Sporting events bring 3,600 athletes to Portimão

Several sporting events are taking place in Portimão this month, bringing around 3,600 athletes from all over the world to the Algarve.

A large number of them will be in town for ‘Deep Dish’, a beach volleyball camp which started on Saturday, April 1 and runs until March 7. Around 2,500 athletes are expected in Praia da Rocha, where 40 beach volleyball courts have been set up. The event will also feature tournaments, training sessions and will encourage socialisation between athletes from many different countries.

Around 300 university students are also expected in Praia da Rocha for ‘Gata na Praia’, a sports event organised by the Academic Association of the University of Minho which started on Saturday and runs until Thursday. The event divides students into eight teams which compete in a series of “informal sports challenges”.

Deep Dish’ beach volleyball

Deep Dish’ beach volleyball

Portimão also played host last weekend (April 1-2) to another edition of ‘Bonicup Algarve’, a youth football tournament which brought over 700 children and youngsters from Spain to the region. Held at the David Neto football field in Portimão and the local sports complex in Mexilhoeira Grande (as well as Estômbar and Parchal in the neighbouring borough of Lagoa), the tournament featured youth footballers for renowned clubs such as Seville, Malaga and Almería.

“Portimão is one of the top destinations for sports tourism (in Portugal),” the local council says in a statement to the press, highlighting the thousands of athletes who “chose the municipality for a different kind of Easter holiday”.

By Michael Bruxo
[email protected]

Portugal Resident