Industriales vs Diseño: A Historic Rivalry

This is undoubtedly the sporting rivalry par excellence at the Universitat Politècnica de València (UPV). Industrial Engineering and Design. Design and Industrial Engineering.

Between them, the two schools have won 12 of the last 25 UPV Trophies, almost half of those contested since the beginning of the 21st century, when Industrial Engineering arrived with four consecutive wins (between 1997 and 2000) and became the first UPV school to keep the trophy permanently, a milestone only achievable by those who win three consecutive titles or five alternating titles (when one of these two things happens, the counter is reset to zero).

In fact, as the absolute champion, the School of Industrial Engineering (ETSII) - known as Industriales in polilenguage - came to this year's event with the chance to win its fourth alternate title (after 2015, 2018 and 2024) and move closer to its second Cup... but it fell just one point short.

Two wins in three years after an eight-year drought

Its 38 points were surpassed by the 39 points scored by its eternal sporting rival, the Higher Technical School of Aerospace Engineering and Industrial Design (ETSIADI) - in polilenguage, Diseño - the only school, along with Industriales, that has been able to win the trophy in these 33 editions.

They did so in 2014 after winning their fifth alternate victory (2004, 2009, 2010, 2012 and 2014).

This era of dominance was followed by an eight-year drought (bearing in mind, of course, that the 2020 and 2021 editions were suspended due to the pandemic) until 2023, when Design once again won the UPV Trophy. Adding this year's victory, Diseño would have won its second Cup outright if, in between, in 2024, Industriales had not won.

12 hours of competition in 11 different sports

As every year, this edition consisted of 12 hours of fierce competition in 11 different sports - 7-a-side football, basketball, volleyball, tennis, indoor football, beach volleyball, frontenis, chess, paddle tennis, table tennis and frontenis - each subdivided into male and female categories. In total, more than 2,000 UPV students competed for the title in their schools.

3 victories and 5 runner-up positions, key to the triumph of Design

In a day of intense competition, Design won men's volleyball, indoor football, and beach volleyball and came second in men's 7-a-side football, tennis, frontenis and table tennis, and women's chess.

Industriales, despite winning in four categories (paddle tennis, women's indoor football and basketball, and men's table tennis) and three second places (men's paddle tennis and beach volleyball and women's volleyball), fell just short of victory in the overall standings, with the podium completed by the School of Agricultural Engineering and Environment (ETSIAMN) and the School of Telecommunications Engineering (ETSIT), tied on 29 points.

Likewise, in terms of results, it is worth highlighting the victories of the Faculty of Business Administration and Management (FADE) in women's tennis and men's basketball; ETSIT in women's table tennis and chess; ETSIAMN in men's frontenis; the School of Engineering in Geodesy, Cartography and Surveying (ETSIGCT) in men's chess; the Doctoral School in women's beach volleyball, men's tennis and men's paddle tennis; the Higher Polytechnic School of Gandia (EPSG) in men's 7-a-side football; and the Higher Polytechnic School of Alcoi (EPSA) in women's volleyball.

Carlos Ayats Pérez / UPV Communication Area