Basketball and Fun at the Ramón Castañeyra Góngora Memorial

The Grupo de Recreación Deportiva MERACAS staged the 42nd Ramón Castañeyra Góngora Memorial – 24 Hours of Basketball – from Thursday 25 to Sunday 28 September at the Oasis Pavilion in Puerto del Rosario, with the backing of the City Council.

Event Overview

• 51 teams competed in roughly 40 hours of play, 29 of those uninterrupted.
• Participants ranged from benjamín (under‑12) to veteran categories.
• The tournament was part of the Fiestas del Rosario, celebrating both sport and community.

Senior Finals

• Women (26‑33): Brigada dethroned the defending champions Recess.
• Men: Maccabi de Levantar retained its title, beating Los Muyayos 51‑41 despite the latter’s very short roster and impressive run past several favorites.

“Talking about the Memorial Ramón Castañeyra is talking about the sporting and social history of Puerto del Rosario. Each edition shows that basketball, beyond competition, is coexistence, memory and community. It’s a pride to see so many generations sharing the court and stands in this special tribute.” – Mayor David de Vera

Classic Friendly

After midnight on Saturday, historic clubs Cecilio Grandes Playas and Pabeplástika faced off in a high‑level friendly that ended 27‑27.

Other Categories

• Infantile Masculine: River Platos triumphed over Los Últimos Serán los Primeros and CDT.
• Cadet Masculine: Airball Bro defeated Camarones CB.
• Cadet Female: Las Clipper received a trophy as the sole team in their category, also contributing significantly to the senior competition.

Triple Contest

• “Premio Javi Calero” (most three‑pointers): Héctor (UD Torotostos) – 7 triples.
• “Premio Andrés Valerón” (best performance): La Última Cena, the previous year’s winners under a new name.

Results

Senior Men

1. Maccabi de Levantar
2. Los Muyayos

Senior Women

1. Brigada
2. Recess

Cadet Men

1. Airball Bro
2. Camarones CB

Cadet Women

1. Las Clipper

Infantile Men

1. River Platos
2. Los Últimos SLP
3. CDT

Infantile Women

1. PawPatrol A
2. PawPatrol B

Triple Contest “Premio Javi Calero”

• Champion: Héctor (UD Torotostos) – 7 triples

Best Performance “Premio Andrés Valerón”

• Winner: La Última Cena

Prize Ceremony

The ceremony opened on Thursday 25 with a salute from Mayor David de Vera. It closed on Sunday, led by councilors:

• Luis Chacón (Sports)
• Tacoremi Gutiérrez (Festivities)
• María Franco (Personnel & Hiring)

“This event is unique in Fuerteventura. Sport is lived for almost two days without pause, in a family‑friendly atmosphere that makes it irreproducible. We want to keep supporting MERACAS so future generations have a space to grow and enjoy basketball.” – Luis Chacón, Sports Councilor

“Integrating the Memorial into the Rosario Festivities lets us unite tradition, culture and sport. The Oasis Pavilion becomes a meeting place for all citizens, and we value that enormously.” – Tacoremi Gutiérrez, Festivities Councilor

“Behind each edition many hands work – volunteers, referees, scorers, collaborators. The Memorial shows how the social fabric and the City Council can walk together to keep alive a tradition that already exceeds forty years.” – María Franco, Personnel Councilor

Acknowledgments from MERACAS

MERACAS thanked the City Council for:

• Inviting the Memorial to open the Rosario Festivities.
• Providing the Oasis Pavilion and financial support that “allows us to keep improving the event each edition.”

Special gratitude was also expressed to volunteers, referees, scorers, officials, fans, and private partners such as Panadería Pulido Alonso and pharmacists Bruno Márquez Rodríguez and Olga Hortensia Márquez Felipe.

Basketball from the Base

The tournament also promoted youth development with an open morning session on Saturday. About 70 children (benjamín and minibasket, supported by local clubs Tamobasket and Amuley, and welcomed newcomers learning basketball for the first time.

History of the Memorial

The Ramón Castañeyra Góngora Memorial is a social, recreational, and festive event held during the Rosario Festivities, centered on basketball since 1984. Although unofficial and governed by its own rules, it has become a cornerstone of local sport.

• The name was adopted in 1984 during the second edition of the 24 Hours of Basketball.
• The original organizing group from 1983 formed the Colectivo MERACAS to keep the event alive and honor the memory of the missing companion, Ramón Castañeyra.
• Over four decades later, the event continues with the original founders and a second generation ensuring its continuity.

Each year, family and friends of Ramón gather to remember him and, above all, to celebrate a grand basketball festival that promotes the sport and offers participants a space for fun and community within the Rosario Festivities.