MADRID, 23 Dic. (EUROPA PRESS) –
The skiers June Garitano, Tomás Barata, Iria Medina and Alex Rius have been proclaimed winners of the IV Blanca Fernández Ochoa Trophy for alpine skiing, which was held in the Baqueira Beret resort (Lleida).
The event on the calendar of the Royal Spanish Winter Sports Federation (RFEDI), held on Friday and Saturday, had more than 120 participants of various nationalities who remembered the legendary skier who won Olympic bronze. In addition, several training talks have been given within the Women and Snow Area of RFEDI.
In total, two slaloms were held per day, two on Friday and another two on Saturday, divided into men's and women's categories. On the first day, the two members of the RFEDI national team, June Garitano (NKEF-IRIMO) and Tomás Barata (FCEH-CEVA), won, and on the second, the winners were the Andorrans Iria Medina and Álex Rius.
The first day was marked by low visibility, but the second had excellent snow quality and weather. Both tests could be carried out after the great work done by the slope services of the Aranese station and the organization of the RFEDI events team.
Blanca's son, David Fresneda Fernández, attended the event. “It is an honor that this trophy bears my mother's name and is remembered with so much affection,” he said. Paula Fernández-Ochoa, Blanca's niece, was also present. “It is very important that this is the fourth consecutive year that this momentous test has been carried out for the inspiration of athletes. Especially because it is considered within the Women and Snow activities with the promotion of women's sports and a strategic objective of equality. who work in the RFEDI supported by Universo Mujer and Iberdrola,” he noted.
On Friday afternoon, three talks were held by Paula herself, Pablo Quero and Félix Jordán de Urríes, General Director of the Young Sports Foundation. “These types of events are very important so that the alpine skiing base in our country has quality tests and athletes from other countries are measured, thus being able to better work on equality,” said Félix Jordán de Urríes.
In the afternoon, some of the participants approached the statue in memory of Blanca; This is installed next to the current Institut d'Aran de Vielha. The work, three meters high, was created by the Basque artist Josean Quevedo 'Jadiku' and is made up of stainless steel tubes, on a stone platform weighing four tons.
The competition had the collaboration of Iberdrola and was organized by the RFEDI next to the Baqueira Beret station, with the collaboration of Audi, Movistar, Naut Aran, Consell General d'Aran, Turisme d'Aran, Caviar Nacari and RS Roslain Relojes . The FCEH and the Val d'Aran ski clubs also collaborated with the organization.