Santa Barbara’s Semana Nautica Festival showcases local athletic tradition

The Santa Barbara Semana Nautica Association is pleased to announce the 2017 lineup of events that will make up Santa Barbara’s longest-running athletics festival. The Semana Nautica Summer Sports Festival is scheduled for June 29 through July 9.

Semana Nautica is a Santa Barbara tradition dating all the way back to 1933 when a group of visiting U.S. Navy sailors were challenged by locals to a series of competitions at the beach. It has evolved over the years to showcase a variety of sporting events open to the public at large.

A complete list of sporting events, dates, and registration information can be found at SemanaNautica.com. All events are free for spectators and fans.

Speaking of tradition, many of Semana Nautica’s longtime events are back in 2017. These include several ocean swimming races at East Beach and the grueling endurance test that is the 6-mile swim from Goleta Beach to Hendry’s Beach. There’s also the annual 4th of July 15K Run, held at Elings Park for the first time this year. Don’t miss professional beach volleyball at the Cabrillo Bath House, the Krazy Kardboard Kayak Race at West Beach, or the Santa Barbara Tennis Open at the Municipal Courts.

New in 2017 is Run to Surf, a beach-oriented triathlon that combines a run, ocean paddle, and beach obstacle course. Run to Surf will take over Leadbetter Beach on July 8.

Festival participants will be eligible for several awards, including the Men’s and Women’s Ocean Swimmers of the Year, Athlete of the Year, and the Jeff Farrell Award.

The Semana Nautica Association would like to thank its incredible lineup of local sponsors: Mullen and Henzell (Featuring the Mullen & Henzell 1-Mile Ocean Swim), American Riviera Bank, Deering Design, Radius Group (Gene Deering) and the Santa Barbara Independent.