Costa Blanca

Alicante’s Half Marathon is run by thousands

The 10K Aguas de Alicante Half Marathon took place yesterday, and thousands took part. The race happened at the same time as the last stage of the 9th Women’s Cycling Week-Volta of the Valencian Community. Mayor Luis Barcala and Councillor for Sports Toni Gallego went to the start of the athletics event together. Mayor Barcala said, “Sporting events like these two events support the goal of de-seasonalizing the tourism sector.” This is supported by the fact that 80% of hotels are full this weekend in mid-February and that it has a big effect on other parts of the city’s economy, like bars and hotels.

The mayor also talked about how important it is for both events to promote Alicante: “It is very important that about 8,000 people from 43 countries or different provinces of Spain come to Alicante to compete in or watch the Half Marathon. This includes athletes and their families.” Also, that pictures of Alicante can be sent abroad now that La Volta is here, which is good for tourism.

Moroccan Youness Belyamna won the men’s division of the International Half Marathon with a time of 1h 08′ and Welsh Sioned Howells won the women’s division with a time of 1h 20′. People from Poland, Bartolomé J. Falkowski and Natalia Gasnk, were the first to cross the finish line at Pier 12 in the Port of Alicante for the 10 km race. Their times were 31 minutes and 57 seconds and 38 minutes and 55 seconds.

A singer named Mario González played the “Hymn of Alicante” before the 5,300 people who signed up for the race. Before getting to the Explanada promenade, the first few miles of the course were the same for both the Half Marathon and the 10k. People who had signed up for the 10 km race turned left at this point to go back to the finish line at Muelle 12. People who had signed up for the 21.095 km race went through different streets in the city centre until they reached Avenida de Lóring, Paseo de los Mártires de la Libertad, and then continued to the finish line.

At one of the Runner’s Fair stands near the finish line, people who wanted to could have their names and times engraved on race medals after the race. The Plaza de los Luceros pond can be seen in front of them. A few weeks ago, people who used the race organization’s social networks voted on whether to copy this famous spot in Alicante.

The Volta for Women

After that, Gallego went to the awards event for the 9th Setmana Ciclista-Volta Feminina de la Comunitat Valenciana. The council member said, “The City Council has made clear its support for cycling, and in this case, women’s cycling.” In 2024, Alicante was the site of a stage start for the same event. This year, it is being touted as the finish of La Volta. Cycling is a good way to get people to visit the city. The category of a race on the calendar of the International Cycling Union (UCI) also helps spread the word about Alicante as a tourist location at this time of year.

More than 300 local police and Civil Guard officers have been on duty to keep everyone safe on this “super sporting Sunday.” Along the coast and in the city centre, traffic had to be shut down at different times and places to make sure both events ran smoothly. More than 200 helpers have joined them. Also, more than sixty physiotherapy students from CEU San Pablo, Elche, and the European University were stationed at the finish line to touch athletes who needed it.

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Torrevieja beach bars placed out to tender, but they won’t open until summer

Chiringuitos will not be accessible on Torrevieja’s beaches this Easter. Tourists anxiously anticipate the opportunity to enjoy a refreshing beverage on the sand, but neither residents nor visitors will be able to do so. The reason is that the tender for the concession to operate seasonal food and refreshment services on Torrevieja’s beaches was not submitted in a timely manner. The Public Sector Procurement Portal published it at the beginning of the month, and the deadline for submitting proposals is next Monday, 24th March.

Ten chiringuitos have been advertised for tender. Each one corresponds to a unique lot, and no more than one is permitted. The City Council’s objective is to increase the number of candidates entitled to receive one of these establishments.

In contrast to other municipalities, such as Orihuela, Torrevieja has established a uniform, standardised fee for each beach establishment. Every respondent is required to provide a minimum of €8,060 annually. Any proposal that exceeds this minimum will be the deciding factor.

The municipal coffers will receive a minimum of 322,000 euros in fees for the seaside bars over the course of the years 2025, 2026, 2027, and 2028, as the contract is for these years.

Seven in La Mata

A total of ten beach bars will be provided, as indicated by the technical specifications and the explanatory report. These will be dispersed across three shores. Seven beach establishments are available in La Mata, including two on Los Náufragos beach and one on Los Locos beach. The dimensions of each of these seashore bars must be identical. They are prohibited from occupying a total of 70 square meters, with 20 square meters designated for the beach bar and 50 square meters for the terrace. Furthermore, the seaside bar must be accompanied by a 10-square-metre restroom. The infrastructure must be dismantled by the successful candidates at the conclusion of each season.

A season that commences on March 15th and concludes on October 31st. Therefore, it is evident that the inaugural season will commence several weeks or even months after the application deadline has expired, as the contracting committee is required to evaluate and ultimately award the contract.

This tender, which was initiated in early December of last year following the expiration of the previous contract, is scheduled to come mere days before Easter. The installation of the shoreline bars in La Mata was delayed until the last day of March last year, as the Ministry of the Environment required authorisation after confirming that the Kentish Plover, a vulnerable species, did not nest in the area.

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Earthquake drill about to start in Torrevieja

Torrevieja is conducting an earthquake exercise today, Friday March 21st. Federico Alarcón, Councillor for Security and Emergencies, proclaimed that the city is conducting this drill to “be prepared in case something similar happens again, God forbid,” concomitant with the tragedy that occurred in 1829 as a result of an earthquake that impacted the entire Vega Baja region. Additionally, the councillor underscores the significance of “mutual understanding” among all agencies involved in an emergency situation, such as an earthquake. Efficient mitigation necessitates the manner in which those who are required to respond to a catastrophe do so. In reality, this exercise will involve a variety of entities, including the Red Cross, Civil Guard, Civil Protection, Local Police, SAMU (National Emergency Management Service), and firefighters.

The earthquake exercise will be conducted in three phases, as per Tomás Jesús Gallardo, the head of the Torrevieja Main Fire Station. The initial phase, “phase 0”, will involve a seismic alert. During this period, a Municipal Operational Coordination Centre (CECOPAL) will be established to determine whether the municipality’s schools should be evacuated in the event of “the imminent occurrence of a hypothetical earthquake”. The intervening bodies will concentrate on resolving the situation in the second phase, with a particular emphasis on the Sports Palace and the Las Lagunas Secondary School. Lastly, the “normalisation phase” will involve a press conference to provide an update on the seismic event, the response, and its repercussions.

The Councillor for Security and Emergencies emphasised that this is merely an exercise, as numerous residents mistakenly contact emergency services during these drills, believing them to be genuine emergencies. Indeed, Torrevieja is scheduled to host the weekly Friday market during the exercise, which commences at 9:30 a.m. Federico Alarcón says that the exercise will not encounter any difficulties due to this market. He also stated that it is advantageous that the potential earthquake does not occur at a time that is convenient for all parties involved.

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In Alicante, a criminal group that specialised in robberies at pharmacies and banks has been dismantled

In the provinces of Alicante, Valencia, and Murcia, the Guardia Civil and the National Police have dismantled a criminal organisation that specialised in the burglary of pharmacies, banks, and businesses as part of Operation Farmacash-Botica. The operation led to the apprehension of six individuals and the confiscation of specialised tools, cash, and vehicles that were used in the robberies.

A criminal organisation that is structured and professional in nature

The Guardia Civil and the National Police initiated a joint investigation in August 2024 in response to an increase in robberies at pharmacies, particularly in El Campello, Playa de San Juan, and Marina Alta. The burglaries were executed with remarkable speed and precision: the perpetrators forced open doors, tore open cash registers or safes, and fled in high-end vehicles with modified license plates.

The criminal network, which was composed of individuals with a variety of criminal histories, maintained a rigid division of labour. Some members were responsible for the robbery itself, while others served as security personnel, employing shuttle vehicles. Others provided escape vehicles, which were previously stolen automobiles.

Concurrent arrests and confiscation of property

A total of seven residence searches were conducted in Orihuela, Torrevieja, Benidorm, Villajoyosa, and Dénia after months of investigation, resulting in the arrest of six members of the organisation. In the course of the searches, €7,000 in cash, a blank-firing pistol, clothing utilised in the burglaries, bolt cutters and other lock-picking tools, GPS tracking beacons, walkie-talkies, an OBD key-cloning machine, an Italian Police tactical vest, and five vehicles utilised in the crimes were seized.

The investigation was conducted by the Assets Team of the Patrimonio de la Unidad Orgánica de Policía Judicial (UOPJ) of Alicante, the Equipo Contra el Crimen Organizado based in Alicante (ECO Levante) la Unidad Central Operativa (UCO) and the Unidad de Delincuencia Especializada y Violenta (UDEV) of the National Police of Alicante. The Judicial Police Team of the Guardia Civil of San Juan and the Guardia Civil and Local Police of El Campello also collaborated.

Albanian, Kosovar, Bulgarian, and Yugoslav nationalities are represented among the detainees, who possess extensive criminal histories in Spain. One of them is prohibited from entering the country, while the other has a history of homicide in Ukraine. They have been charged with 42 counts of burglary, larceny with violence, organised crime, and document falsification. They have been hauled before Investigating Court No. 3 of Elche, which has ordered their imprisonment.