The Marrecs de Salt win the Saturday session of the Castells Competition after unloading the 4d9f for the first time

TarragonaThe Saturday session of the Concurs de Castells always has something special and this year was no exception. The rain gradually gained presence as the afternoon progressed and ended up conditioning the final stretch of a day that, much earlier, had already left moments to remember at the Tarraco Arena.

The Marrecs de Salt were the great protagonists. The group from Girona went from less to more, with the 7d8, the 5d8, and the 2d8f before facing, with the triumph already on track, the great challenge: the 4d9f.

It was the first time they had attempted it. During the previous rehearsals, they had worked on both the 3d9f and the 4d9f, with sixth-level climbers placed in both structures, but in Tarragona, they opted for the four. And the human tower did not look like a debut at all. The structure had the trembling typical of first attempts and a square as demanding as that of the Concurs, but the children climbed quickly and, once at the top, the tower began to settle. The unloading was peaceful and, when the Marrecs completed the tower, the Tarraco Arena erupted. The group from Girona had just made history with the first 4d9f of their career. The celebration was immediate, with hugs and shouts, and amidst the euphoria, a new challenge appeared: “It’s not enough, we want the 3 of 9!” The group finished with 4,415 points and was the only one to have unloaded a nine-story human tower during the day.

The Nens, second

The Nens del Vendrell are not having their best season, but today they found at the Tarraco Arena a performance that allows them to leave with their confidence sky-high. They finished second, reinforced and with a performance that brings back good feelings.

They opened the event with the 3d8 and, in the second round, they faced the first big challenge of the afternoon with the 5d8, a human tower they had not yet been able to successfully dismantle this year. The success gave them confidence to go a step further and, in the third round, they opted for the 7d8. The structure required work, but the group from El Vendrell ended up dismantling it and closed a performance that strengthens them for the final stretch of the season.

The Castellers de Lleida make history

The Castellers de Lleida have a special relationship with the Tarraco Arena. In 2024, they already won the Saturday session, after successfully unloading the 4d8, the 7d8, and the 3d8, and loading the 2d8f after a dismantled attempt.

Two years later, the burgundy-shirted group has once again offered their best version and signed the best performance of their career. They opened with the 7d8 and, in the second round, completed the 2d8f, a castle that they had already unloaded twice this season. The 3d8 put the finishing touch on a performance of three unloaded castles, 3,270 points, and a third position that confirms the group's great moment.

The Sagals reunite with the 2d8f

It has also been a perfect day for the Sagals d’Osona, who finished in a magnificent fourth position and completed a top-tier performance. The orange-shirted group successfully unloaded the 3d8, the 4d8, and the 2d8f, recovering this last human tower eight years after the last time they had unloaded it.

This 2d8f had a special meaning for the people from Osona. At the 2024 Competition, they loaded it, and today the orange-shirted group got rid of the thorn in their side, unloading it and bursting with joy at recovering a human tower they had been pursuing for some time.

Saballuts and Xics share the fifth position

The Castellers de Sabadell and the Xics de Granollers have shared the fifth position after performing identical shows: the 3d8, the 7d8, and the 4d8. For the Saballuts, the 3d8 was the tenth they have unloaded this season, while the 7d8 had already been completed by them on three occasions. The Xics, for their part, have made the two basic eight-story structures a constant throughout the season, and with today's 7d8, they have now unloaded it five times this season.

The Bordegassos recover the 2d8f

In seventh position finished the Bordegassos de Vilanova, who unloaded the 3d8 and the 4d8 before facing the 2d8f, a human tower they had not brought to the square since 2017. They loaded it in extremis, after a very worked execution, but the structure ended up yielding shortly after the loading.

The Gausacs recover the 7d8 after two years

The Castellers de Sant Cugat finished eighth with a performance marked by the return of the 7d8, their best castle of the day. The Gausacs had not unloaded it since the 2024 Castells Competition and today they recovered it with a very solid execution. They accompanied it with the 4d8 and a 3d8 that they loaded.

Jove de Barcelona and Xicots share ninth place

There has also been a tie for ninth place between the Colla Jove de Barcelona and the Xicots de Vilafranca. The team from Barcelona completed the 4d8, the 9d7, the 3d8 and, in the fourth round, the 2d7, a sequence that allowed them to climb positions in the ranking. They had already unloaded the 9d7 for the first time this season on September 24th, during the Diada de la Mercè in Barcelona, and today they completed it again. The 3d8, on the other hand, arrived for the first time this year.

The Xicots de Vilafranca followed a different path. They unloaded the 4d8 and the 3d8 and, in the fourth round, they completed the 2d7 after attempting the 2d8f. The human tower gave way when the children were about to crown it.

The Xiquets del Serrallo go wild with their first 2d8f

The Xiquets del Serrallo finished eleventh, but they will hardly forget this day. Those from the seaside neighborhood have unloaded for the first time in their history the 2d8f, a human tower they had already attempted this season during the National Day, September 11th, and for Santa Tecla, September 23rd, without managing to complete it. At the Tarraco Arena, however, with a huge base they made it their own.

The unloading caused an outburst in the square and also in the stands, where there were many castellers from the Tarragona groups who will perform on Sunday. The joy was especially visible among those from El Serrallo, who thus celebrated a milestone they had been pursuing for months.

The party, however, was not complete. Before the 2d8f they had unloaded the 4d8, the ninth they have completed in their history and also the ninth of the season, but afterwards they saw the 3d8 fall in a hard fall that forced the health services to intervene. The children detached themselves from the structure and, after recovering, the group closed the performance with the 3d7.

The Castellers de Castelldefels return to the TAP

32 years later, the Castellers de Castelldefels have returned to step into the Tarraco Arena in a Tarragona Competition. The group had last participated in 1994, after also having been present in the 1990 and 1992 editions.

In this return to Tarragona they finished twelfth, with the 2d7 and the 4d8 unloaded. In the third round they faced the 3d8, which they loaded in the first attempt of this human tower in the history of the group.

The Nois de la Torre sign the best performance of their history in the return to the TAP

The Nois de la Torre have experienced a day to remember upon their return to the Tarraco Arena, where they had not performed on a Saturday since 2018. And they did so by signing the best performance in their history: they unloaded the 5d7, the 4d8, and the 2d7, although the 'carro gros' (the 4d8) required a first dismantled attempt.

The 4d8 was especially significant, because it is the first eight-story human tower that the Nois have unloaded in a Concurs de Castells and the third they have completed in their entire history. The 2d7 also added another historic chapter to the day, as it is the first one the group has unloaded in a competition.

The last positions of the classification were occupied by the Castellers de Terrassa, in fourteenth place, with the 2d7, the 3d7ps —the fourth they have unloaded this season— and the 5d7. Behind them were the Castellers d’Esplugues, who completed the 3d7ps, the 9d7, and the 5d7; the Colla Jove de Castellers de Sitges, with the 4d8 loaded, the 3d7ps, and the 5d7; and the Castellers de la Sagrada Família, who unloaded the 5d7, the 4d8, and the 7d7.

The Tirallongues de Manresa closed the classification, in eighteenth position. They started with the 5d7, left the first 4d8 in a dismantled attempt, and, in the following round, managed to unload it. They completed their performance with the 7d7.

A lackluster ending

The rain ended up conditioning the outcome of the day. Given the activation of the weather alert starting at 8 PM, the organization decided to put an end to the Contest once the five rounds were completed, with the aim of finishing as soon as possible and reducing mobility from that hour onwards. This forced the suspension of the farewell pillars, the trophy presentation in the box, the vermouth performance by the graller groups, and the press conference with the leaders of the top three ranked groups. The trophy presentation and the press conference will be held on a new date, which will be announced soon.

The groups, the media, and the public have been invited to facilitate an agile and orderly exit from the Tarraco Arena, which gradually emptied after the fifth round. The day has thus ended marked also by the weather conditions, but with eyes already set on Sunday.

More tomorrow

And Sunday will be the turn of the twelve best groups in the country, in the great day of the Competition. The session, initially scheduled for 10 a.m., has been postponed until 4 p.m. due to adverse weather forecasts and alerts expected during the morning. The decision was made after assessing the evolution of the forecast, in coordination with the authorities and in agreement with the twelve participating groups, prioritizing the safety of the castellers, public, professionals, and organization.

If conditions permit, the Tarraco Arena will reopen tomorrow at 4 p.m. to host the decisive day, with the twelve best groups in the country and the aspiration to experience one of the great days in the history of the Competition.