2025 Paso del Hombre Endurance Test. La Libertad, El Salvador — The Salvadoran Red Cross successfully held the annual Paso del Hombre (Man’s Passage) endurance test on Sunday. This event assesses swimmers’ strength and stamina.
This year’s edition registered over 175 participants who undertook the challenging 21-kilometer open-water swim from the Port of La Libertad to El Majahual Beach.
The test was structured into three groups, each following a route of 7 kilometers in the open sea, another 7 kilometers swimming parallel to the shore, and the remaining distance leading to the final destination.
The Salvadoran Red Cross organized the event to commemorate its 140th anniversary.
“It fills us with happiness to celebrate the 140th anniversary of our institution and to witness the enthusiasm of nearly 200 young people undertaking this demanding 21-kilometer challenge,” said Benjamin Rodas, President of the Salvadoran Red Cross.
Strengthening Lifeguard Readiness
According to a Red Cross spokesperson, the event is a crucial endurance test for lifeguards ahead of the upcoming Holy Week holiday, which will take place from April 13 to April 20.
Admir Valdez, the Paso del Hombre coordinator, detailed the event’s logistics, stating that registrations commenced at 6:00 a.m. and closed at 7:30 a.m. The first swimmers entered the water at 7:30 a.m., followed by the second group at 7:40 a.m.
Participation and Challenges
The event drew participants from various institutions, including the Salvadoran and Honduran Red Cross, Civil Protection, the Armed Forces, the Salvadoran Air Force, and the National Navy.
“I completed the test in four hours. One of the biggest challenges was the strong current near San Blas, but the event was very well-organized and had excellent security,” stated Ever Espinal.
Espinal traveled from Honduras with a team of over a dozen swimmers to test their skills on the Salvadoran coast.
Wilson Moreno, a lifeguard from Zacatecoluca, emphasized that this event is vital for assessing lifeguards’ capabilities as they prepare for emergency rescue operations during the Holly Week holidays.
The Red Cross explained that there are no winners in the Paso del Hombre endurance test because everyone enters the water at different times.
