Carlos Fernández takes a deep breath after a few very intense days. The organization of the “Villa de Avilés” Tournament, the polishing of the details of a competition that involves more than one thousand six hundred athletes, is very absorbing. Combined, in addition, with the direction of the Avilesian judokas that he has under his orders. But he considers that he has been worth it. Fernández believes that the tournament has reached its maximum expression quantitatively and has very little to polish qualitatively. “The margins of improvement go through keeping it where it is, very high, and it is a major challenge”, he assures the day after the closing of the championship.
–What is the balance of the tournament?
-In general the balance is capital. We have achieved excellence as an event, which we as organizers have long sought for 22 years: that judo transcends beyond the sporting event and leaves a mark on society and the economy of the region. Of course, it transcends the borders of Avilés, which does not have the capacity to take on the 6,000 people who visit us. We are filling our autonomous community and that is what is sought.
–Do you have any calculation of the impact it causes in the city?
-We usually take the numbers with Tourism, but this year we haven’t done it yet. In any case, it is very high. Hotels are full, we know of restaurants with triple shifts for lunch and dinner… that’s wonderful.
– Do you feel the support of Avilés and the institutions?
-The tournament has been self-sustaining for many years, but it is the first year that we are self-sustaining with capital letters, that we notice that people realize what we do and appreciate it, that this weekend is important. That fills us up, like the presidential visit. It is not very often that Adrián Barbón goes to anything sporting, and yet he showed a lot of interest in what we do. We appreciate it.
–Does “Villa de Avilés” have room for growth?
-Quantitatively there is no room for more, we have had 1,650 athletes. There is no competition at a European level with such a participation, and, in addition, we meet the schedules to the letter, something that the competitors thank us for. What’s more, on Sunday we had to slow down the competition a bit to respect the schedule of the President’s visit.
– And qualitatively, how can it be improved?
–Well, this year we have had 7 nationalities. We could just expand them, but I hesitate, because Spanish participation would have to be stopped and that would create a problem for us. There is a lot of interest in taking part, when we opened registration in the first week of September we had to close it in three hours. None of the competitions that are held in our sport close, sometimes they are open for up to two months. We will be doing something right. Athletes feel comfortable and recognized.
–Does the organization work well, do you need more people?
-One of the handicaps before the pandemic was the loyalty of volunteers, and we have also achieved it. We have had calls from other cities in Asturias and other regions to offer themselves. We have a team of 120 volunteers, of which 80 or 90 are permanent. For all that, it is for what I say that we are very high and that the margins of improvement go through maintaining. And that is a huge challenge.
-It was feared that the pandemic would sink the sport, but in your case, has it served to revitalize it?
-I think that what the pandemic has done in general has been to awaken the desire to enjoy what we had. In general I think it has revitalized the whole sport.
-How was the sporting level of the weekend’s competition?
– On a general level, tremendous. The participation of Holland and Portugal has multiplied the quality. At the level of Asturias we have been as usual, and we still need to pass the good results clean in the absolute categories. At the level of Avilés, I am very satisfied with the junior and sub-21, a little half with the sub-18 and sub-15 and very happy with the smallest.
-What are the club’s next sporting challenges?
–The return to the Women’s First Division, in a league that will start in January. Meanwhile, to try to recover the injured, something that has greatly diminished us. Let’s see how we get to the next absolute Spanish Championship, which will take place in December. At the base, training and values, it is what distinguishes us and will continue to be our flag.
-And how are things going in the economy?
-One of my premises is that we have to be self-sustaining as a club, function and work from what is guaranteed income. Then, to majors, subsidies and other welcome are, but we have it clear. And besides, the public coffers are as they are. On the way to that balance, we took the path of being sporting where we can be with our resources. We want to be calm and we cannot mortgage the future or cover up the exit of the judokas.
