- The former basketball players received this honour for their careers and their ties to the municipality during the Boquerón Victoriano Gala.
- The event, which was postponed in January due to the tragic accident in Adamuz, was attended by representatives from Madrid’s sporting and gastronomic communities; and, furthermore, the Tourism Department presented the new Boquerón Victoriano recipe book, now in its eighth edition, which includes the ‘Boquerón y cítrico’ dish from this year’s winning establishment: the young Taberna Chiripa, which is now part of the Boquerón Victoriano Restaurant Network.
On Monday 13 April, Rincón de la Victoria Town Council (www.turismoenrincon.es) held the Boquerón Victoriano Gala in Madrid, an event that had to be postponed from its original date in January – when it was due to take place as part of FITUR – due to the period of national mourning declared following the tragic train accident in Adamuz (Córdoba). The gala, which brought together representatives from the capital’s sporting and gastronomic worlds, as well as specialist media, served to honour former professional basketball players Alfonso and Felipe Reyes with the Silver Anchovy Award for their connection to Rincón de la Victoria. The mayor of the town, Francisco Salado, presented the award alongside the Councillor for Tourism, Antonio José Martín.
Alfonso and Felipe Reyes: two legends of Spanish basketball
The Reyes brothers, leading figures in national and international basketball, have maintained close ties with Rincón de la Victoria over the years, a town that thus recognises their sporting achievements and their connection to the area.
Felipe Reyes is one of the great icons of Spanish basketball and a legend at Real Madrid, the team for which he has played the most official matches. A key figure in the so-called “Golden Age” of the Spanish national team, Felipe Reyes was World Champion in 2006, a two-time European Champion and winner of multiple titles in the ACB League and the Euroleague. Since retiring, he has served as an institutional ambassador for Real Madrid, involved in social and educational projects. For Felipe, this award “is very moving and means a great deal because of the bond we have with Rincón”. Beyond his professional time in Málaga, it is at training camps, gatherings and tournaments that the family chooses to spend their leisure time and where he always enjoys events such as the Feria.
For his part, Alfonso Reyes boasts a solid career spanning 18 seasons at the elite level of Spanish basketball, excelling at clubs such as Estudiantes, Unicaja, Real Madrid and Breogán. He played 140 matches for the Spanish national team and won medals at three EuroBasket tournaments. Since retiring from sport, he has been president of the Association of Professional Basketball Players (ABP) since 2014, leading the defence of players’ rights. Alfonso is truly enamoured with Rincón de la Victoria and praised “its cuisine, its climate, its people, strolling along the promenade… it’s a little paradise”, he remarked as he collected this award. “It is an honour to receive this Silver Boquerón from a town we hold so dear.” Since he came to play for Unicaja, he added, his connection to and love for Málaga has been forever. Even back then, he dreamed of having a house there to spend time in, “because it’s an escape”.
Felipe and Alfonso have become familiar faces in the daily life of Rincón de la Victoria in the summer, blending naturally into the town’s everyday life. The mayor, Francisco Salado, remarked at the gala: “We are filled with pride that they have chosen our town to relax and enjoy their time” and expressed his hope that they would be seen there for many years to come. As true pioneers in enjoying the local tourist offering — very family-oriented, as Salado noted — the Reyes brothers have remained loyal to the attractions that define Rincón de la Victoria: sun, beach, gastronomy and local shops. Their regular presence in the town’s restaurants, beach bars and other establishments has made them natural ambassadors for the “Rincón de la Victoria, Full of Life” brand, helping to promote the destination in an organic and down-to-earth way. Both embody the profile of the visitor who finds in Rincón de la Victoria that perfect balance between tranquillity, a privileged climate, quality cuisine and proximity to the city of Málaga. Their choice of the town as their regular summer residence is, in itself, a recognition of the destination’s values.
Launch of the 8th edition of the Boquerón Victoriano recipe book
During the event, which took place at the Hyatt Regency Hesperia Hotel in Madrid, Francisco Salado, Mayor of Rincón de la Victoria, and Antonio José Martín, Councillor for Tourism, presented the 8th edition of the Boquerón Victoriano recipe book, a publication compiling traditional and creative recipes made with this star product of Rincón’s cuisine. The councillor highlighted the unparalleled work of ‘Sabor a Málaga’ in giving this iconic product and its festival the recognition they deserve, as it is the gastronomic event celebrated over the longest period each year. Not surprisingly, as the gala’s presenters, Daniel Marín and Félix Godoy, pointed out, this is even reflected in the dictionary, as the RAE defines “victoriano” as a “select, high-quality anchovy”.
The recipe book, which has established itself as a tool for promoting the municipality’s gastronomy, includes in this eighth edition culinary ideas ranging from the most classic preparations of anchovies in vinegar to innovative dishes that blend seafaring tradition with contemporary cooking techniques.
The publication features contributions from local restaurateurs and specialist chefs who have chosen to share their recipes with the Boquerón Victoriano as the main ingredient, demonstrating the versatility of this product in Mediterranean cuisine — there are more than 350 recipes across the eight editions — including those from this year’s award-winning restaurant.
Taberna Chiripa joins the Boquerón Victoriano Restaurant Network
Alongside these illustrious figures, Taberna Chiripa, located between Goya and Retiro, has also been inducted into the Hall of Fame from Madrid. One of its founders, Manuel Figueroa, explained that it is ‘an honour, having been open for a year, to receive an award that other leading restaurants in Madrid have previously won’. The plaque they will now display on their door identifies them as part of the Boquerón Victoriano Restaurant Network, a mark of quality they have earned thanks to their Boquerón y cítrico, the Chiripa anchovy, which is included in that latest recipe book worthy of a collection.
Both the mayor of Rincón de la Costa and the town’s councillor for tourism highlighted the significance of the Boquerón Victoriano Festival and the attractions of their municipality. The gala concluded with a cocktail reception where guests were able to enjoy a variety of dishes featuring the anchovy as the star ingredient, alongside other solid and liquid ingredients from the Axarquía region, accompanied by live music from Ginés González.
Opening image: from left to right, Francisco Salado, Mayor of Rincón de la Victoria, Alfonso Reyes, Antonio José Martín, Councillor for Tourism, and Felipe Reyes.
Source: AIRES NEWS