Pre match talk had been all about gloves but it was the lethal boots of CD Marino that trampled all over CD El Cotillo for a 5-1 home win. The signing of former CD Tenerife goalie Sergio Aragoneses created a mid week media frenzy but he sat this one out as Alberto kept his place. Sadly many of the reports of the new arrival didn’t go on to mention this home fixture and that showed in the crowd that struggled to break three figures.

The newly promoted visitors from Fuerteventura had made a good start to the season but looked weak and were exposed time and time again by a solid Marino team display. After shaving the crossbar just after kick off, Marino were unlucky when a Nestor Trujillo effort was touched away by the keeper and trickled against the post before bouncing back into his grasp. The clock only showed 8minutes when Sesma took his time to place a cool shot past the stranded stopper to take the lead.

Cotillo tried to rouse themselves, a raid down their left looked promising but was expertly snubbed out by Darias. Sesma was wreaking havoc and a neat headed flick found Pibe but Julio in the Cotillo goal got down to smother the shot. There was a small spark of hope for the opposition when Justin knocked in a weak shot that Alberto should have easily covered. The home response was swift, as a move down the left ended with the ball at the feet of Pibe, his finish was clinical and the advantage was restored.

A Darias in swinger forced a strong punch out from Julio but just before half time Marchena down the left found Pibe whose feed was converted by Nestor to round off a smooth break that ripped Cotillo open. The attacking urge continued in the second half, Darias was in full flight when he was upended in the box and Sesma stroked home the penalty. Alberto looked sharper when making a tremendous full length diving save from a rare Cotillo attack but it was only the stifling humidity and substitutions that prevented Marino from completely destroying the visitors. Nestor had the Cotillo defence in tatters as he constantly probed them, his build up work left Pibe with the simplest of tap ins to make it 5-1.

There was a welcome water break when the ref needed treatment for a knock, Cotillo were in the greater need of the respite. The ref added to their woes when he awarded a second yellow to their main strike weapon Juanjo and sent him off with ten minutes left. A couple of near misses and some desperate defending kept the score as it was, Marino had good reason to be pleased with a performance that marks them out as a firm promotion candidate.

It takes a womans touch to calm the seas, get the fishing boats scrubbed and decorated, and get everyone up and dancing. The Virgen del Carmen is the patron of the fishermen and Los Cristianos loves to celebrate her fiesta with colour and music.

This year it was an extra special party as the church in the heart of town was celebrating its 50th anniversary. The fair rolled in and the huge stage rose up at the car park next to the Valdes Centre. For anyone living close to the showground, the sight of the powerful speakers dominating the stage might have brought a little sigh but most people just roll with it and the many other fiestas that make Tenerife such a fun place to live. It’s the only time of the year that the statue of the Virgen comes out to play, carried down to the port for a whizz around the bay on a boat. The great lady is always in the minds and hearts of the local fishing community and the scaled down statue that is sunk on the sea bed keeps an eye on passing boats while her land based shrine is constantly topped up with flowers.

One of the newer events this year was the Fiesta del Sombreros (party of the hats) in the sealed off Calle Amalia Alayon. Tables were groaning with food and drink all afternoon and the homemade hats were very inventive and funny. There were prizes for the best efforts but it was more about the party spirit than glory hunting. The fair was back in town with some big scary rides and the fun favourites like the rodeo bulls – I could watch people falling off them for hours.

The sea was the big canvas, these are testing financial times for the latest generation of fishermen but they all proudly decorated their boats and did a twirl around the bay. I noticed on thee final night there was workshop going on in the Cofradia (fishermens association) office to teach Turismo Marinero, a new way to pass on a feel for history to the visitors that flock to Los Cristianos. Just back from the old beach, the Plaza del Pescadora was another popular focal point for music and dance, all the local bars and restaurants had good reason to say a quiet thank you to the Virgen as their tills got a welcome top up.

I dipped in and out of the events, and the bars, but made a point of catching up with the final evenings Sortija del Barcos. The shadows were starting to lengthen but the beach was still full as the fishing boats chugged out of the port to form a circle in the open sea in clear sight of shore. One of the biggest boats, Moby Dick, provided the stage for announcements as a dozen competing boats made a close orbit as one of the crew strived to grab a small ring from an outstretched post on the side of the main boat.

It needed a steady eye and hand even in the calm shallows, last year I watched a similar competition on horseback at nearby Montaña Chayofita. As the showground stage was dismantled, the last night of dancing unfolded at Plaza del Pescadora with the gentle lapping of the sea a fitting goodnight to the Virgen del Carmen.

Fireworks ripping through the Los Cristianos sky this week are as good a way as any to mark a two win perfect start for CD Marino. It’s the Virgen del Carmen celebrations to mark the fishing traditions of south Tenerife and the Marino club knows all about tradition and pride.

A quiet revolution has been going on at CD Marino, a raft of new faces has been brought in to build on last seasons promotion play off reaching team. Not many were in place when I saw them lose 1-7 to a strong Las Palmas side pre season but all that was forgotten when they opened their Tercera division campaign last week with a 1-2 win at Estrella. There was a good shape to the side in the latest win,1-0 at home to Atletico Victoria, Amado back for a second spell had the captains armband and marshaled his defence well, as well as making some timely interventions. Pibe led the attack with plenty of pace and old favourites like goalie Alberto, Pablo, and Balduino added a steadying influence to the mix.

Victoria spurned a couple of early chances, Lele looped his shot marginally over the goal but Marino settled quickly and took the game to their rivals from the north. Pibe carved his way through a couple of defenders but stumbled when shaping for a shot, a long high strike from Airan didn’t threaten the Victoria keeper, but a second effort from Pibe deserved better after he turned quickly and blasted just over the bar.

The stocky Joseph caused some trouble at the other end but found Alberto ready for him with a fine take in the air. Marino were testing their guests all the time, Nestor Trujillo was always willing to take the ball wide and challenge the defenders. At the break the blues had to be content with having the greater share of the play. The action resumed with a rare Victoria attack but the home defence mopped it up well. Marchena, another former Marino player lured back to the Antonio Dominguez stadium replaced Kevin Castro and added more bulk to the attack.

Pibe should have passed to a team mate after steering the ball around the defence but he hesitated and the moment was gone. Nestor Trujillo learnt from that and a few minutes later he drew his marker before placing his shot perfectly to grab the lead with 20 minutes to go. This stung Victoria into action, their goalie camped out on the edge of his box to help launch a fight back, Alberto came to the rescue twice with a powerful punch clear and then a dash outside his area to boot the ball out of play. It was a well deserved win and they will be looking for a third next weekend at Santa Ursula.

Man sees Jesus in slice of toast! As much as you want to believe it and strain your eyes it’s just a blur. Now I’m not saying that CD Tenerife’s 1-1 home draw with Albacete marked a moment of divine revelation but something is definitely appearing out of the recent months gloom. Of course it helped having a hallelujah moment when Aridane scored the first league goal in 790 minutes.

Maybe the late night air of Santa Cruz suits us but don’t tell the TV companies, their imposed 10pm kick off is not something we want to make a habit of. The late recruitment of a whole shoal of new players has put CD Tenerife a month behind their rivals but two of the new boys made a big impact on this game. The injured Ifran made way for Cristo Martin, and Aridane played the central striking role, he had great support from Guarrotxena who was strong and went close to scoring after just five minutes. At the other end, Albuzua looked assured alongside Carlos Ruiz in central defence.

Jacobo made a couple of good early saves but repeated his opening day weakness after 32 minutes, Portu put the ball into Diaz in the area and he fired, it was a soft effort and the big goalie should have easily swallowed it but it went straight through him for an away lead. The home spirit was good, Aridane, Ruiz, and Guarrotxena all went close in a hot five minute spell and hope still hung in the air at half time. The second half saw the steady improvement continue, Ruso came on for the busy Cristo Martin and a minute later the visiting goalie showed his generous side after Guarrotxena forced a mistake out of him to present Aridane with the goal we had all craved since April.

The second biggest cheer of the night was for the return of Vitolo after nine years away from his home island. Although clearly a little rusty he slotted in well and another piece of the jigsaw arrived when Maxi came on after 70 minutes. The Albacete goalie and some bad luck prevented a home winner but the build up play was better.

Albizua looked a class act tidying up behind the more prominent Ruiz, in the last ten minutes he stopped a Albacete break and hooked the ball up field to start a Maxi run down the right wing. It was a much encouraged 7,885 crowd that filed out for a midnight cup of cocoa, we had to settle for beer. More of the new signings will be up for consideration for next weeks game at Girona and coach Cervera will have a tough decision to make on the goalie choice but I will be looking for omens in my cornflakes next Saturday morning.

My lazy legs had found their stride again, after a few months of neglecting the walking trails I dived back in with a mission to explore one of the newly promoted routes from Candelaria Ayuntamiento. It was so enjoyable I just kept on going along the east coast of Tenerife down to Guimar to make a nice long afternoon of it.

There’s a full report to come on the stretch from Candelaria basilica to Playa de La Viuda for blog.tenerife.co.uk , a 90 minute walk that revealed a little used route with plenty to offer. I bade farewell to the charming old fishing village and briefly took the road long the back of the industrial estate that contains the Mahou brewery, I’d tasted that a few months before covering a CD Tenerife promotional visit. Thoughts of beer had to be banished from my head on this scorching afternoon, my water ration was good for another few hours and El Socorro welcomed me back to the coast.

A popular bathing area, El Socorro beach was fairly busy with families and the small refreshment van under a tree was doing a steady trade. A few yards further marked the entrance to Malpais de Guimar (badlands of Guimar) a protected area of natural beauty, if you like volcanic cones and twisted lava flows this will knock you bandy. The last stretch of surfing waves was soon left behind and I was into the wide open landscape as I followed a loosely marked path. A few roughly thrown together shelters and shacks were the only signs of life as the dark, hard rock underfoot kept me alert.

I was quite shocked by the amount of rubbish left behind at the surfing zone, this gave way to natures own deposits with driftwood and discarded waste from boats driven onto the rocks by the strong tides. The wispy clouds hung quite low in the Guimar valley as the lava fields stretched up through the cones to the TF1 motorway. One of the cones, Montaña de la Mar, made a fine natural mirador to take in the view and the information on the thoughtfully provided board. This peak was formed 10,000 years ago, if that sounds a long time just consider that in terms of Tenerife’s geology this and it’s 277 metre inland neighbour, Montaña Grande, were formed in the most recent hour.

Just after this resting point I encountered a couple pushing their bicycles along the track, there was no way thy could ride them on this rough stretch, and the bad news was they would be unseated for well over another hour until they got to El Socorro. My eyes, and legs, were cheered to see an end to the lava coast as El Puertito loomed up in the distance. Another assorted collection of old fishing shacks and improvised shelters eased me onto a smoother pathway and into the very busy El Puertito. Families were packed along the quayside and the sea was a big lure for the hot and sweaty, I should have brought my swimming gear. Instead I made for a local bar, a cold beer, and a huge chocolate pastry as I reflected on another route to add to my collection.

It’s fair to say that CD Tenerife supporters expect a little turbulence during the football season but a full scale cock up before it even begins added a new uncertainty. No wonder the players looked more attentive than usual when they made their annual pilgrimage to the basilica for a blessing from the Virgen de Candelaria.

The LFP, Spanish FA, just about had time to put in their expenses claims from their World Cup jolly before kicking Real Murcia down to the Segunda B for not fulfilling their financial obligations. The trouble was Murcia believed they had met every demand made on them, and a court agreed with this. The LFP had already drawn the fixtures and reprieved relegated Mirandes so there we were with an unworkable 23 team league. A late court hearing saw the judge change his mind against Murcia so they were ruled out and the first weeks fixtures were ready for playing.

The final outcome came just as CD Tenerife arrived by coach at the basilca, I was there ready to start a coastal walk so snapped a few shots. The players were very casual in their white training tops while President Concepcion and his staff were immaculate in suits. Quite a few supporters mingled with the media scrum and the players signed autographs and shook hands. The beggars on the steps looked hopeful but they obviously haven’t seen the club finances, at one point I thought Concepcion was going to tap them for a loan.

Inside the imposing basilica, the players were ushered to the front pews, a church bouncer moved a few devout prayers and the service began. Some wriggled in their seats, some looked very solemn, and some like Aridane seemed to be seeking forgiveness for spurned goal chances. They were in for around one hour, I left them to it when the serious stuff started, it’s too late to redeem me and anyway my church has four floodlights and a bar nearby that serves holy water. Emerging squeaky clean and ready for another campaign the players were whisked away, maybe a few CDT scarves on the statues of the Guanche kings would have completed the scene. It’s now over to the players to turn water into Dorada and a poor pre season into promotion aspirations. Let us all sing hymn number 92.02 Chicharrero de Corazon.

A scatter gun drum barrage, thrashing guitars, and even a bopping blow up doll, Pornosurf have a new CD out and their wave of surf inspired punk washed into the rocky bay at the edge of Las Galletas. Matinal Beach Club was no place to chill out as the wonderful Tenerife band had the outside deck jumping with some classic rock and newly penned tracks from “Verano Sin Fin” (summer without end).

Originally a Ramones tribute with Beach Boy influences, they have grown over the years and are now finding a new audience, they have quite a large following in Japan. I first saw them at the Underground in El Medano and they had me hooked. Normally a three piece, Teby on bass and vocals, Javi on guitar and vocals, and Ale on drums, they were joined by keyboard player Mattia Carrara who is featured on the new disc.

The set up took a while as they perched their equipment on the edge of the decking within serving distance of the bar. As this gig was for the filming of the video promotion clip there were plenty of angles to cover with a camera on the roof and another fixed to a small photo drone plane. As we waited in the late afternoon sun, the new disc belted out 11 new tunes and an up tempo cover of the Elvis ballad Can’t Help Falling In Love. It was enough to assure me that they still have that raw edge that makes them so good.
With sun and sea bathers cooking BBQ’s and sipping cold drinks, Pornosurf ripped into the evening calm with a blistering mix of old and new. Surfing USA, Let’s Dance, Barbara Ann, Shout, and the surf instrumental favourite Wipeout had us all bouncing. The doll started off wedged between the drum kit but was soon body surfing with many helping hands, and other parts, from the audience. It was quite a precarious stage but that didn’t stop the band from climbing amps and dancing with the fans.

Rather than take their glowing bodies home, many of the beach crowd were drawn to the music and gave in to the pounding beat. These guys are real pros, no problems juggling beer and instruments at the same time. The opening slow notes of Can’t Help Falling In Love teased a few new converts into expecting a breather but once the drum kicked in it was full steam ahead. Something special was needed for a climax (no not the dolls) and it came in the form of Surfin Bird, it would have sent Peter Griffin right over the edge.

The CD, Verano Sin Fin is on sale for 8 euros at El Corte Ingles and Carrefour and some smaller independent record shops. For a taste of their live act try the Son Atlantico free concert from 5pm at Playa Honda, Las Americas on Sat 23 August and you can find plenty of their music on You Tube. Gabba Gabba Hey, there’s a corner of Las Galletas that will now always be Rockaway Beach to me.

At school I did cooking and metalwork and no one could tell the difference, thankfully CD Tenerife have an expert football chef in coach Alvaro Cervera and he is currently blending his new ingredients together. The 0-2 home loss to Las Palmas in the Copa Mahou was hard to swallow but at La Orotava the mix was much smoother and Espanyol had to work hard for their 1-0 win.

Let’s start with the Las Palmas defeat, I saw the Pios win 7-1 at CD Marino the previous night and although it sticks in my throat, I have to say they looked to have strength and depth. Tenerife offered little up front, Aridane was back to his plodding mode and the only decent home shot all night hit the post. New boys Ifran and Maxi came on late and showed flashes of form and local youth player Jorge Saenz looked comfortable in the heart of defence.

It’s always a balancing act for CDT to make their resources go around, Juanjo and Ayoze Diaz didn’t figure in the Pio game and are on the way out, Abel popped back, picked up a contract extension to 2016 and went off on loan to La Roda, and Nano was lined up for a loan to Hospitalet. The Espanyol game for the Teide Trophy, was a much better performance but again showed we need more firepower, Tenerife looked the better side in the first half and came close with a neat offside tap in from Aridane. I liked the look of our defence, new boy Unai was cool at left back but the big revelation for me was Jorge Saenz who held his place, he was strong, read the game well, and was forging a good understanding with Carlos Ruiz. Fast tracked through from the youth, the brother of ex forward German is highly rated and has just signed a three year contract – I don’t want to curse him, but maybe the new Bruno?

Espanyol were better in the second half and their danger man Caicedo found thee net after 72 minutes from a breakaway. Lots of late subs again, Alberto even got to wear the captain’s armband for a while after Suso and then Aridane had departed. Even better news came after the game with the last two signings announced, both are 26 year olds. Cristian “Ruso” Garcia is from Argentina where he played for Godoy Cruz last season but was previously with Real Murcia. Left sided Honduras international Juan Carlos Garcia arrives on loan from Wigan and will be remembered for a cracking goal v USA in the World Cup. Before the Segunda kicks off on 24 August away to Ponferradina we have Las Palmas away on Wednesday 13 August in the second leg of the Copa Mahou, and Elche at home next Sunday at a time to be confirmed. Unlike any cake I might have a hand in, the season’s hopes are beginning to rise.

Skimming over the waves or slicing through the air, the 48 pilots on the PWA Windsurfing World Tour tamed nature again and again in El Medano. Always a highlight of my Tenerife sporting calendar this multi coloured spectacle turns the chilled out surfers paradise into the place to be for a week every summer.

It was business as usual at the small sandy beaches stretching away from the English style pier on the Montaña Roja side of town. Families made the most of the beach , receding in the face of the tide, and kite surfers peppered the sky above the sand dunes as others sought shade in cosy promenade cafes. But a turn around the headland and El Cabezo beach saw the wind greet us with full force, the best news we could have hoped for. This year the leading 32 men and 16 women had gathered to enjoy one of the most popular settings for their sport of choice.

The best part of a week is set aside but it often finishes early as they milk every last gust of wind and curl of wave before a lull can leave them frustrated. Two giants have emerged to dominate in recent years and were leading the way again, Philip Koster of Germany bends the elements to his will and Iballa Moreno of Gran Canaria fends off her two challengers, nature and her twin sister Daida. The pit area consists of a reserved space of beach covered in sails and boards between the public viewing zone and the raised judges hut, the nerve centre of the scoring and supervision. Each rider gets a two minute slot to showcase their best moves riding the waves or twisting the weighty board and sail combo up into the howling winds.

I was constantly mopping the spray from my camera lens as I admired the sheer strength needed to drag their mounts out into the water and then tack into the breeze to get a good run across the bay. The official window cleaner for the scoring hut was kept busy wiping the glass to ensure the judges the best of views while others perched on rocks or at the improved spectators seating near the presentation tent and food point. The international appeal of the sport is reflected in the venues, next up are Turkey and Poland, and the competitors from as far away as Australia, Hungary and the UK, I caught up with Sarah Bibby from Plymouth, pictured below on the left of Maeli Cherel from Australia.

“ This is my first time here, on the opening two days the weather was ok but it is near perfect now for me with big waves and a lighter wind. This is my first year on the PWA tour and realistically I would be pleased to get in the top ten.” Not that you could call Sarah a novice. “I have been windsurfing for 10 years, I do as much as I can in Cornwall” she came third in a four nations event back there last year and has already won the Australia river wave competition this year. An understanding employer has given her time off to chase the dream this year. “I work for Babcock at Devonport Royal Dockyard in Plymouth docks and have just completed two years of my graduate training programme.”
All the windsurfers take the spills in their stride, I asked Sarah if she had any bad injuries, she just shrugged and casually recalled. “Well I have torn ligaments in both feet and bitten through my lip.”

It’s a long and very hot day for the competitors, they have been giving it their all from early morning until dusk at 8.30pm but for many that signals the start of a good natured social life. El Medano is always geared up for informal parties and there are plenty late gatherings with music to enjoy, there’s a special shared bond between the riders and the help and co-operation down at the pits area is very noticeable. There was another reminder of the potential danger of the sea when a swimmer had to be winched up by helicopter at 6pm in the evening, it takes a special breed to tangle with the bigger waves.The PWA elite may move on but there are plenty of keen wave riders all year round in El Medano just loving every wet, adrenaline filled moment.

It was supposed to be all about new signings and emerging local youngsters but old workhorse Aridane stole the show with four goals in CD Tenerife’s 0-5 friendly win at Ibarra in El Fraile. Earlier in the day it had been reported that he might sit the game out with a knock but he looked charged up and hungry for the new season.

With no friendly against CD Marino this was our big southern gathering for the Armada Sur and of course we converged on a bar just a few strides away from the stadium. The local wild youth were on the prowl and trying to provoke us but we had Dorada and football on our minds and were blinkered to the cause. The Armada Sur Scooter Club popped along and there were plenty of the next generation of our supporters. Our new monster of a goalie Jacabo Sanz started, an early chance to stake his claim over last seasons regular Roberto, but he had little to do.

Aridane probably realizes he has to constantly prove himself to many of our fans so a fifth minute header from a Raul Camara cross gave him a kick start. Ten minutes later he pounced on a defensive error and then completed his hat trick with a neat shot over the home keeper. Suso looked lively, well when doesn’t he, and he set up another header for Aridane’s fourth marker after just 21 minutes. Just to show he’s not just goals, the big man turned provider for Cristo Martin to close the scoring after 25 minutes.

Half time saw wholesale changes on both sides with the young brigade taking over for CD Tenerife. It was a low key second half, just our luck as our hard core of fans were at the end we were supposedly attacking. Jairo showed plenty of trickery and promise, and Nano looked keen to avoid being loaned out but Ibarra played a tighter game and restored some home honour by keeping us at bay. After the final whistle the players stayed on and happily posed for photos, the selfie obsession has taken a firm hold over here, and many autographs were signed. I was a bit disgusted at a parent posing their Barcelona topped sprog with one of our players but it was all good natured and combined a handy work out with a charm offensive.

While I was back in Oxford, CDT slipped in an extra early friendly at Las Zocas, that finished in a 1-2 win with goals from Nano and 16 year old youth forward Cristo Gonzalez. There’s a busy week coming up with more testing opponents and hopefully a few more new players but for now it’s just good to get our fix of live football, it’s that golden time when anything is possible for the new season.