The Mirador Challenge is an endurance walk of approximately 30 kilometres which links a network of 15 designated viewpoints located along the wonderful coastline of Jávea.
It is aimed at teams of five walkers who begin in the early morning at the Granadella mirador and then pass along the coast in a northward direction to arrive at the last viewpoint of ‘Els Molins’, the iconic windmills which sit above the town of Jávea and afford stunning views all the way back to the start-point. It is a walking event and running is not allowed.
Anyone over the age of 16 with the drive and determination to get themselves from start to finish can take part in the Mirador Challenge. You don’t have to be mega-fit to take part but we do recommend a few training sessions in the weeks leading up to the event and if you live in the area if would be advantageous to spend a couple of hours each week walking through several sections of the route to get accustomed to it.
There are two disciplines for taking part in the Mirador Challenge:
- Sports: This option is for those who want to test themselves by covering the entire length of the challenge in the fastest time possible – it is the blue ribbon category of the event. The clock begins at the start-line at Mirador La Granadella and only stops at the finish-line at Mirador Els Molins. The current record is 3 hours and 55 minutes set in 2019.
- Leisure: This option is for those who want to take it easy and enjoy the stunning views as they pass along the route. It is not a timed event, insomuch as the time taken to complete the entire route will not be taken into account, it is not important and the fastest team may not necessarily win the event. Each team will be set a task or series of tasks to be completed along the course and it is their success at doing so which will determine the winner.
WHEN IS THE NEXT MIRADOR CHALLENGE?
Due to the ongoing COVID-19 health crisis, it is not certain when the next edition of the Mirador Challenge will be scheduled. It certainly won’t be until 2022 at the earliest. In the meantime, the organisers are looking at the possibility of setting the route on a permanent basis so that eager walkers can face the challenge at any time of the year.
The event is limited to 30 teams of five walkers and registration is on a first-come, first served basis with teams which provide a volunteer to assist the organisation team during the event given priority.
Registrations will only be confirmed on receipt of a complete registration form (full name, identification number and date of birth of each team member) and the registration fee of 100 euros per team paid either in cash or via bank transfer (details on the registration form).
The Mirador Challenge wouldn’t be possible without the superb network of checkpoint supervisor volunteers who rouse themselves from their Sunday morning slumber without so much as a hint of complaint to sit patiently checking teams through each checkpoint.
Aside from the walkers, more than 75 people were involved in the Mirador Challenge in 2019, many of them spending just a couple of hours at one of Jávea’s beautiful viewpoints, enjoying the scenery as well as the wonderful camaraderie of the teams, whilst others assisted with team transport and general running around to ensure that the events ran as smoothly as possible.
If you fancy being part of the Mirador Challenge, please drop us a line to the email given at the bottom of this page. We are also always on the look-out for sponsors whose invaluable financial support helps us to provide the sort of event we want to deliver.
PREVIOUS RESULTS
| SPORTS |
| 2020 – No event. 2019 – Are We There Yet? (3:55) 2018 – The Internationals (4.15) 2017 – The Frog & Roses (3:57) 2016 – The Originals (4:19) 2015 – Team MAMIL (4:22) 2014 – Team Extranjeros (4:16) 2013 – The Originals (5:10) 2012 – CBMW Cabras (4:22) |
| LEISURE |
| 2020 – No event. 2019 – CBYA Machos 2018 – Miradorables 2017 – Los Correcaminos 2016 – Sherpas de Xàbia II 2015 – Sherpas de Xàbia II 2014 – Sherpas de Xàbia II 2013 – Sherpas de Xàbia 2012 – No category. |
RELATED LINK: Visiting Jávea – The Viewpoints
“The healthiest competition occurs when average people win by putting above average effort.”
COLIN POWELL (1937-)
Former US Secretary of State