Former Olympic swimmers Miguel Arrobas and Pedro Pinotes are two of the confirmed participants of the first edition of the 10km Swim Party, which will connect the beaches of Carvoeiro and Caneiros, in the municipality of Lagoa, on the 24th of August. This is an innovative event that promises to put the Algarve on the international open water swimming map.
Inspired by the organizer's experience in international competitions, namely the Ultra Swim 33.3 in Croatia, this 10 kilometer swimming challenge appears as a unique opportunity for Portuguese and foreign swimmers to come together, face a challenge together and celebrate their achievement on the idyllic beach dos Caneiros.
The event, which already features more than 55 national and international athletes. In addition to Portugal, the event features athletes from Sweden, Brazil, Germany, Holland, Ireland, France, Great Britain, among others.
Among the highlighted participants is Miguel Arrobas, Olympic swimmer at the Barcelona '92 Games, who has dedicated his life to open water swimming.
After Baptista Pereira, he also crossed the English Channel. Arrobas became known for his participation in major sea and river crossings, such as the English Channel, Gulf of Gabés, connection from Madeira to Desertas and the Tour of Manhattan Island, in New York.
In recent years, he has stood out in the Azores with notable achievements: in 2021, he became the first swimmer to complete the circuit around the island of Corvo; broke the record for the crossing between the islands of Pico and Faial, and successfully carried out crossings between São Jorge-Pico, Pico-Faial, Faial-Pico and Corvo-Flores.
A lawyer by training, Arrobas was municipal director for sport at the Cascais Chamber and had a brief stint as a deputy in the Assembly of the Republic for the CDS-PP, becoming the first Olympic athlete to arrive in AR. He is currently a strong candidate for the presidency of the Portuguese Swimming Federation.
Pedro Pinotes, swimmer for Sporting Clube de Portugal, was team captain between 2008 and 2016 (when the lions began a series of 9 consecutive national champion titles) and represents the Angolan swimming team internationally. He was African runner-up in 2015, having a total of 6 medals in African Championships.
Olympic in London 2012 and Rio 2016, he competed in the 400 meters style in both editions. In the pool, Pinotes is the current holder of several Angolan national records for the longest distances.
In open waters, he has participated in two World Championships and has won the Algarve Open Water Circuit seven times. Currently, Pedro competes regularly in masters competitions, having won three European club champion titles in November 2023 in Funchal, Madeira.
A Civil Engineer by training, he is currently a wine businessman in the Alentejo region.
The 10km Swim Party challenge is the result of a collaboration between the ANIMAME Algarve Association and several entities, such as Lagoa City Council, Algarve Tourism Region, Portuguese Institute of Sports and Youth, Port Authority of Portimão, Lagoa Firefighters, Fuzileiros do Algarve, Precision Fuel & Hydration, Ultra-Swim 33.3, Shark Rebellion, Outdoor Swimmer, Multicrono, Rei das Praias, Herdade do Sobroso, Brotherootz, Benagil Kayaking, Vela Solidária and Eliarte.
“This event not only promotes sport, but also highlights the potential of the Algarve as a destination for open water swimming”, says the organizer. “The presence of athletes from so many different countries demonstrates the global appeal of our event and the Algarve as a swimming destination. We hope that the success of this event will position the Algarve as the next destination for Ultra Swim 33.3”.
The event, which takes place on August 24th, promises to be a spectacle of resilience and international collaboration, culminating in a celebration at Praia dos Caneiros with a traditional fish masada and regional wines.
For the future, the organization aims to expand the event, counting on the support of Turismo do Algarve to create a race that runs along the entire Atlantic coast of the region, promoting the ocean as a space for leisure and sport for everyone, regardless of their nationality.
Information and registration at: https://swimparty10km.com/
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