Best Biscayan Athletes: EL CORREO Awards

The event started with the award to Joxean Fernández Matxin, director of the UAE cycling team, which broke the record for victories last season. The one from Basauri could not attend and it was his father, Antonio Fernández, who was in charge of picking him up. The representatives of the new generation of Biscayan athletics, Aitana Rodrigo and Markel Fernández, took the stage next after demonstrating that they continue to make their way on the national scene.

One of the most emotional moments of the night was the presentation of the BBK Inclusion Award, which went to Beti United of Berango, a soccer team made up of Parkinson’s patients that participates in the walking footbal league, aimed at promoting physical activity in the older population. Jesús Etxebarria collected it from the hands of Nora Sarasola, director of the BBK Social Work.

Arenas and Basconia achieved promotion and their representatives, Mikel Barandalla and Unai Azurmedi, spoke about their next challenges in the new category.

The fifth prize went to Malle Euskal Pilota Taldea, organizer of the Biharko Izarrak tournament for more than twenty years, which received the award for its work in the amateur field. Juan Carlos García and Ricardo Altube, two of its founders, collected the award.

The motorboat pilot Ian Traba was next, awarded for his Offshore Aquabike World Championship in the GP3 category held in Italy.

Basque cycling lost last year Luis Zubero, one of its references and promoters, who was honored. His son Julen remembered the legendary KAS runner after receiving the award from Itsaso Erroteta, Sports Councilor for the Bilbao City Council.

This emotional award gave way to the joy that came with Santurtzi returning to the highest category of rowing after a campaign that bordered on perfection.

Good health

Jonathan Castroviejo and Omar Fraile hung up their bike after offering intense afternoons of cycling. EL CORREO also wanted to recognize them at the conclusion of their careers.

Just like Asier Zaita, the young 16-year-old mountaineer from Usansolo who is burning through stages at a dizzying speed and who still has many peaks left to climb.

With three less, Garazi Lamborena became the first absolute Spanish sub-1,700 points chess champion in Euskadi and has a promising future.

Just like Patricia Martín in the stone lifting. The head of the Burn Unit at the Cruces hospital won the regional title.

And Bakio’s Kiroleta tennis club, the oldest club in the territory, which turned 40 years old and has been part of the international circuit for the last 17 years, is in good health. Bilbao Atletismo Santutxu, for its part, continues to accumulate titles to its record and in November achieved runner-up cross country championship in the women’s category. Its director, Amaia Piedra, collected the award.

April 23, 2025 is a date that will be engraved in the memory of Surne Bilbao for winning the FIBA Europe Cup title. This was recognized by its sports director, Rafa Pueyo, as well as the players Pantzar and Hlinason when they received the EL CORREO award this Monday from the hands of Iñigo Barrenechea, general director of this newspaper.

Bilbao skater Egoitz Bijueska remains unstoppable on his path to be in the Olympic Games and, at 15 years old, managed to place himself first in the world ranking. While Enara Gaminde was crowned queen of women’s handball after a practically perfect season.

The presentation of the Cortizas Award to the centenarian journalist Sarita Estévez by the director of EL CORREO, Oscar Villasante, drew applause from those in attendance.

Beñat Prados was in charge of collecting from the mayor of Bilbao, Juan Mari Aburto, the award given to Athletic for its return to the Champions League eleven years later.