The First Southamerican Beach Games - Uruguay 2009, that took place in Montevideo and Maldonado, arrived to the end last sunday at  "Arena del Plata" stadium in Pocitos, in the closing ceremony.
In a short but moving act, the standard bearers of each country paraded, followed by the participating delegations with their respective prizes. The oratory part was in charge of the President of the Olympic Committee, Dr. Julio César Maglione, and the Sports National Director, Prof. Fernando Cáceres. After that, the first vice-president of ODESUR, Ec. Danilo Carrera, declared the First Southamerican Beach Games - Uruguay 2009 as finished. Slowly and gradually the Olympic Couldron was burned out. finally, the flag of the ODESUR was given to the second vice-president of the Ecuatorien Olympic Committee, Gral. Marcelo Delgado, representing the next venue of the tournament, the city of Manta (Ecuador).

As a definitive closure, a reunion with all the Mission Chiefs of all the delegations  was made with part of the members of the organizer committee. The balance of the event in its total was very positive, as more than a thousand sport people participated and between them prevailed the fair play spirit and the maximum of respectfor the olympic principles. Uruguay entered again in history for being the first Southamerican country to carry out the Beach Games.

The heats of Surfing of the First Southamerican Beach Games arrived to an end with a great performance by the Brazilian team, winning three of the four gold medals.

The heat of surfing of the First Southamerican Beach Games ended today, sunday 13th December, with an environment of true olympic spirit. The flags of the winners waved at the podium and the national anthems of the gold medallists were well sang. It was an excellent surfing day with conditions of until 2 metres of face and good conditions.

The Brazilian team was the outstanding one, winning the gold in the two divisions disputed today: Aloha Cup and Aerials Heats, achiving with this, three of the four gold medals disputed at the surfing heats.

Gabriel Medina (BRA) got the highest scores at the qualifyings of the Aerials heats and got to the final being the man to be defeated. At the last serie of the day, after landing an impressive aerial that gave him a  9.17, he confirmed why he has such status, jumping to the first place and winning the gold medal. The silver medal was for the Peruvian Matías Mulanovich and the bronze one for the Argentinian Martín Passeri.

The Brazilian team won the Aloha Cup by a big difference. Alejo Muniz (Power surfer), Jadson André, Miguel Pupo, Gabriel Medina and Camila Cassia made a wise election of waves and a better distribution of time, leaving the other three finalists in need of a combination of two waves. Perú took home the silver medal and Argentina the bronze one.

Once the event was finished, the olympic protocol was followed for the medals-giving ceremony. The member of the International Olympic Committee and President of the Uruguayan Olympic Committee, Dr. Julio Maglione honoured the championship, giving the medals to the winners. The Vicepresident of the International Surfing Association, Karín Sierralta together with the President of the Pan American Surfing Association, Maile Aguerre, accompanied him.

“I feel honoured because the surfing was part of the programme of the Games. The surf is a key element for the youth and the beach culture around the world. Congratulations to the ODESUR for its leadership in this event. The Southamerican Olympic Teams included in their lines the best athlñetes of each country. This was an event of elite surfing and I am very confident that it will only take an extra step to the inclussion in the Programme of the Summer Olympic Games", said the President of the  International Surfing Association, Fernando Aguerre.

The next edition of the Southamerican Beach Games will be held in Manta, Ecuador, in 2011.

FINAL RESULTS

Female

Gold: Analí Gómez (PER)

Silver: Camila Cassia (BRA)

Bronze: Gabriela Leite (BRA)

Male

Gold: Alejo Muniz (BRA)

Silver: Rafael Pereira (VEN)

Bronze: Leandro Usuna (ARG)

Aloha Cup – Tag Team
Gold: Brazil
Silver: Perú
Bronze: Argentina

Aerials Heats
Gold: Gabriel Medina (BRA)
Silver: Matías Mulanovich (PER)
Bronze: Martín Passeri (ARG)

Finally Uruguay was able to beat Argentina at the final of the "Uruguay Natural" cup of the First Southamerican Beach Games - Uruguay 2009, with a result of 4 to 3, and in this way they got the last gold medal disputed, and the only gold medal won by Uruguay.
The Argentinians started winning the encounter, with a goal scored when there were four minutes left to end the first short, goal by Jonathan Levy, and by penalty, the sky-blue team drew with a goal by Matías Cabrera, going to the first break even. The second short was similar: a goal by Luciano Franceschini for Argentina, and one by Sarandí Sobral for Uruguay, sending the break with a very closed 2 to 2.
It was in the third short that everything went clear. With majestuous catches by Diego Monserrat, the local team got firm. And even though when the last short had just started the Argentinians took advantage with a goal by Miguel De Eseyza, Ricardo Martínez got the match even again, and he, when there were 7 minutes left to the end of the encounter, defined perfectly to score the goal of the triumph which gives the national team the possibility of staying with the "Uruguay Natural" cup.
After the match had finished, the corresponding awarding of prizes of the tournament was made, in which the Prof. Ernesto Irurueta gave the bronze medals to the Ecuatorian team. The person in charge of doing the same but with the silver medals to the Argentinian team was Prof. Fernando Cáceres, Sports National Director. The most beutiful gesture of the day was when, at the time of awarding Uruguay with the maximum trophy, the people chosen to do so were Federico and Ángela, two of the volunteers who worked at sun and shadow to make this games real, representing the hundreds of people who contributed.

Ecuador got the third position of the "Uruguay Natural" cup of beach football, organised in the frame of the First Southamerican Beach Games - Uruguay 2009, after beating Venezuela by 5 to 3.
the match was even, though low and without emotions; the Venezuelan team was tossed in many occassions, but its goalkeeper, César Vazquez, saved more than one risky ball that were coming straight to the goal. At a few minutes from the start of the match, Fransisco Landaeta put the Venezuelan national team in advantage with a great shot to the goal, score to go to the first break with the advantage.
In the following short, the advantage was widen with a new score by "Landa". But immediately after, the Ecuador countdown started that, when there were 2 minutes left for the next break, it shortened distance with a goal by penalty shot by Joffre Delgado. The third short started with a score from the Venezuelan player number 7, Kevin Camargo, who put his team again at two goals in advantage. Immediately after and by penalty again, Ecuador put itself a step from its rival, this time by a shot by Cristhian Gallegos. When there were only 7 seconds left o the end of the encounter and Venezuela was getting the bronze, the Ecuatorians drew the match with a superb goal by Delgado.
The drew caused the extention of the match for a three minutes lapse. Surprisingly Ecuador's goal arrived, team that had folowed its rival from behind and managed to even the match, by Conforme, the figure of the team that ended being the winner. The venezuelan team, which was puzzled after the drew, saw itself affected by that score, and was unsettled on the pitch. In this way, Ronald Pérez took advantage of a last chance, and got the bronze, from behind, of the "Uruguay Natural" cup.