The President of the Formentera Council, Óscar Portas, and the organizer of the Formentera Island Half Marathon, Manuel Hernández, director of Unisport Consulting, presented this morning the 17th Formentera Island Half Marathon and the Sant Ferran-La Savina 8K, which will take place this coming Saturday, May 16.

The presentation was also attended by the Councilor for Tourism, Artal Mayans; the Councilor for Physical Activity and Sport, Hugo Martínez; Alex Marí, representing Trasmapi; Lourdes Costa, director of CaixaBank in Sant Francesc; and Miguel Pardo and Jana Peiró, from Trasmed.

This year's edition will once again transform Formentera into a major outdoor sporting venue, with over 3,500 runners registered across both races, solidifying the event as one of the most important sporting events on the national running calendar and a major tourist attraction on the island this spring.

The President of the Formentera Council, Óscar Portas, emphasized that the Half Marathon "is a well-established event that, year after year, demonstrates its enormous appeal and importance within the sporting calendar, with over 3,500 runners and a significant number of companions who will experience Formentera through sport." Portas highlighted "the excellent organizational capacity and the commitment of all the services, entities, sponsors, volunteers, and collaborators that make an event of this scale possible." He also noted that the Half Marathon "contributes to projecting an image of Formentera as an active, open, and sustainable island, capable of hosting major sporting events in a unique setting."

For his part, Manuel Hernández, the race director, expressed his gratitude for the support of institutions, sponsors, and collaborators "which allows the race to continue growing and become increasingly established on the national and international calendar." In this regard, it is worth noting that the race is co-financed by the Government of the Balearic Islands through the Sustainable Tourism Tax fund. Hernández also highlighted "the unique experience of running in Formentera, in an incomparable natural environment and with a spectacular atmosphere."

Commitment to Sustainability

The race will once again maintain its strong commitment to the environment and sustainability, promoting measures to reduce the use of single-use plastics and minimize the event's environmental impact.

In this sense, all runners will receive a reusable rigid water bottle at the finish line along with their finisher's medal, thus encouraging more sustainable habits.

Furthermore, Ecopilas will once again participate in the race, promoting battery recycling and, together with the Formentera Council and the Balearic Islands Government, developing awareness campaigns in the island's schools to educate young people about the importance of recycling this highly polluting material.

Also, with the aim of preserving the natural environment and protecting the habitat of the Formentera virot (a type of weaver), the entertainment tent at the start of the Half Marathon will again be located 500 meters from the actual starting line, as in recent years.
Both races will start at 6:00 PM. The 17th Formentera Half Marathon will begin at the La Mola lighthouse, while the 8K Sant Ferran-La Savina race will start in Sant Ferran. The finish line will be located on the Passeig de la Marina in La Savina.