From October 6 to 12, 2025, l’Estartit became the global epicenter of underwater imagery with the CMAS World Championship of Underwater Photography and Videography, organized by the Catalan Federation of Underwater Activities (FECDAS) and supervised by the Confédération Mondiale des Activités Subaquatiques (CMAS). It was an intense week during which the Medes Islands served as the magnificent setting for an international event that brought together around fifty participants from 19 countries.
A visual spectacle beneath the waters of the Medes Islands
During the competition days, the world’s top underwater photographers and videographers captured the marine richness of the Montgrí Natural Park, the Medes Islands, and the Bajo Ter, one of the Mediterranean’s most treasured areas. The participants, spread across four boats and under the supervision of the judges and the Mossos d’Esquadra’s underwater unit, competed following strict environmental rules: not touching the seabed, rocks, or any park elements, while maintaining neutral buoyancy throughout the dive. This measure reinforced the commitment to marine conservation and respect for the Medes ecosystem.
Two disciplines and seven categories
The championship included the two usual disciplines:
- Fotosub: photographic capture of underwater fauna, flora, and landscapes, with categories such as macro, wide-angle, or creative.
- Videosub: creation of underwater videos evaluated for their technical quality, narrative, and environmental respect.
Teams had a maximum of 300 shots per day and could only submit one image per category. Among the featured species in the award-winning photographs were groupers, octopuses, gorgonians, nudibranchs, and seahorses.
Inclusion and innovation underwater
One of the major novelties of this edition was the participation of divers with functional diversity, who were able, for the first time, to compete with their own images. This milestone represented a step forward in inclusion and accessibility within the world of sport diving. The use of advanced technology in cameras and video equipment was also highlighted, making the competition a high-level technical and creative challenge.
Successes of the spanish team
The awards were widely distributed, but the Spanish team stood out with notable achievements:
- Xavier Salvador, a biologist at the Institut de Ciències del Mar, won the gold in the 60-second video category.
- Irene Bolea and Jesús Osorio were recognized for their award-winning images that captured the essence and beauty of the marine life of the Medes Islands.
The success of the 2025 CMAS World Championship was made possible thanks to extensive collaboration between institutions and organizations:
- FECDAS coordinated logistics and regulations at the national level.
- CMAS ensured the international standard of the competition.
At the Club Nàutic Estartit, we provided the infrastructure, logistical support, as well as the dive departure and arrival points, establishing ourselves as a nautical reference and the nerve center of the event. The Generalitat de Catalunya, the Diputació de Girona, and the Ayuntamiento de Torroella de Montgrí provided institutional and promotional support.
This championship reinforced L’Estartit’s commitment to protecting its marine environment and consolidated the town as a leading destination for sustainable tourism, diving, and innovation. The Montgrí Natural Park, the Medes Islands, and the Bajo Ter were not only the setting for the competition but also a symbol of coexistence between sport, science, and conservation. With events like this, the CMAS World Championship 2025, L’Estartit and our Club are established as international references in promoting the marine heritage of the Costa Brava.