More than 525 swimmers will race in the open waters off Playa Palmilla in San José del Cabo on May 2 for the fourth edition of the Los Cabos Cortés Open, making it the largest open-water swim competition in Baja California Sur history.
The Los Cabos municipal government officially launched the event on Saturday through its youth institute, INJUVE (Instituto de la Juventud). Organizers confirmed that registrations closed at 525 competitors, a record that surpasses all previous open-water swim events in both the municipality and the state.
From 80 Swimmers to 525 in Four Years
The Cortés Open started as a local competition with just 80 participants. It has grown rapidly in each edition, and the 2026 field of 525 swimmers is more than six times the original turnout. The event now attracts both national and international athletes across multiple distances and skill categories.
Playa Palmilla sits along the Los Cabos Tourist Corridor between San José del Cabo and Cabo San Lucas. The beach is one of the few swimmable stretches on that coastline, known for its calm, clear water on the Sea of Cortez side of the cape.
Free Spectator Access and Maritime Safety
Finish-line access will be free and open to the public, and organizers are billing the race day as a family-friendly sports festival. The 2026 logistics plan includes coordinated transportation to the beach and what organizers described as an unprecedented maritime safety operation. Participant numbers are expected to approach the safety buoy capacity limit before race day.
The municipal government framed the competition as both a sports tourism draw and a youth development initiative. INJUVE officials said the event promotes discipline and civic participation among young athletes in Los Cabos. The city also noted that events like the Cortés Open help diversify the local tourism economy beyond resorts and nightlife.
What Swimmers and Spectators Should Know
Organizers recommended that registered swimmers complete their final acclimatization sessions at Playa Palmilla before race day. The beach can be reached from the Tourist Corridor highway, about 10 minutes southwest of downtown San José del Cabo.
The Cortés Open is the latest in a series of sporting events Los Cabos has hosted as part of its push to become a destination for competitive athletics. Originally reported by the Los Cabos municipal government and Diario El Independiente.