Pan Am Games Come to Banderas Bay

After proving its efficiency at running other international sailing contests, the Vallarta YC, located at Nuevo Vallarta’s Paradise Village Resort, has been chosen to host the sailing portion of the prestigious Pan Am Games, October 16-22.

Other Banderas Bay locations will host additional competitions, while the track and field events will take place in nearby Guadalajara:

• Beach Volleyball from October 15 to 22 at the Pan American Beach Volleyball Stadium in the Puerto Vallarta Hotel Zone
• 10 kilometer Open Water Swimming Competition in front of the Malecón in downtown Puerto Vallarta on October 22
• Triathlon at the API Maritime Terminal on October 23

Although the Pan Am Games don’t get a tremendous amount of press in the U.S., elsewhere throughout the Americas they are a very big deal — run every four years, they are essentially a mini-Olympics for all countries within the Americas, including the Caribbean Basin.

So if you’re lucky enough to be in Banderas Bay this month, we’d urge you to check out the action at any or all of the above-mentioned venues. The excitement will begin this Friday, October 7, when the Pan American torch arrives at Nuevo Vallarta. During a ceremony at the YC, the National Sailing Team will pass the torch to Paradise Village owner Graciano Sovernigo, who will hand it off to the Mayor of Bahía de Banderas, Rafael Cervantes Padilla. The mayor will then put it into the hands of relay runners who will carry it 32 miles to Puerto Vallarta’s downtown Malecón.

Puerto Vallarta and its neighboring cities along the Bay are renowned for fun and excitement year-round, but with the added thrills of the Pan Am Games, October should be an epic time to enjoy PV’s sunny attractions. Wish we could be there!  For more info, see the official website, or follow the games on Facebook.