Established 1929 Members 21 | Association FISU Former names Justas Intercolegiales | |
Sports fielded 14 (men's: 16; women's: 13) Region Puerto Rico and U.S.V.I. | ||
The Justas de Atletismo y Festival Deportivo de Puerto Rico (English: Puerto Rico Athletic Games and Sports Festival) —better known as Las Justas Intercolegiales (English: The Intercollegiate Games) or simply as Las Justas (English: The Games)— is an intercollegiate sports competition held annually in Puerto Rico where Puerto Rican colleges and universities compete against each other in different sports. The event is also supplemented by artistic presentations that take place after the events come to an end at night each day. The event is sponsored by the Liga Atlética Interuniversitaria de Puerto Rico. For many years the event was held in San Juan, but in 1993 it was moved to the city of Ponce, where - except for 2010 and 2016 – it has been held since. The week-long event takes place during the month of April. The 2014 edition is scheduled to take place in Ponce from 6 April to 12 April 2014 with competitions in softball, basketball, beach volleyball, judo, table tennis, swimming, cheerleading, women's football, and athletics.
Contents
History
Las Justas date back to the creation of Liga Atlética Interuniversitaria de Puerto Rico (English: Puerto Rico Intercollegiate Athletic League). The league was founded in 1929 by Cosme Beitía of the University of Puerto Rico, Rio Piedras Campus, Charles Leker for the Instituto Politécnico de San German, and Luis Izquierdo Galo y José D. Morales from the Colegio de Agricultura y Artes Mecanicas of Mayagüez. Las Justas began as a three-event competition between the institutions in the year 1929: baseball, basketball, and athletics.
Originally it included only male participants but starting with the 1969-1970 academic year women began competing as well. Las Justas had been moved to Ponce in 1993 as a test for the 1993 Central American and Caribbean Games. For many years the event was held in San Juan, but in 1993 the event was moved to the city of Ponce which has all the required facilities for holding the event. In 2010 the event was held in Mayagüez in preparation for the 2010 Central American and Caribbean Games. The event resumed in Ponce in 2011, and continued in Ponce in 2012.
Venue
Sporting events take place at the sports facilities of Pontificia Universidad Católica de Puerto Rico, the athletic field at urbanización Villa del Carmen, Polideportivo at urbanización Los Caobos, Paquito Montaner Stadium, Auditorio Juan Pachín Vicéns, and the Victor Vassallo Olympic Swimming Pool. Musical events take place at Plaza Las Delicias. La Guancha is also another recreational and musical venue.
Security
With over 200,000 people attending Las Justas every year, security has been a major concern. In 2010, for example, 13 people were arrested for drug activities during the events. Las Justas, it is said, has evolved into a Puerto Rican-style Spring Break. Close to 1,500 security personnel patrol the event for security. A number of items are not permitted in the areas where activities of Las Justas are celebrated, including both sporting events and associated musical celebrations. Coolers, liquids not in their original containers, glass bottles, umbrellas, baseball bats, canes, and fire arms are some of the items that are excluded. In 2012, Enrique Arrarás Mir, the Commissioner of the event, said that “the safest place in all of Puerto Rico during the celebration of Las Justas will be the city of Ponce”. In 2011, in Mayaguez, there were also arrests for drunkness and drug trafficking. In 2014, electronic scanners were implemented at checkpoints, doing away with the former and slower manual frisk system.
Economy
In 2009, it was estimated that Las Justas generate close to $6 million USD in income resulting from food and other sales as well as lodging. In addition to donating the use of the facilities throughout the city, the Ponce Municipal Government also contributes $200,000 to the costs of celebrating Las Justas in Ponce.
Broadcast
The events are relayed via DIRECTV (Puerto Rico Channel 161) and via Canal Universitario Ana G. Méndez “Sistema TV” on channels 40 and 26, as well as streamed via www.sistematv.com.
Sports played
Participants
As of 2012, twenty-one universities participate in the event as follows:
Winners
According to Gabrielle Paese, Las Justas have become “a power struggle between just two universities: [Universidad del ] Turabo, the Caguas school in the Ana G. Mendez system, versus San German’s Inter American University. Led by two strong track coaches (Luis Dieppa of Turabo and Freddy Vargas of Inter American U., respectively) the schools compete for the overall title. That means the meet becomes more about which school accumulates the most points and less about individual performance.”
2011
The 2011 winners were as follows:
Men's competitions
Women's competitions
2012
The 2012 winners were as follows:
Men’s competitions
Women’s competitions
2013
The 2013 winners were as follows: