Netball
For the first time, the Algarve Sevens incorporated a netball tournament this year. Among the twelve teams, the Lagos Fireballs and Leoas de Tavira competed against the UK sides. The Fireballs achieved a heroic feat against much younger trems to come 4th overall.
Cycling
The Algarve town of Loulé will host stage three of this year’s Tour of Portugal. The tour returns to the Algarve for the first time since 2018 and to Loulé for the first time in twenty years. The organisers have announced that the stage will be the longest of this year’s edition and will run from 9–20 August.
João Almeida has become the first Portuguese rider to finish on the podium of a Grand Tour event for 44 years. The 24-year-old took third position on the Giro d’Italia behind winner Primoz Roglic and runner-up Geraint Thomas. Almeida took overall victory in the young rider classification for athletes under twenty-five years of age.
Rugby
The ‘Algarve Sevens’ returned to the Sports Complex of Vila Real de Santo António for another exciting tournament between many of the world’s best teams. In the men’s tournament, Ireland put together six straight victories, including a 19-10 win against surprise finalists Georgia to take the title. France beat Great Britain in the third place play-off, while hosts Portugal beat Germany to finish in fifth. In the women’s competition, a dominant French side came from behind to beat Great Britain 19-7 in the final. Ireland took third place after brushing aside an emerging Poland side, while Portugal finished in tenth position.
Surfing
Algarvian surfer Joana Schenker remains in third place overall, following stage two of the Bodyboard World Championships in Chile. Despite losing her quarter-final to home favourite Paloma Freyggang, Schenker took fifth place and will now head to the Maldives, for the third stage in August.
Football
Men’s football
Farense are celebrating promotion back to the top flight of Portuguese football after finishing second in the Liga Portugal 2. The Faro-based side finished their season with eight consecutive victories to comfortably hold off the challenge of third-placed Estrela Amadora. Promotion sees the Lions back in the Primeira Liga after a two-year absence. Aside from high-profile matches against Porto, Sporting and (newly-crowned champions) Benfica, Farense will be pitted against Algarvian rivals Portimonense who finished their season in 15th position.
Meanwhile, Farense manager José Mota has signed a new contract to lead his side into the 2023/2024 Primeira Liga season. The 59-year-old only joined the club halfway through the campaign, but an astonishing run of results meant that the club offered a contract extension which they described as the “best decision for success”.
Women’s football
The Algarve’s top women’s team, Guia FCF, have suffered relegation from Nation Division Two on the last game of the season. Needing a draw to prolong their stay in the league, they were comfortably beaten by UR Cadima, who leapfrogged them to safety. Relegation will be tough for the Algarve side who operate on a tiny budget, but they will be confident of an immediate return if they are able to keep hold of their best players for the 2023/2024 season.
Farense have announced their intention to start a much-delayed women’s team. Following discussions with the Câmara de Faro, local mayor Rogério Bacalhau announced that there was not currently a suitable option but they would allocate a piece of land in the city that they would cede to the club. The formation of another women’s team would be hugely beneficial to a region that is severely lacking in women’s football sides.
Basketball
In an exciting all-Algarve playoff final, Immortal B (Albufeira) pipped Sporting Clube Farense (Faro) to win the national south division one men’s title. Farense went into the match as favourites after finishing top of the league at the end of the regular season, but the strength in depth of Immortal proved decisive as they took the title by two games to one.
If you wish to publicise a sporting event, please contact our sports editor David Lugg: david@tomorrowalgarve.com
