Sport, culture and tourism by El Transcantábrico

Jesús Castañón Rodríguez

Boarding in Oviedo
The 25th of November, the crew welcomed the expedition on the platform of Oviedo railway station, it was composed of sportsmen and the specialized press.

The FEVE authorities and the General Head of Sports from the Government of the principality of Asturias, Daniel Gutiérrez Granda, presented the trip to the mass media.

The first tourist train of Spain started its journey towards Trubia, Grado and Pravia, place where an insignificant technical stop was made.

Sportsmen on the platform of Oviedo railway station, who were welcomed by the General Head of Sports from the Principality of Asturias

Czech chica (*) in chaca

In this small town two ways were crossed, the one belonging to what it was the way of the strategic railway Ferrol-Gijón, known as the "Chaca" by the locals and the Vasco-Asturias railroad Collanzo-San Esteban de Pravia, called the "Vasco".

Héctor García, Mario de Sárraga and Jana Smidakova

Sergio Cuesta and Javier Hernanz

 The train went on with its "chaca" journey towards Cudillero, Luarca, Navia and Ribadeo. In the pub coach, the Press boss of the Regional Society of Tourism from the Principality of Asturias, named Esther Canteli, and the Commercial Head of FEVE named Amador Robles spoke and besides they introduced all the members of the expedition.

During the days the cruise lasted, several sportsman and sportswomen take part, so the athletes Martina de la Puente and Rocío Ríos as well as the trainers Juanjo Azpeitia and Pepe Teverga; the cyclists Carlos Barredo, Sergio Cuesta, Benjamín Noval, Santi Pérez, Chechu Rubiera, Mario de Sárraga and Samuel Sánchez; the karate expert Óscar Vázquez; the wrestler Héctor García; the climber Rosa Fernández; the canoeists Manuel Busto, Javier Hernanz and Jana Smidakova; and the Formula-3 driver Javier Villa. Also, representatives of the Efe and Fax Press news agency travelled, of the Journalists Association, of the papers like El Comercio, La Nueva España and La Voz de Asturias, of the Spanish Television channel and of the digital publication Idiomaydeporte.com.

The canoeist spell

The first stop was in Ribadeo. Sportsmen and journalists went to the San Miguel restaurant to have dinner. There, the Vice-chairman of the Galician Federation of Canoeing, Tito Valledor, presented them with a "queimada" (traditional Galician hot drink made with flamed "orujo", sugar and lemon).

Undoubtedly, the invocation of the spell against the roar of the rough sea, as well as the call for the participation of the missing friends' spirits created a free atmosphere and full of humour which would last till the end of the journey.

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(*) "Chica" means girl in Spanish

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Traducción: María Elena Martín Pérez

 

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