The National Association of Surfers (ANS) honored some of the best Portuguese athletes of all time during the third phase of the MEO Surf League, the Allianz Ericeira Pro, which started on June 10.
Using the symbolism of Portugal Day, ANS wanted to highlight some of the athletes who most often honored and glorified corner kicks. For example, the competition lycras were personalized with the names of 26 athletes.
And if among the surfing community Frederico Morais, Teresa Bonvalot, Tiago Pires, Yolanda Hopkins, Nuno Vitorino and Marta Paço deserved to be highlighted, so too did Carlos Lopes, Fernanda Ribeiro, Pedro Pichardo, Rosa Mota, Nelson Évora, Patrícia Mamona and Lenine Cunha from athletics went into the water.
Drivers António Félix da Costa and Armindo Araújo, basketball player Neemias Queta, the first Portuguese player to play in the NBA, as well as super-award-winning canoeist Fernando Pimenta and Olympic medalist judoka Telma Monteiro were among the names honored.
As well as football players Cristiano Ronaldo, Eusébio, Vítor Baía, Luís Figo and Jéssica Silva, skater Gustavo Ribeiro, Miguel Oliveira (MotoGP) and tennis player João Sousa.
An initiative that boosted the competition’s visibility, largely thanks to the media attention obtained through the distribution of photos and videos on social networks. Including the shares of the honorees themselves, according to the bureau the couchwhich works with the ANS.
“It was with great pride that we chose Portugal Day to honor some of our best ambassadors. Portuguese sport has honored our colors all over the world, so now is the ideal time for the best Portuguese surfers to honor them The list of personalities is huge, not to mention those who have already defended Portugal’s colors in the waves in the world surfing elite and in the Olympic competitions,” said Francisco Rodrigues, President of ANS.
Source: DN
