The city of San Fernando has hosted a sporting and sustainable milestone with the official presentation of its renovated Pablo Negre hockey field. The municipal investment, exceeding 350,000 euros, has transformed an area of almost 6,000 square meters into a pioneering national facility.
This new field features Spain's first DRY Hockey artificial turf, an innovative system designed for high-performance hockey practice that eliminates the need for irrigation. An estimated saving of up to 95% in water consumption is expected, reducing usage from 15,000 to 18,000 liters per match to virtually zero, representing a significant step forward in sustainability.
“"These types of facilities represent the future of hockey, especially in territories where droughts will become increasingly frequent."
Mayor Patricia Cavada highlighted that hockey has "a great future" in San Fernando and that the city has "the best possible facilities," combining innovation, sporting excellence, and sustainability. Marcos Hofmann, President of the European Hockey Federation, noted that these dry fields are "the future" and crucial for a commitment to sustainability, in addition to positioning San Fernando as a host for future international competitions.
Santiago Deó, president of the Royal Spanish Hockey Federation, recalled that San Fernando is a benchmark for Andalusian and Spanish hockey, and that this field will allow national teams to continue their training and compete in preparation tournaments for world championships and the Olympics.
Antonio Aguilera, president of the Andalusian Hockey Federation, added that the new surface has received very positive evaluations from elite athletes and coaches, and announced that efforts are underway for San Fernando to host a European competition in 2027. The men's senior national coach, Max Caldas, participated in training sessions as part of the new Andalusian Specialized Sports Training Center (CAETD) for hockey, alongside U17 players and the senior team of Áticos Inmobiliaria Club de Hockey de San Fernando.
Jesús Hidalgo, president of the San Fernando Hockey Club, described the project as "a very important boost" for local hockey, emphasizing that the new field will make San Fernando an attractive destination for national and international teams.
The company OPSA, responsible for the installation, explained that the looped-pile surface prevents wind from penetrating the turf, improving moisture retention and promoting faster ball speed without additional water input.
