The Verses of the International Descent of the Sella are read aloud by the event’s official herald, a role that has featured a new person every year since 2012.
These are the heralds of the International Descent of the Sella from 2012 to the present:
| 2025 | Theresa Zabell (Deportista) |
|---|---|
| 2024 | Victor Manuel (Cantante) |
| 2023 | Lydia Valentín (Deportista) |
| 2022 | Raúl Entrerríos (Deportista) |
| 2021 | No celebrado |
| 2020 | No celebrado |
| 2019 | Nacho Manzano (Cocinero) |
| 2018 | Mara Santos (Deportista) |
| 2017 | Saúl Craviotto (Deportista) |
| 2016 | Lara Álvarez (Periodista) |
| 2015 | Manuel Busto (Deportista) |
| 2014 | José Alberto Alvarez (vicepresidente del Comité Paralímpico Español) |
| 2013 | Miguel Ángel Revilla (Politico) |
| 2012 | Arturo Fernández (Actor) |
These are the Verses of the International Descent of the Sella (in our video you can hear them live, and truly feel the excitement of the Sella start after listening):
Let the audience fall silent (repeat)
and listen to our words (repeat)
By order of Don Pelayo,
after measuring the waters,
with Neptune himself presiding
over the acts of this Olympiad,
with the brides, the tritons,
the cannon, the centaurs, and Pialla,
once again in Arriondas
the canoe race is authorized.
And when we shout our cheers
as the rules command us,
let everyone answer in chorus,
until your voices grow hoarse,
for this is a festival for all Asturias,
the festival of the canoes.
But if anyone has near them
a pretty young girl,
don’t lose sight of her,
keep watch over her well;
and if you truly like her,
start courting her now,
because tradition says that in Llovio,
at the end of this day,
when the seven o’clock chimes
ring out clearly,
to the girls who wish it and let themselves,
Don Pelayo grants permission
to embrace them.
And later, as time passes,
if we go to the priest and marry,
with the children we have
we’ll come back to the Piraguas,
with garlands of flowers
and our hats cocked to the side,
for there is no festival more joyful,
more lively or fine,
with more beautiful scenery,
nor essence more Asturian.
Sing it with all your soul,
let it echo through the entire valley,
Asturias, Beloved Homeland!
the hymn of the Piraguas.
Once the hymn is finished, the official start is given:
And now it’s really about to begin:
the Fiesta of the Piraguas…
The race judge then calls out: “Paddlers! Ready! Go!”
And so it begins, the race on the water.
For those who watch, watch with your soul.
And tell me if it isn’t beautiful—
the Fiesta of the Piraguas.
tag: verses of the international sella descent
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