Quintana Roo Government, COJUDEQ, BSWW and Sunset World representatives stress the value BSWW Cancun Cup brings the city
The starting signal to the Beach Soccer Worldwide Cancun Cup 2012 was given this afternoon, with the opening press conference held at the Royal Sunset Hotel, just by the stadium where the competition is taking place as of this same Friday. Normando Medina, president of COJUDEQ, Daniel Homedes, Dara Sports president and Beach Soccer Worldwide representative, Annie Arroyo, Brand Manager of Sunset World, the Mexican National Coach, Ramón Raya, and Josep Ponset, Beach Soccer Worldwide Head of Competitions, chaired the conference.
Normando Medina, president of the Comisión para la Juventud y el Deporte de Quintana Roo (COJUDEQ),was the first to take the floor, highlighting the pride it feels for Quintana Roo state and Cancun to venue “the first international Beach Soccer event in the Atlantic coast of the country’s Atlantic Coast”. In addition, Medina stressed the importance of hosting this kind of top-flight Events, he described as “key for the sport’s development in such a football-loving country as ours, meaning at the same time a wonderful window to show Cancun to the world”. The event, to be aired to more than 100 countries worldwide through TV will project an “amusing image of Cancun, always in a great shape, and with our wonderful beaches”.
After him, it was Dani Homedes the one to speak to the audience, something he did not want to start doing without “honestly thanking the Government of Quintana Roo for the unconditional support they have offered since the very first time we spoke about the possibility of bringing the Cup here. I want to say also thanks to Erika García and all her team in Yucatán Holidays, who have help us to make this event come true, and, obviously, to Corona, whose spirit perfectly matches with beach soccer’s, Gatorade and Epura”.
Homedes also dealt with the venue’s excellence: “Cancun is the ideal stage for Beach Soccer: it’s a top-notch touristic resort, wonderful beaches, beautiful people, great atmosphere, etc. We hope to be coming back for a long time”. To close his speech, the BSWW representative wanted to “invite everyone to discover and enjoy the uniqueness of a Beach Soccer event, an experience that goes far beyond the mere sporting spectacle”.
In turn, Annie Arroyo, on behalf of Sunset World, pointed the importance of such a huge event taking place in Cancun, explaining that “it is a great honor for us to have such a high-level international event landing in our beaches, something that carries a huge value for all that the city can offer to its visitors”.
Finally, Ramón Raya, Mexico National Coach, and Josep Ponset, BSWW Head of Competitions dealt with the technical issues and the sportive approach brought by this Beach Soccer Worldwide Miami Cup 2012. Raya pointed that “it is a really difficult competition, but our team will try their best, saving no efforts. Our opponents are tough, with a team such as Spain, who are always going to be among the best sides in the world in the discipline, El Salvador, current semifinalists in the FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup, or the United States, who we are to face on Sunday in the most traditional combat of the continent”.
Similarly, Josep Ponset highlighted that “this may be an exhibition event, but it is a part of the BSWW 2012 calendar and, when seeing the teams, it is not difficult to foresee that it is going to be a really hard-fought competition”.
Right after the press conference, Spain opened the official trainings session, followed by El Salvador, México and the USA. Precisely, the European side will face the USA in the tournament’s opening, at 14.15 of this Friday February 10th, right before the Mexican side battles El Salvador in front of their own crowd.
The schedule to the whole tournament, to which the entrance is absolutely free, goes as follows:
Fri 10.02.12
14:15 Spain vs. USA
15:30 El Salvador vs. Mexico
Sat 11.02.12
14:15 USA vs. El Salvador
15:30 Mexico vs. Spain
Sun 12.02.12
13:00 Celebrity match
14:15 Spain vs. El Salvador
15:30 Mexico vs. USA
