The Marenostrum Cup is the benchmark grassroots football tournament at the Costa Daurada. After a two-year hiatus due to the pandemic, the 20th edition was finally held this Easter. There were 3 days of competition (from 14th to 17th April), with 6 men's and 5 women's categories, 290 teams from 8 different nationalities, and more than 4,000 participants with their respective accompanying families.
Combining sport and holidays is a formula for guaranteed success. In addition, the temperatures that the sun has given us these days in Salou have allowed the teams staying at Mediterranean Sport Village to enjoy the pools and other facilities of the Resort, and even a show starring professional freestyler Javier Sanz, known on social networks as @javifreestyler. There were many faces of joy and satisfaction among the participants, who have played this tournament with more enthusiasm than ever.
Albert Viñas, the organiser of the tournament, is sure that it has been a resounding success and that the figures speak for themselves:
Bearing in mind that there is still a certain impact of the pandemic in terms of international mobility and Russia's conflict with Ukraine, having brought together almost 300 teams and having brought more than 5,000 people directly to stay overnight in Salou is a success. We have to be happy.
In a tournament of this size, the organization and operation is very important, as well as choosing the right facilities. In this sense, Albert Viñas says:
The facilities of Mediterranean Sport Village are the best there are to hold a tournament of the characteristics of Marenostrum. Being able to have 12 fields playing simultaneously, which can become 20 if we double them, is fundamental. There is no other tournament that can have 20 fields playing simultaneously in the same headquarters; this is a very important differential element. This, added to the fact of being able to stay overnight at the Resort, which is like an Olympic Village, makes it a very nice experience for the children who participate and their families.
Daniel Rivas, coach of the Barça Academy in New York, confirms the success of the event:
"This is the first time we have participated in this tournament and the truth is that both the children and their families are enthusiastic. The facilities are spectacular and so is the football atmosphere. It's very different from what we experience in New York, where there are usually few people and less atmosphere".
In sporting terms, the Fundació Futbol Base Reus prevailed in the masculine categories Sub10, S12, S13, S14, S15 and S16. They were followed by Can Rull (S8), Rondos Academy (S9), Nàstic de Tarragona (S11) and Racing Zaragoza (S19).
The champions in the women's category were CE Sant Gabriel (S12 and S16 F11), Riudoms (S14), Gimnàstic Manresa (S16 F7) and Aurrerá Vitoria (Open).
The closing ceremony was attended by the mayor of Salou, Mr. Pere Granados; the tournament director, Albert Viñas; the vice-president of the Patronat de Turisme de la Diputació Tarragona, Ms. Camí Mendoza; and the Territorial Delegate of the Catalan Football Federation, José Cosano. The ceremony also saw the presentation of a cheque for 7,980 euros as a donation to Caritas Diocesana, which was collected by the organisation's director, Salvador Grané.