The Journey 4 and Madeira Walking Football
by Phill Bellamy
During the spring of 2022 MWF sadly parted company with the USRB, so a Friday session was added to our Monday session at our home base at Centro Desportivo Stadium, Ribeira Brava.
The 1st circuit of 5 Walking Football Tournaments were organised by Ataram (Funchal’s Veteran Football League) for 2022/2023.
Porto Santo, October 2022, an all inclusive 3 day weekend so enjoyed by our players and their partners (23 in total), sincere thanks to Kate Curley (MWF Events Co-ordinator) for organising this. The refereeing to the EFDN rules were sadly poor.
Andorinho (Funchal) December 2022, another good tournament where the refereeing only improved slightly.
Paul do Mar (Calheta), February 2023, where the refereeing again only improved slightly but our first trophy, this for our MWF Fun Team, well done Ladies and Gents, (the first of many we hope) this is housed at our Taberna Poncha bar, Serra de Agua.
Machico April 2023 (the sports complex under the airport runway stilts), it was played on “concrete”, a big mistake by the organisers and the refereeing was abysmal, far too much running, tackling and contact that went unpunished.
Porto Moniz May 2023. MWF were invited by CDCPM (Clube Desportivo of Culture Porto Moniz) to give a demonstration of Walking Football to the whole community on their festival day. What a fabulous time had by all, with many things going on for both the young and old and then the icing on the cake, the Mayor with other council officials and so many local people taking part in the MWF demonstration, I think they may be hooked on WF, my sincere thanks to my MWF group who gave way and allowed others to take part, so proud of you all.
The final Tournament of the circuit in Ribeira Brava in June went well and the refereeing improved but only slightly.
