Deusto has secured a historic promotion to the Eusko Label Liga, ensuring that Bilbao will feature a club in the highest tier of men’s competitive rowing for the very first time. Known locally as the ‘Tomatera’, the Bilbao squad sealed the breakthrough achievement after dominating the two-day playoff weekend across the waters of the Ria of Bilbao in Portugalete and Bermeo.
How Deusto Secured Promotion in the Playoff
The decisive action concluded on a Sunday in Portugalete, following the opening leg held hours earlier in Bermeo. The ‘Tomatera’ delivered a dominant performance across both days of competition.
Entering the weekend, the Bilbao club did not carry the tag of favorites. That status traditionally belongs to the team dropping down from the Eusko Label Liga itself. In this instance, that vulnerable spot belonged to the crew from Ares. However, Ares finished third over the weekend against expectations, losing its place in the top tier. That result also confirmed that the upcoming premier summer season will feature no Galician representation in the elite division.
Building on an ARC1 Championship Campaign
The promotion serves as the crowning achievement of a stellar summer for Deusto, which previously captured the ARC1 championship. Team patron Iker Gimeno expressed profound joy following the promotion-clinching performance.
Faced with questions regarding the financial and operational realities of stepping up to the premier division, Gimeno maintained a grounded perspective. “Blessed problem to climb up,” he said, emphasizing that the club must maintain its core principles. “These are already big words and we have to continue working the same way, with the same order, the same discipline and, above all, the same humility.”
Zarautz Joins the Elite Ranks
Deusto will not be the only newcomer testing itself against the established giants next year. Zarautz, which finished second in the ARC1 standings, secured the second available promotion spot by finishing directly behind the ‘Tomatera’ with second-place results throughout the weekend playoff.
With the playoff dust settled and the summer calendar officially closed, both Deusto and Zarautz will turn their attention toward winter preparations ahead of their historic debuts in the Eusko Label Liga next summer.
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