The Sanctuary of Nossa Senhora de Aires, in Viana do Alentejo, was the stage for the 32nd edition of the Festa da Malha, an initiative aiming to keep alive one of Alentejo's most characteristic recreational and sporting practices. The event brought together delegations from the municipalities of Central Alentejo, on a day marked by competition and community spirit.
The program, which began at 9:00 AM, included the traditional 'malha' tournament, a communal lunch, and an awards ceremony.
In the Senior Men's Absolute category, the duo António Bruno and Silvestre Martins (Arraiolos) won, followed by Olímpio Dias and José Rato (Viana do Alentejo) in second place, and Luis Lopes and José Casanova (Mora) in third.
In the Senior Men's +65 category, first place went to António Anselmo and José Barnabé (Borba), with Tiago Grazina and Alexandre Jesus (Estremoz) in second, and Délio Fernandes and Joaquim Marques (Mourão) in third.
The Senior Women's Absolute category was dominated by pairs from Vila Viçosa: Filipa Xavier and Maria Malhado in first place, Mónica Xavier and Ana Bilro in second, and Nélia Santos and Yineth Santos in third.
In the ±65 Women's category, the duo Zulmira Galinha and Beatriz Louro (Vendas Novas) took first place, with Maria Rufas and Maria Marques in second, and Leontina Nunes and Maria Lopes in third.
The organization thanked all participants, municipalities, and the public present, emphasizing the importance of 'malha' as an expression of the recreational and cultural heritage of Central Alentejo and as a symbol of collective belonging and identity.
