Cimbesque, Rosario Set for Third Straight Canarian Wrestling Final

The CaixaBank First Category League is set for an exciting showdown. For the third year running, CL Cimbesque from San Miguel de Abona and CL Rosario Valle de Guerra Ybarra from La Laguna will face off in the decisive final match. This Sunday at 9:00 PM, the "yellows" (Cimbesque) and "reds" (Rosario) will continue their epic rivalry at the Insular Mencey Tegueste, the largest wrestling arena in the Canary Islands.

This highly anticipated wrestling final was officially launched on Tuesday at CaixaBank's main office in Santa Cruz de Tenerife. Jesús Álvarez, CaixaBank's Director of Institutions, hosted the event, welcoming representatives from both teams and José Antonio Sánchez, a board member of the Canarian Wrestling Federation of Tenerife.

CL Cimbesque's delegation included their president, Luis Castilla, who has led the team to two league titles in his two years in charge. Wrestlers Eusebio Ledesma, Víctor Pimienta, and Cristian García, along with coach Salvador Soliño, were also present. San Miguel's mayor, Arturo González, attended to show support for the team from his southern municipality.

Representing Rosario Valle de Guerra were their star wrestler Fabián Rocha, coach Domingo Sánchez, and board member and secretary, Abián Dorta.

Rosario's journey to the final has been challenging. The team, led by Domingo Sánchez, had an inconsistent regular season, battling injuries and finishing third with four wins, one draw, and five losses. However, in the semifinals, they staged an impressive upset, knocking out second-placed Campitos, led by Marcos Ledesma. Their victory was incredibly narrow, winning the first leg 12-10 and the second 12-11, giving them a combined score of 23-22.

Chimbesque, on the other hand, has had a dominant season. Living up to their reputation as the league's strongest team, they went undefeated in the regular season. Coach Soliño's team continued their strong performance in the semifinals, easily beating Victoria 24-14 over two matches.

The friendly rivalry between the two teams is perfectly embodied by Eusebio Ledesma of Chimbesque and Fabián Rocha of Rosario. Both are considered among the best wrestlers in the Canary Islands. They shook hands and smiled, showing mutual respect despite their desire to win. Fabián light-heartedly joked, "He's really tensing up to make his arm show," which made Eusebio laugh.

Rocha, who is returning from injury, said he feels "good." He explained, "It's been tough being out for several months, but I'm very happy now, especially mentally, because we're in the grand final for the third year in a row." He added, "I'm very proud to have reached six of the last eight island finals; it's a huge honor. And this year, it's particularly special because it's the team that got me here." He expressed gratitude and pride for his teammates, who performed exceptionally well while he was sidelined.

For Fabián, the San Miguel team, first with Alejandro Afonso and now with Eusebio Ledesma, has been a consistent obstacle to winning the championship. He stated, "They've won both titles, but honestly, I don't feel pressure because this year is a reward for the team and the fans. Winning the League would be even better, but just getting here is a reward for our effort. I've contributed wherever I could."

Rocha acknowledged that Chimbesque is the "favorite" because "they haven't failed all season." He praised them, saying, "They have a great team, a strong squad, and they've managed their matches exceptionally well." He admitted that beating Eusebio "seems complicated," adding with a smile, "He's a wrestler who rarely falls, but we'll have to try."

Eusebio, brother of Marcos Ledesma, is already recognized as one of the best wrestlers in the Canary Islands, with some even calling him the "Messi of Canarian wrestling" due to his talent and consistent performance. Ledesma emphasized, "For me, consistency is crucial in sports. It's not enough to win one final if you don't compete again the next year." He reflected, "Personally, last year's final wasn't bad, but there were things I wished had gone differently. This year, I have a chance to improve, and I intend to seize it."

Feeling "very motivated," Eusebio highlighted the "privilege" of reaching another final. He added with relief, "In my case, I haven't suffered any injuries or physical problems during the competition." He described the final as "50/50, like all of them," and warned against overconfidence. "If we were overconfident, we'd likely lose. People always make predictions, but we ignore them. We go into the match without thinking about who's favored, ready to fight for every hold."