The attraction to reach the island of Ibiza, after a night navigation, along the Mediterranean horizon, accompanied by the Full Moon of Holy Week, is a nautical attraction, which is renewed year after year, with hundreds of sailboats, to reach the incomparable Iberian coast (Photo Alfred Farré)

The thirty-fourth edition of The Salt Route is ready to sail. Just a month from the departure, the most emblematic sailboats and the assiduous crews of the Mediterranean High Navigation are already ready to cover from 14 to 16 the route that joins the CM Port Ginesta and the RCN Denia, with the island of Ibiza, two fleets with different exits that set both towards CN Sant Antoni of Portmany.

In competition are confirmed cruise ships from ten countries: Spain, the United Kingdom, Ireland, the Netherlands, Belgium, Poland, Italy, the Czech Republic and France.

Among others are: Brujo de Alberto de Castro, winner of last year's Denia version and recent real-time winner of the last 200 km a2 of Altea, and the Yellow Rose of winner in La Sal 2021 in the Barcelona version, who will defend their titles.

Other winners are also registered in past editions, such as the DKategoria of José Ignacio Vicent, winner in 2019, the Clem of Jaime Olazabal, with his victories in 2009 and 2017, the Marjuin of Pere Roquet, winner in 2018, or the Plis Play of Vicente García Torres, winner in 2008.

In the ALFA category, for the most modern boats, in the Barcelona version, the PH3, a Contest 72, from the Dutch Austin Van t Wout, the Peregrin Falcon, an Oyster 625 from Peter Blackmore, the Exit, X50 from Javier Entrecanas and the Marjuin, Grand Soleil 50 from the Andorran, Pere Roquet. In the range of average length, we find the winner of the last edition, the Yellow Rose, X35 of Dutch Marten Jan Ringers, who will defend the title against ships like the JPK 1030, Rockall 7 by Christopher Opielok, the RM970 Easy Rider by Benoit Durand or the Dufour 40 Alba Alba by Luis Mata.

For their part in the Denia version, the most modern ships are also well represented by very competitive boats such as the Pelotari Project, Vismara Mills 68 by Andrés Varela, on May 78, Solaris 44 by Enrique Ortiz, or Adele Two, a First 40 of the Irish women's team captains by Mairead and Cheallachain.

The BRAVO category, for ships designed between 1992 and 2004, is also competitive. In the Barcelona version, the Gymir, the Maxi Dolphin 60 of Manel Codina, defends his title as a real-time winner, in front of ships like the Mandrake, a Swan 60 or La Belle, Swan 56. In the Denia version, in the BRAVO category stand out the Plis Play, the imposing Swan 80 by Vicente García, the Alak Swan 62 by Alberto Zardoya and the Clem, Swan 56 by Jaime Olazabal. There is also a lot of level in the average length with prominent ships such as the Wizard, the current defender of the title Swan 45 of Alberto de Castro, or the DKategoria, DK 46 winner in the hard edition of 2019.

For its part the CHARLIE category, for the oldest ships, designed before 1992, is also presented interesting. The Barcelona version highlights the Rossina di Mare, a 63-foot Sparkman & Stephens designed in 1953, while in the Denia version, two ships have been registered: the Tornado III and the Minor Sea both representatives of the COBO 40, mythical design of the late 1970s.

To point out, on the sports side, that throughout the history of La Ruta de la Sal, 13 skippers have managed to win the test on more than one occasion. Three of them participate in this edition are: Jaime Olazabal of Club de Mar with the Clem, Alberto de Castro, RCN de Valencia with the Brujo and Juan Carlos Sanchiz, CN Ibiza with the Adrenalin.