Easter is football time in Torrevieja

THE MAJOR success from the 2010-sporting calendar at Torrevieja’s newly opened
Sports City was unquestionably the first edition of the Torrevieja Cup; the youth
football tournament. More than 1,200 players participated in the inaugural competition,
which encouraged the department of sports and organisers FourGest to offer not
one but two editions in 2011, plus the addition of Football Sala and an amateur sevens
tournament. The first of these is scheduled for the end of the month and to date, more
than 1,400 players from 87 teams along with 150 trainers and coaches are registered
for the first Semana Santa Easter competition. There are still a couple of teams whose
applications are pending and possibly room for other local teams to participate if they
apply post haste!

Hosts Torrevieja have opted against producing elite select teams for the competition
and instead are allowing all of their municipal teams to compete against some very
stiff opposition from the likes of Madrid, Alicante, Elche and around the Valencian and
Murcian Communities. The Tournament starts on Sunday April 17 and runs through to
the finals on the following Wednesday. All games are taking place at Torrevieja’s Sports
City.

At Easter the participating teams are:
Juvenil (born after1991): from Torrevieja, Hercules, Elche, Villarosa, At. Pinto, EFM
Moraleja Enmedio and San Fernando.

Cadete (born after 1994): from Torrevieja, Hercules, Elche, Villarosa, At. Pinto,
EFM Moraleja Enmedio, San Fernando, Sheffield United, Jarama Race, Coslada, Los
Montesinos, Thader Rojales, Alcobendas, Alberca, Aluche and Vallecas.

Infantil (born after 1996): from Torrevieja, Hercules, Elche, Vallecas, Villarosa, At.
Chopera – Alcobendas 04, Sheffield United, Jarama Race A, At. Pinto, Coslada, EFM
Moraleja Enmedio, San Fernando, Jarama Race and Horadada.

Alevin (born after 1998): from Chopera Alcobendas 04, Bonares, Elche, Torrevieja,
Sheffield United, Jarama Race, At. Pinto, Elche Sporting, Coslada, EFM Moraleja Enmedio,
San Fernando, Horadada and Alberca.

Benjamin (born after 2000): from Torrevieja, Elche, Sheffield United, Jarama Race,
Elche Sporting, Coslada, Los Montesinos, Torrellano Illice, Horadada and Alone de
Guardamar.

Prebenjamin (born after 2002): from Sheffield United, Ilicitano Sporting, Nuevo Boadilla,
Horadada, Algorfa, Thader Rojales with places still available for two more teams.

A summer tournament will also be taking place and many teams are booked for both.
This runs almost immediately after school finishes from June 28 to July 3, 2011. For
those who like to compete indoors at Football Sala, the Easter dates are April 17 to 20
and in summer from July 12 through 17.

Interest in the tournament is already attracting International appeal and representatives
from www.promundial.net, a specialist sports travel company will be at the Easter
event, with the view to bringing over a top south London academy team or two. Layton
Orient, West Ham and Bolton representatives have also viewed the facilities. A few
weeks ago, Torrevieja was also graced with the presence of former, 86 times capped
Norwegian International, Liverpool, Tottenham, Aston Villa and Wimbledon midfielder
Øyvind Leonhardsen, who now coaches youth football in his native Norway. He was
most impressed by Torrevieja’s facility and showed an interest in bringing over a team
from Norway for a future competition.

The Torrevieja Cup is the largest sports competition on offer in the city and well-
supported and local and regional media. TV Torrevieja, Vega Baja TV and Canal Nou are
a few of the Spanish TV companies covering the event with local participation from Viva
TV plus photo and video coverage provided by www.PhotoVideoSpain.com. Although
the Torrevieja Cup will undoubtedly feature some professional footballers of the future,
new for 2011 is the Torneo Torrevieja F7 Cup, 48 hours of almost non-stop seven-
a-side football, open to all amateur teams. It’s designed to be full weekend of fun and
games, which already has attracted over 100 teams and 1,200 footballers! For more
information, visit www.TorreviejaCup.es and for updates befriend them on Facebook!

© Keith Nicol 2011

Email Keith Nicol for further information.