The three-day Cannonball Sea Run Costa Brava for motorboat fans in the Bay of Roses took place for the first time at the beginning of September; SeaHelp provided reliable security for the event and was on hand in the event of breakdowns and tows.
On the first weekend in September, motorboaters from all over the world come together on the Costa Brava to cruise and party for three days – or party and cruise, as each crew sets its own priorities for this event.
Cannonball, the English name for a cannonball, is also synonymous with the Cannonball Run, an illegal car race across the USA from New York to Los Angeles. These were organized by the US magazine Car & Driver in the 1970s and later became known to a wider public through several Hollywood films.
Cannonball is also synonymous with car racing as the Cannonball Run; these serve as a model for comparable fun events on the water
Just like their role models in the US action spectacles, many motorsport enthusiasts competed against and with each other for the coveted Cannonball trophy this year – only this time not on the road, but on the water. The special thing about the Cannonball Run is that the winners don’t have to achieve top sporting performances, they need one thing above all: a lot of luck.
This made it unnecessary to divide the participating sports boats into different competition classes, and: all participating crews have the same chances, regardless of whether they are sailing a powerboat or a small cruiser yacht. However, the condition was that at least the driver and co-driver of each team had to be dressed up. According to the organizers, “special creativity” was required here, as different titles were also advertised in this area.
In addition, “anyone with a suitable, seaworthy motorboat” can take part. An appropriate motorboat license, valid international liability insurance and adequate rescue and safety equipment for all crew members are a matter of course and a prerequisite.
Twenty boats and yachts took part in the first Canonball Run Coste Brava, including a Sunseeker XS Sport
A total of 20 “motorboats, some equipped with several engines and some very exotic” had finally registered for the first Cannonball-Run Costa Brava, the organizer was pleased to report. The starting field even included “a prototype of a Mayla yacht, the GT made of full carbon with two supercharged V8 / 650 hp engines”.
Alongside many other boats and yachts, a Sunseeker XS Sport, the only boat with a two-speed gearbox at the start, was an “absolute eye-catcher with strong performance”. A “beautiful and lightning-fast” Cigarette 39 Top Gun, a one-off from Milimeter Custom Boats in Poland, delighted the guests at the event, as did a three-engine Performance 1401, a Baja 40 Outlaw and a twin-engine Wellcraft 26 Nova.
On the evening of September 1st, all crews met for a briefing and registration at the “La Perla Blanca” bar at the entrance to the port of Empuriabrava. After a detailed discussion of the nautical chart and the route for the first day of the event, the evening drew to a close.
On the following day, the first day at sea, there was a “flying start”; all the boats set course for Cap de Creus, where the first “cannonball” was to be collected. After a few more stations to complete, all the boats docked in the port of La Escala. After a shared lunch, the last stage of the day finally started back to Empuriabrava.
In the evening, they met briefly in the “Perla Blanca” to discuss the next day’s nautical chart, after which they took buses to nearby Roses. A catamaran chartered exclusively for the participants of the run was already waiting there – for a sunset cruise together.
Operations manager Axel Albrot from SeaHelp Empuriabrava always had an eye on all participants
The second day at sea brought the longest route of the event for all participants. The course went from Port Lligat in the north to Cap Begur in the south. Rising northerly winds made for rough seas, especially in the southern sections of the course. However, head of operations Axel Albrot from SeaHelp Empuriabrava kept an eye on all participants at all times and was ready to provide assistance if necessary.
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At midday, all the boats met for lunch in Cala Joncols. Due to the rainy weather, half of the participants then headed back to Empuribrava – the corresponding day’s “cannonballs” had already been collected. The others sailed a little further south along the coast and met up in the “El Pirata” beach bar at the Hotel Vistabella.
On the third day of the event, all the boats set off punctually at 10 a.m. from the harbor exit of Empuriabrava. As soon as they set sail for the start, many interested spectators gathered on both piers. No wonder: from there you had an excellent view of the participating boats and the starting procedure in a mix of sun and cloud.
First, the participating boats and yachts headed towards La Escala to collect the first “Cannonball”. Once again, a northerly wind made for choppy waters and made crossing the bay a bit of an adventure, especially for the crews of smaller boats – “guarded” by the watchful eyes of the SeaHelp rescue boat, which was always close by.
The handover of the last cannonball took place in the Cala Montjoi area, where the event ended. Some of the participants made the return journey to Empuriabrava together and enjoyed the calm ride from the harbor entrance to the mooring on the beautiful canals.
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There were also prizes for the best, the funniest and the “sexiest costume”, for the best and the most beautiful boat, for the longest journey, and there was also a “Breakdown Cup”
In the evening of the same day, the award ceremony took place in the “Perla Blanca”. The participants enjoyed the evening with DJ music, pizza and drinks in a relaxed atmosphere. The count of the cannonballs secured first place for the crew of the Sunseeker XS Sport. Although the prizes were awarded at random, this crew more than deserved the top spot – as all participants agreed.
Second place went to the Mayla GT crew, and the Dutch team “Los Tulipanes” took the cup for third place in their Sunseeker 37 Tomahawk. The so-called “Breakdown Cup” went to “Team Baywatch”, which was badly shaken by engine problems and whose Sea Ray 400 was unfortunately unable to complete a single leg.
The “Sexiest Costume” went to the crew of the “Alora” (Mostes 255) – the ice cream vendor outfit with bright gold-colored hot pants was unbeatable in this category. The crew of the “Flying Artists” (Baja 29 Outlaw) wore the funniest costume. The skirts and tops chosen to match the color of the freshly refitted boat won the crew this cup.
The trophy for the best costume went to the crew of the “777” (Baja 23 Outlaw), who competed in “Human Cannonball” costumes. The Cigarette 39 Top Gun of the team “Ruhrpott” won the vote for the most beautiful boat of the run. And – last but not least – the prize for the longest journey was won by the “Discovery” team (Millimeter Custom Boat Diablo V8) with a whopping 2,259 kilometers – the crew had come all the way from Poland with their boat.
After the first Cannonball-Run Costa Brava, the organizers thanked all participants, co-organizers and especially all helpers who had provided support boats, catering and the starting boat. Special thanks were due to the crew of the SeaHelp rescue boat “Anna”, without whom the entire event would not have been possible.
Further information / registration for the Cannonball Run Costa Brava 2025:
Organizer Piet Nautic Ser-vice, Peter Gnech, Tel: +34-688315039, Mail: info@piet-nautic.es.
Contact SeaHelp Costa Brava: Axel Albrot, Quermançó 18, 17487 Empuriabrava / Girona, Spain. Tel. +34 605 150719 SeaHelp Cos-tabrava, Mail: costabrava@sea-help.eu, www.sea-help.eu.
