Anémona faces its first international solidarity challenge: uniting Benidorm and Venice by rowing to raise funds

Thirty women from Anémona Marina Baixa rowing team, the Self-Help Group for Women Affected by Breast and Gynecological Cancer of Benidorm and the region, are going to start tomorrow a new solidarity challenge, the first of an international nature, 'Per te Venezia'. This challenge consists of covering the 3,200 kilometres that separate these two cities by rowing and was presented today at Benidorm City Council by the president of Anémona Marina Baixa, María Botella; the rowing team coach Ramón Garrigós; and the councillors of Equality and Sports, Ángela Zaragozí and Javier Jordá.

In addition to its sporting aspect, the main purpose of the challenge devised by the Anémona rowing team will be to raise funds to support Geicam's various research to stop breast cancer. María Botella has indicated that Anémona will contribute an amount of 6,000 euros to the challenge, while each participant will voluntarily donate another 100 euros to the challenge. "From there, anyone who wants to participate as a sponsor or collaborator will be welcome," said the president of this entity, who recalled that the challenge already has the support of the Hospital Clínica Benidorm, with the 'sponsor' of the t-shirts, and with the collaboration of Marco Asensi, author of a painting that is going to be raffled.

In addition to the 30 women who make up the Anémona team, of volunteer athletes and coaches from Benidorm Nautical Club, María Botella explained that four councillors from the local government would also join the 'Per te Venezia' challenge: the first lieutenant mayor, Ana Pellicer, and the councillors Ángela Zaragozí, Javier Jordá and Mariló Cebreros, who “are going to be part of the crew, they will row throughout this month side by side with our teams and they will accompany us to finish the challenge in situ and give us all your support. Your support is important for us,” thanked the president of Anémona.

What is the challenge?

'Per te Venezia' will take place for just over a month. Specifically, between tomorrow, Wednesday, and May 19, and will take place in two different spaces: the first of them, Benidorm, from where the first stage of 10 kilometers will start; and the last, Venice, where the test will conclude on May 19, coinciding with the 'Vogalonga 2024', a 30 kilometer test that runs between Venice and Burano, which was born in the mid-70s to raise awareness about the harmful effects of motor boats in the canals.

Between both dates, participants in the challenge will virtually cover the stages between Genoa, Naples, Palermo and Bari, rowing through the bay of Benidorm, until completing the 3,200 kilometres of the route. Or, according to the calculations made by the organizers, with an average of just over 100 kilometres before travelling to the Italian city to finish the challenge in situ, as explained by Ramón Garrigós.

Finally, the coach of the Nautical Yatch has indicated that in the challenge, two llaüts from the rowing teams, Santa Anna and the Sant Antoni, will travel to Venice and will run along the canals with the thousands of participants in the ' Vogalonga 2024'.

Both Javier Jordá and Ángela Zaragozí have publicly expressed their gratitude to Anémona Marina Baixa and the Nautical Yatch for having them to participate in this challenge. The Sports Councilor has also highlighted the environmental factor of this challenge and the “continuous spirit of improvement” of the women who are part of this group.

For her part, the Councilor for Equality stated that "thanks to this challenge, the name of Benidorm will cross the borders of our country." Finally, she indicated that “we are very proud of the work of Anémona and the Nautical Yatch” and that actions like this “make us be even more so every day.”