They arrived, played and won. The Universitat hardly gave respite to its Valencian counterparts in the finals of the Regional University Sports Championship (CADU) that hosted Wednesday 8 at its seat. Its teams of male and female basket, female handball, male and female volleyball, male and female football and male and female rugby will participate in the next Spanish Championship.
In a marathon day, which started at 10:00 in the University Sports Pavillion with the handball girls, the Universitat de València played 10 of the 12 games that faced the regional final, taking gold in nine of them. Only the futsal boys lost against the Miguel Hernández University of Elche with a tight 5-4.
The handball women emerged victorious of an intense match against the University of Alacant, to which they imposed with a 30-23. Simultaneously, the Aulari V of the Faculty of Physical Activity and Sport Sciences hosted the basketball and volleyball matches, both in male category, which also got the gold. In volleyball, the UV teams won easily with a 3-0 against the Universitat Politècnica de València. Nevertheless, it was more difficult for the basket boys, who also faced the Politècnica in a hard-fought match that was closed with a 77-58, favourable to the UV.
The football field of the Universitat was filled at 10:30 with the final of female CP football. The Valencian girls fought against the girls from Castelló for a regional title that was won by the Valencian team thanks to a decisive 5-1.
Their male teammates followed them, this time against the University of Alacant. The first part gave the Universidad de Valencia a generous but difficult 2-0. Nevertheless, the boys from Alacant reacted with a single goal in the second time, which ended with a 4-1 for the UV.
The female team of basketball also won the victory, even though they had a bad time facing the team of the Polytechnic University. Finally, they won with 68 points and their opponents got 60. When it comes to volleyball, despite the draw level of the scoreboard, they reached the three sets of the match.
At the same time, the rugby team, located in the old riverbed of the Turia River ─which has a new pitch─ held the rugby finals. The male team played first and won 17-5 against the CEU Cardenal Herrera University. After that, the female team beat the Catholic University of Valencia with a 34-12.
Tennis and paddle tennis
The Universitat de València also celebrated their triumph in tennis and paddle tennis. The final competition was played in the Tarongers Campus’ tennis courts and ended 2-1, making the UV team winner.
First of all, the Universitat de València faced the Catholic University in paddle tennis (www.padelcomunitat.com), which was beaten by the female category of the UV composed by Elena Molina and Tamara Icardo; and also mixed, with Javier Rico y Paula Pastor. When it comes to the masculine category, the UV team consisted of Adrián Torres and Javier Santoja and the UCV won.
After a long confrontation by the boys that lasted more than three hours, the Universitat de València won the tennis finals with a 2-1 scoreboard. The Universitat de València won against the Catholic University in the female individual category with Paula Álvarez and also the masculine individual category with Pedro Lizondo. Raúl Gil and Andrea Cervera, who played in the mixed category, won the silver medal.
Trophy ceremony and minute of silence
The University Pavilion held the traditional act known as the trophy ceremony. It was headed by the Culture and Equality Vice-principal of the Universitat de València, Antonio Ariño. He congratulated all the participants and called for a minute of silence on the occasion of the commemoration of the International Women’s Day and to demand rights and opportunities equality between women and men when it comes to the sport field and all other fields in general.
In his intervention, the vice-principal also reminded that sport is “something that is fundamental in the University” and underlined the involvement of the Universitat de València referring to the study, the practice and the divulgation of physical activity sciences.
The act counted with the presence of General Sports Director Josep Miquel Moya and Physical Education and Sports Service of the UV Director José Campos. Elena Tejedor and Juan Miguel Gómez from the Trinidad Alfonso Foundation also attended the act ─ it was the first time they collaborated with CADU. Also, a large representation of all the academic institutions of the Valencian university system was present.
