2019TWC Gala Presentation

“O Abutre acordou” (the Vulture woke up). So says the official song of Trilhos dos Abutres, first released at the 2019 Trail World Championship Gala. And the framework could not be better: officially, the event that brings to Portugal the best of the world has begun this weekend in Miranda do Corvo.

 

With the presence of distinguished entities and athletes, the Gala of presentation of the 2019 Trail World Championships, and drawing for the Ultra Trilhos dos Abutres, took place last friday, at the Casa das Artes de Miranda do Corvo.

 

The start was made with an appearance of the hip hop group of the Casa do Povo de Miranda do Corvo, and the presentation of the event was in charge of the hosts Hugo Cabral and Pedro Amorim.
The President of the Associação Abutrica and President of the Local Organization Committee of the TWC, Tiago Araújo, classified as ” unimaginable to organize a World Cup, following a trail of dreams, guided by the work of all volunteers, under the motto “volunteer in action, professional in mission”.

José Carlos Santos, Vice President of the International Trail Running Association (ITRA) said that “on June 8, trail history will be done (…), because only one Country, one nation, and that nation is Portugal, a Country with a history still recent in the modality, one can be proud to say that within 4 years it has hosted 2 editions of the Trail World Championships”. And, “wearing the suit of national picker”, added that “expects that on June 8, in competitive terms, to make history in the modality, achieving the best result ever, but for this, it counts on the presence of all to support the Portuguese colors and cheer for Portugal”.

On behalf of the Portuguese Athletics Federation, we had the presence of the President, Jorge Vieira, to remember “the wealth of the world of sports in emotions”, that “athletics was different and enriched by the inclusion of the trail running”, concluding that this TWC, as the slogan states (“You make it epic”), will be an “epic event that will be forever in our memories”.
Carlos Cidade, Vice-Mayor of Coimbra, valued the “boldness of the Associação Abutrica in organizing this great event”, and Miguel Batista, Mayor of Miranda do Corvo, closed the protocol speeches, leaving words of “deep and heartfelt gratitude to the Associação Abutrica, volunteers and partners, for all the work they have been doing in promoting the national trail running and the region. ”

 

Following were the honors to the athletes (M/F) who won the various editions of the Ultra Trilhos dos Abutres (Ester Alves, Lucinda Sousa, Ricardo Silva, Luis Mota, David Quelhas, André Rodrigues), to the totalists (Glória e Jorge Serrazina), to Flor Madureira (Honorary Godmother) and to José Moutinho (Honorary Godfather), and there was still time to take to stage Rui Pinho, President of ATRP, the national trail and ultra trail champions (Romeu Gouveia and André Rodrigues, respectively) and the Triple World Champion, Luis Alberto Hernando. At these informal conversations, what stood out most was the human warmth and the technical rails that distinguish the Trilhos dos Abutres, a factor specially mentioned by the Spanish athlete; the difficult and competitive course of the candidature for the TWC organization; and the “green oil” and the mild climate that give our country, and especially the central region, idyllic and unique conditions for the practice of the modality (words of the President of ATRP).

The Associação Abutrica closed the Gala with the official presentation of the Abutres hymn, “O Abutre Acordou”, with lyrics and production by Pedro Janela, and with the voice of Pedro Fernandes, which is expected to become a true anthem of (and to) Abutres.

In the middle, there was still room for fado, by the voice of Laura Moita, an artist from the region.

This gala was transmitted in streaming to social networks, having had access from all over the world, especially those waiting anxiously for the draw, had anticipated a great moment, as has already been customary. The Ultra Trilhos dos Abutres go back to draw a few hundred tickets for thousands of pre-registrations, a race that promises not to disappoint lovers of the sport, to be held on June 9 and running on exactly the same course of the Trail World Championships.

The next day, several hundred athletes gathered in the space that, in June, will receive the departure of the Trail World Championships, the Miranda do Corvo City Hall, to “test” part of the course, in a warm conviviality that warmed a very cold morning! Once again, the rails did not leave anyone indifferent.

 

 

Photos of the Gala: Fotos do Zé

Photos of the training: Foto Jotapê

Comunication: CREAM