish, turning the banks and channels into a destination for sport fishing. Out in the stream opposite the beach, several river islands sit within easy reach by boat, offering quiet sandbars and complete silence after ten hours of rhythmic stroking down the river.