Since April 23 have begun the Championships of Spain University Badminton and Surfing 2024, events organized by the European University of the Atlantic (UNEATLANTICO) and will run until April 26 in the towns of Santander and Somo.
The Palacio Municipal de Deportes de Santander has been the chosen venue for the badminton tournament, where students from all over Spain face each other in intense matches, demonstrating their skill and dexterity. The championship began on April 23 with accreditations and a technical meeting, followed by the individual competition on April 24.
On the other hand, the beach of Somo, known for its excellent surfing conditions, has hosted for the first time in history the Spanish University Surfing Championship. This event has started on April 24 with free practice and the opening ceremony, which has been attended by prominent personalities such as Susana Ruiz Núñez, General Director of Sports of Cantabria, and Francisco Asón Pérez, Mayor of Ribamontán al Mar; and a delegation of UNEATLANTICO led by the Vice Chancellor of the University, Silvia Aparicio.
The surfing competition has continued today April 25 with the individual and team competition, and will culminate on April 26 with the second day of competition and the awards ceremony.
As Josep Alemany, director of the Physical Activity and Sports Service of UNEATLANTICO, commented during the program Más de Uno Cantabria on Onda Cero, the organization of these Championships aims to promote university sports and make it known that the University is capable of organizing an event of such magnitude. In addition, he stressed that thanks to the attractiveness of the region, it has been achieved that more than a hundred university students attended the badminton tournament, while the surfing tournament was attended by sixty athletes, high numbers for individual sports.
Both events have the support of the Superior Sports Council, the Government of Cantabria, the City Councils of Santander and Ribamontán al Mar, and the Badminton and Surfing Federations of the community, ensuring an optimal level in the organization and development of these championships.
Today, April 25, an official reception will also be held at the Palacio de los Deportes de Santander, which will bring together senior representatives of the collaborating institutions, highlighting the importance of these championships in the university sports calendar. On behalf of the Government of Cantabria will attend the event: Susana Ruiz, General Director of Sports of Cantabria; and from the City Council of Santander will attend Beatriz Pellón Fernández-Fontecha. In addition, the president of the Badminton Federation of Cantabria, Marisa Pérez de la Torre, will be present. Likewise, Óscar García Santamaría, president of the Cantabrian Surfing Federation, will also be present.
These championships not only represent an opportunity for young athletes to show their talent and compete at the highest level, but also encourage sportsmanship and camaraderie between universities throughout Spain.