The fundraising will go to help those affected through ADELA Comunitat Valenciana
Nearly 1,200 people support the Benidorm Firefighters' first charity race for ALS
Nearly 1,200 people, both adults and children, participated this Sunday in the first edition of the popular charity race for people with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), organised by the Benidorm Fire Department to benefit ADELA Comunitat Valenciana. The event, promoted by firefighter Paco Pedrera, was a huge success, bringing together runners and walkers from all over the province and other municipalities in the Valencian Community, firefighters, children of all ages, and ALS sufferers and their families to support this charitable cause.
The Mayor of Benidorm, Toni Pérez, along with the Councilor for Sports, Javier Jordá; Paco Pedrera himself, along with other representatives of the municipal council, were in charge of starting the race from Plaza de sus Majestades de España, where the organizer took the opportunity to thank all the donations received and to demand again the implementation of the ELA Law, approved by Congress on October 10, 2024, which almost eight months later remains without a budget allocation from the State.
Likewise, the Marina Baixa fire station paid tribute to Fran Llorens, a firefighter who died in mid-May in an accident while climbing in the French Pyrenees, both at the start of the race and upon reaching the finish line, displaying a huge banner in his memory. Alicante native Miguel Baydal Marco, from Cárnicas Serrano club, who recently won the Spanish 10K road championship, was the first runner to cross the finish line, with a time of 15 minutes and 47 seconds. Behind him were local athletes Rubén Suárez Pintado and Juanan Fernández Cantos, both from Benidorm Athletics Club, who completed the 5k race in 00:16:37 and 00:16:58, respectively.
In the women's category, the first to finish were Mónica Pascual Berenguer, from Benidorm Athletics Club, with a time of 00:19:58; GemmaAnn Selby, from El Faro Athletics Club, with 00:20:30; and Amanda García Saez with a time of 00:21:08.
In Nordic walking, the winners were Andrea del Rey Gómez, with a time of 00:31:22; Andrés Fuset Genovés, from the Sacavera Nordic and Trail Mountain Club, with a time of 00:32:02; and Álvaro de la Cámara Manzanares, with a time of 00:36:18. The club with the most participants was CA El Faro.
In addition to participating in the organisation of the race with the Brotons Group and the Department of Sports, members of the Marina Baixa Provincial Firefighters Consortium provided fresh water for the runners from one of the trucks to mitigate the effects of the intense heat. Several of them also completed the entire route equipped with their emergency suits, which weigh over 25 kg, including helmets, boots, and air tanks. This was a symbolic gesture of great physical difficulty, demonstrating their commitment to the cause and paying tribute to the resilience of those who fight diseases like ALS every day.
Toni Pérez and Javier Jordá congratulated the race's organisers for their successful participation. The organisers have already announced a second edition of the popular race for 2026.
It's worth remembering that this event was born from the "Transcostablanca" charity race, which the firefighters at the Marina Baixa fire station began organising in 2020 to cover the 42 kilometres between Benidorm and Alicante. This event has continued to be held ever since, albeit with fewer runners due to its demanding nature. For this sixth edition, in addition to the 42-kilometre race, they decided to reduce the distance and open it to the general public, to raise more funds for ALS patients.
