Las Justas


The Justas de Atletismo y Festival Deportivo de Puerto Rico —better known as Las Justas Intercolegiales or simply as Las Justas — 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 sponsored by the Liga Atlética Interuniversitaria de Puerto Rico. The event usually includes competitions in softball, basketball, beach volleyball, judo, table tennis, swimming, cheerleading, women's football, and athletics.
The sporting event is supplemented by artistic presentations every evening after athletic events have come to an end. The athletics portion of the events is attended by some 20,000 spectators, while the cultural events receive upwards of 150,000 guests.
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. Due to the 2020 Puerto Rico earthquakes in the Ponce area, the 2020 edition of the Justas was moved from Ponce and were scheduled to take place in Mayagüez from 23 to 25 April at the Jose Antonio Figueroa Freyle Stadium. However, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Liga Atlética Interuniversitaria announced on 15 March 2020, that the event was being suspended and that a new future date would be sought. Given the island-wide COVID-19 curfew and lockdown ordered by the Government of Puerto Rico subsequent to the 15 March LAI suspension decision date, on 13 April 2020 the LAI announced the event could not be held and canceled it for the remainder of the 2020 season. The 2021 version of the event was also cancelled due to the pandemic. The 2022 season is scheduled for 1-7 May 2022.

History

Las Justas date back to the creation of Liga Atlética Interuniversitaria de Puerto Rico. 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 Mecánicas 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 Piscina Olímpica Víctor Vassallo. 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 and via Canal Universitario Ana G. Méndez “Sistema TV” on channels 40 and 26, as well as streamed via www.sistematv.com.

Sports played

  • men's baseball
  • men's & women's basketball
  • men's & women's cross country
  • men's & women's judo
  • men's & women's soccer
  • men's & women's softball
  • men's & women's swimming
  • men's & women's table tennis
  • men's & women's tennis
  • men's & women's volleyball
  • men's water polo
  • men's weightlifting
  • men's wrestling
  • men's & women's cheerleading

    Participants

As of 2012, twenty-one universities participate in the event as follows:
Institution Institution AcronymLocationYear joined
University of Puerto Rico, Río Piedras CampusUniversidad de Puerto Rico, Recinto de Río PiedrasUPRSan Juan, Puerto Rico1929
University of Puerto Rico at MayagüezRecinto Universitario de MayagüezRUMMayagüez, Puerto Rico1929
Interamerican University of Puerto RicoUniversidad Interamericana de Puerto RicoUIPRSan German, Puerto Rico1929
Pontifical Catholic University of Puerto RicoPontificia Universidad Católica de Puerto RicoPUCPRPonce, Puerto Rico1954
University of Puerto Rico at CayeyUniversidad de Puerto Rico en CayeyUPRCCayey, Puerto Rico1971
University of TuraboUniversidad del TuraboUTGurabo, Puerto Rico1975
University of Puerto Rico at HumacaoUniversidad de Puerto Rico en HumacaoUPRHHumacao, Puerto Rico1975
University of the Sacred HeartUniversidad del Sagrado CorazónUSCSanturce, Puerto Rico1979
University of Puerto Rico at BayamónUniversidad de Puerto Rico en BayamónUPRBBayamón, Puerto Rico1980
University of Puerto Rico at AreciboUniversidad de Puerto Rico en AreciboUPRAArecibo, Puerto Rico1983
American University of Puerto RicoUniversidad Americana de Puerto RicoAUPRBayamón, Puerto Rico1991
Bayamón Central UniversityUniversidad Central de BayamónUCBBayamón, Puerto Rico1991
University of Puerto Rico at PonceUniversidad de Puerto Rico en PonceUPRPPonce, Puerto Rico1992
University of Puerto Rico at AguadillaUniversidad de Puerto Rico en AguadillaUPAGAguadilla, Puerto Rico1992
University of Puerto Rico at CarolinaUniversidad de Puerto Rico en CarolinaUPCACarolina, Puerto Rico1994
University of Puerto Rico at UtuadoUniversidad de Puerto Rico en UtuadoUPRUUtuado, Puerto Rico1998
Polytechnic University of Puerto RicoUniversidad Politécnica de Puerto RicoPOLISan Juan, Puerto Rico1999
University of the EastUniversidad del EsteUNECarolina, Puerto Rico2005
Metropolitan UniversityUniversidad MetropolitanaUMETSan Juan, Puerto Rico2005
Caribbean UniversityUniversidad CaribeñaCUBayamón, Puerto Rico2005
University of the Virgin IslandsUniversidad de las Islas VírgenesUVISaint Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands2005

Winners

According to Gabrielle Paese, Las Justas have become “a power struggle between just two universities: Turabo, the Caguas school in the Ana G. Mendez system, versus San German’s Inter American University. Led by two strong track coaches 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

  • First Place: Tigres of the Universidad Interamericana de Puerto Rico, 161.50 points.
  • Second Place: Pitirres of the Universidad del Este, 144 points.
  • Third Place: Taínos of the Universidad del Turabo.

    Women's competitions

  • First Place: Cocodrilas of the Universidad Metropolitana, 201 points.

    2012

The 2012 winners were as follows:

Men’s competitions