Esparreguera triumphs in dramatic finish
The Castellers d'Esparreguera have won the first day of the XXX Concurs de Castells in Torredembarra, securing victory with a last-round 5 de 7 with aletas (wing-like extensions), scoring 125 points to finish on 1.940 total points. The team from Baix Llobregat overtook the Colla Castellera de Figueres, who led for much of the day with a solid performance including a 7 de 7, but finished with 1.925 points. The contest, held on Sunday 27 September 2026 at the Plaça del Castell in Torredembarra, saw 12 colles (teams) compete, all ranked between 31st and 42nd in the official Estrella Concurs ranking. The event marks the traditional opening of the tripartite castell competition, known locally as the 'concurset'.
Cerdanyola surprise third, Sarrià attempt eight
Castellers de Cerdanyola emerged as the surprise third-placed team with 1.735 points, despite entering the contest last in the rankings. They successfully completed a 2 de 7, a 4 de 7 with aletas, and a 3 de 7, recovering from a failed 3 de 7 with aletas in the third round. Castellers de Sarrià attempted the only eight-level tower of the day, a 4 de 8, in the final improvement round. The structure rose steadily until the second-level castellers began ascending, when the base (pinya) decided to disassemble it for safety reasons. The team finished fourth with 1.665 points, tied with Castellers de Badalona and Castellers de l'Esquerra de l'Eixample.
The adrenaline of the 'concurset' motivates smaller colles to attempt towers they’ve never completed before.
Debutants and final standings
Two teams made their debut at the Torredembarra contest: Esperxats de l'Estany and Xiquets de Cambrils. Esperxats de l'Estany placed ninth with 1.615 points after completing a 7 de 7, a 3 de 7 with aletas, and a 4 de 7 with aletas in succession. Xiquets de Cambrils scored 1.495 points, placing 11th, after two failed attempts at a 3 de 7 with aletas but successfully completing a 4 de 7 with aletas, a 5 de 7, and a 3 de 7 in the final round. Castellers del Poble Sec finished last with 1.380 points. Their 5 de 7 partially collapsed during disassembly, resulting in minor injuries and several castellers being taken to the infirmary. The format of three competition days, starting in Torredembarra, then continuing at Tarraco Arena on 3 and 4 October, was established in 2014. The event aims to allow more colles, especially from smaller towns, to participate in the biennial contest. This year’s edition continues to highlight both ambition and safety, as teams push their limits in front of enthusiastic crowds. Castellers de Mollet placed 10th with 1.525 points, having failed a 7 de 7 attempt but successfully completing a 3 de 7 with aletas, a 5 de 7, and a 3 de 7 in the improvement round.
Primary sources: badalona.cat. Reported by regio7.cat, lavanguardia.com, Torredembarra acogerá el domingo 27 la primera jornada del Concurs de Castells, laciutat.cat, elperiodico.com, Regió 7, Tarragona Ràdio, Infocamp, diarimes.com.
