The fifth annual Maja El Grande Sport Fishing Tournament returns to La Paz on July 11 and 12 with two new public events: a massive ceviche sale on the malecón and a waiters’ race along the waterfront. The La Paz fishing tournament, which raises money for children with cancer and autism, expects more than 167 boats and 700 anglers this year, along with a 1.3 million peso (about $74,300 USD) prize purse.
But the new additions are designed to pull in the broader community, not just anglers. El Gran Ceviche will station 18 chefs at the malecón kiosk on July 11 from noon to 7 p.m., where they will prepare roughly 1.5 tons of ceviche from Pacific coast fish delivered that morning in a refrigerated container supplied by FONMAR, a federal maritime infrastructure agency. Maseca, Mexico’s largest corn flour producer, donated one ton of flour so that Farito de Los Cabos can produce an estimated 30,000 tostadas. One-liter ceviche servings cost 100 pesos (about $5.70 USD), and tostadas run 10 pesos each. COEPRIS, the state food safety authority, will supervise preparation.
Every peso raised goes into donation boxes managed by representatives of three charities: the Pediatric Hemato-Oncology Unit at Juan María de Salvatierra General Hospital in La Paz, Oleadas de Luz A.C., and CRIT Baja California Sur. At the end of the sale, organizers and government officials will publicly count the proceeds before splitting them equally among the three groups.
La Paz Sportfishing Tournaments Have Grown Steadily Since 2022
Maja El Grande launched in 2022 as a dorado-focused charity tournament. Its format is simple: teams compete to land the heaviest male dorado over a single day of fishing. Last year’s winning fish weighed 48 pounds. The tournament has grown each year, with the 2025 jackpot alone exceeding 5 million pesos (roughly $285,800 USD).
The event sits within a broader sportfishing calendar that has made La Paz and the East Cape among the most popular fishing destinations in the Sea of Cortez. Jacques Cousteau famously called these waters “the world’s aquarium,” and the dorado, marlin, and roosterfish runs between June and November draw thousands of visiting anglers annually. La Paz hosts several tournaments each summer, but Maja El Grande has distinguished itself by tying the competition directly to pediatric health fundraising.
Baja California Sur’s Secretary of Tourism, Maribel Collins, praised the organizers at this year’s announcement. “The state government, through the Ministry of Tourism and Economy, always applauds these kinds of initiatives that benefit children and families who make use of these facilities,” Collins said. The pediatric oncology unit at Salvatierra Hospital is the primary cancer treatment facility for children across the southern half of the peninsula, making the fundraising target particularly concrete.
Waiters Race Along the Malecón on Sunday Morning
The inaugural Waiters’ Race takes place Sunday morning, July 12, organized by CROC, one of Mexico’s largest labor confederations. The race runs along the La Paz malecón, and the rules reward steadiness over speed. The winner is not the fastest runner but the waiter or waitress who crosses the finish line with their tray and beverages still intact.
Prizes include cash awards and weekday and weekend stays at luxury all-inclusive hotels in Los Cabos for the top three male and top three female finishers. Waiters’ races have a long tradition in Mexico and Latin America, dating back decades in Mexico City and other large cities. This is the first time La Paz has hosted one as part of a fishing tournament.
Ice cream and frozen treat carts donated by local businesses will also sell throughout the weekend, with those proceeds going to the same three charities.
Entry Fees, Prizes, and How to Participate
For anglers, entry costs 10,000 pesos (about $570 USD) per team. Tournament director Alfonso Navarro confirmed the prize breakdown: first place takes 600,000 pesos (about $34,340 USD), second place receives 400,000 pesos (about $22,900 USD), and third place earns 200,000 pesos (about $11,450 USD). A jackpot prize will also be awarded, though organizers have not announced the final amount.
For everyone else, the ceviche sale on Friday and the waiters’ race on Sunday morning are the easiest entry points. The malecón kiosk is centrally located along the La Paz waterfront, a short walk from most downtown hotels and the marina area.
Fishing begins Sunday morning, July 12, with weigh-ins and prize announcements to follow. This article draws on reporting by El Sudcaliforniano.