Runners who love wine were able to combine both of their desires on 21st June when Club La Santa on Lanzarote held its first ever Wine Run. The race, over the half marathon distance, took runners through the wine region of the island, providing them with tasting samples en route.

Club La Santa may have been having problems with development plans, but its event schedule continued unabated with the new half marathon run based on a course through the wine producing region of the island. The La Geria region of the island is the primary location for wine production, with numerous vineyards scattered across the volcanic hillsides between the villages here. The new event organised by Club La Santa took runners on a route across various terrain and refreshment points which along the way provided both water and wine samples from the producers supporting the event. The half marathon distance, of just over 21 kilometers, was not to be taken lightly, especially over hilly terrain, so no matter how good the wine was, competitors were wise to limit their consumption until they completed the race. Further samples of wine were available at the finish line for those who resisted the temptation during the run or for those who had just not had enough!

The wine made on this part of Lanzarote comes from the Malvasia grape which is grown predominantly in Mediterranean locations such as Italy and Corsica but also on the island of Madeira. The wines made from the grape are sweet varieties of table and desert wines and are almost always white. The grape variety is also blended with others to make the Italian dessert wine Vin Sano.