windsurf_uk_summer 2013

TRAVEL
Club Mistral
Words Brian McDOWELL
SPAIN & CANARIES
TRAVEL GUIDE
Sun, sea, sangria, surf – and, of course, wind! Just a few reasons to make a short hop over to
mainland Spain or the Canary Islands for a great break and soak up the legendary laid-back
Spanish culture while catching some well-deserved wind, waves and sun.
Here’s our guide to some ripe destination picks for a memorable holiday, alone or with family and friends. Vamos al viento!
WINDSURF MAGAZINE
105
TRAVEL
Rene Egli
(Fuerteventura)
YEAR ROUND FUN
Of course the Canaries are known for
their year-round sun and favourable
winter wind stats, but southern Spain’s
Andalucía region also scores a lot of offseason wind when the crowds are lower
and prices keener. Further north in the
Med the season gets going early as well
with Costa Brava often posting good
temperatures from May onwards while
the Tramontane wind is still flying down
from the Pyrenees.
REACHING THE SPOTS
Will you need to rent a car to score
some action? Not necessarily. In El
Medano, Tenerife, you’ve got easy access
just a short walk from rental apartments,
the town centre and nearby hotels to the
three main sailing areas, two of which
are wavesailing spots, including PWA
venue Cabezo. Similarly, in Sotavento,
on Fuerteventura, you can stay on the
beach and walk to the local centres or
catch a shuttle from nearby Costa Calma
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JUNE 2013
if you’re renting with Rene Egli. If you
Club Mistral
(Golf de Roses)
do rent a vehicle, Rene Egli allow you
to travel with hired equipment to the
multitude of wavesailing and other spots
on the island.
CATALUÑA
The Gulf of Roses area offers excellent
flat water freeriding in a stunning rural
location. With a host of nearby campsites, boutique guest houses and private
villa and apartment rentals this is a gem
for Easter-Sept sailing away from crowds
and the shortest flight time from the UK.
Girona airport is probably the largest
low-cost airline hub in the world and
with nearby attractions such as cultural
Barcelona, the Pyrenees and outstanding regional cuisine Cataluña is a smart
pick for a value break in the sun. The
tramontane can blow up to gale force as
late as June (cross off from the left) and
then thermal winds take over during the
warmest months (cross-on from right).
Club Mistral
(Golf de Roses)
TARIFA
TWS (Tenerife)
Tarifa
Club Mistral
(Gran Canaria)
Rene Egli
(Fuerteventura)
Tarifa is a world famous venue for both
windsurfing and kitesurfing, often
referred to as the “Wind Capital of
Europe.” With it’s constant winds, over 7
miles of white sandy beaches, deep blue
water and three thousand hours of sunlight per year, it makes a great all year
round destination. Bring your own kit to
make use of the different spots, or hire
from one of the many windsurf schools,
which are based at Valdevaqueros (Las
Dunas). There are two prevailing winds.
The ‘Levante’ (Easterly), is a stronger
warmer wind, which blows cross
offshore from the left creating flatter
water conditions. The ‘Poniente’ blows
cross on shore from the Atlantic Ocean
producing waves and is more predominant in autumn and spring. The wind is
generally strongest in the afternoons.
As the beach is so long you can pick
and choose your spot depending on
the wind direction. There are many low
cost airlines flying to Malaga (1 hour 45
mins away) from many regional airports,
so getting there is cheap, easy and the
flight time is just over 2 hours. Gibraltar
is the closest airport (45 minutes drive
from Tarifa). There is a great selection
of apartment accommodation so you
can take a few friends to reduce costs.
Having a kitchen means you can save
money by eating in a few nights, if
you wish, and breakfast is easy with
the great supermarkets /bakeries and
selection of food you can find in Spain.
There are so many great things to do in
Tarifa from whale watching, Mountain
biking, horse riding, climbing, walking,
to bird watching and National parks.
The White Villages of Andalusia are
beautiful and are worth a visit to wander
around the narrow streets and enjoy a
relaxed lunch. Morocco is a short ferry
ride away and is a cultural day trip. You
could drive to Ronda for a night and
see the spectacular El Tajo Gorge. Or
simply stroll around Tarifa old town and
soak up the chilled atmosphere and
café culture vibe. Tarifa is great for the
independent travelers as you can hire a
car and make your way along the coast
– perfect for a short stay trip too. Due to
the long sandy beach there is plenty of
space for everyone. July and August are
the busiest months.
CANARY ISLANDS
Countless PWA World Cups have proven
the wind reliability of this island chain
that sits inside the North East trade
wind belt. There’s so many spots to
choose from on the major islands of
Lanzarote, Tenerife, Gran Canaria and
Fuerteventura. Freeriders love the mix
of open ocean swell and flat lagoons
of Fuerteventura’s southern Sotavento
and Risco del Paso resorts as well as
Gran Canaria’s Bahia Feliz. Wavesailors
will need no reminder of the powerful
breaks on Fuerteventura’s north shore or
the jumping paradises of Pozo Izquierdo
on GC or Tenerife’s El Cabezo. Mellow
riding is also available at Harbour Wall
in El Medano, Tenerife. Even the slightly
longer flight times this far south don’t
prevent many independent travellers
heading out on a good forecast and
all the major operators can cater for
either full packages or just rental for
self-catering visitors. Hiring is a strong
option to consider if you consider the
cost and hassle of travelling with your
own gear. You can pick from the latest
gear from nearly all the main centres
that now often use lighter masts and
board constructions than in seasons
past or choose the opportunity of a trip
test out a range of the latest equipment
before making your own purchases at
home at a non brand affiliated centre
such as Tenerife Windsurf Solution.
Check out our directory of centres
in the following pages – have a
great holiday!
WINDSURF MAGAZINE
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TRAVEL
Spain & Canary islands DIRECTORY
Club Mistral Centres
Fuerteventura
SEASON: Open all year
Location: The huge sandy beach and the windsurfing and kitesurfing spot at Risco del Paso Playa
Sotavento is a class of its own. Depending on the tide
there is a large shallow area in front of the Club Mistral
Center, which is superb for intermediate sailors to
practice water starts and jibes. Also a real dream spot
for beginner lessons.
Ideal holiday for: Perfect place for families
and groups - beginners, intermediates and expert
windsurfers.
Riding Styles: Freestyle, freeride, speed, slalom.
Accommodation: SBH Monica Beach and SBH Costa
Calma Palace
Equipment and Tuition: Fanatic boards and
North sails.
Flat day fun: SUP, surfing, mountain biking, quad,
wellness and much more..
Tarifa
SEASON: March to December
Location: Tarifa is one of the best spots in Europe
with almost 100% wind guarantee. With two centre’s
Club Mistral covers the whole range of activities –
windsurfing, kitesurfing, surfing and stand up paddling
for all levels. During summer the Levante is the dominant wind and during spring and autumn the main wind
is the “Poniente”.
Ideal holiday for: Great spot for families and
groups – good for beginners and intermediates and
excellent for advanced windsurfers.
Riding Styles: Freestyle, freeride, speed, slalom.
Accommodation: Hotel Hurricane, Punta Sur, Hotel La
Pena.
Equipment and Tuition: Fanatic boards and
North sails.
Flat day fun: SUP excursion, mountain biking, different
cultural excursions…
Contact Details:
www.club-mistral.com
[email protected]
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JUNE 2013
Golf de Roses
SEASON: March to September
Location: Several sand banks in the water turn the
spot into a “semi-shallow water area” with the huge,
fine sandy beach. The “Tramontana” from the north
blows side-shore from the left and the thermal winds
side-onshore from the right.
Ideal holiday for: Golf de Roses is not only a
perfect choice for a family vacation but has also a lot to
offer for couples and groups. Here, beginners, intermediates and experienced wind- and kitesurfers can easily
make progress.
Riding Styles: Freestyle, freeride, slalom.
Accommodation: Bungalows of Camping La Ballena Alegre directly behind the Club Mistral Center.
Equipment and Tuition: Fanatic and Mistral
boards and North sails.
Flat day fun: SUP breakfast excursion, cultural
sightseeing or a trip to Barcelona.
Gran Canaria
SEASON: Open all year
Location: In Bahia Feliz the wind blows mainly sideshore from the left, creating choppy water and on some
days real waves. In front of the bay it is mostly a little
bit calmer, therefore it is a good area for intermediates.
Further outside the swell can reach a height of 1 to 1, 5
meters, inviting nice jumps, and the mostly constant
wind helps when training the jibe or other maneuvers.
Ideal holiday for: Families and groups - beginners, intermediates and experts.
Riding Styles: Excursion spots: freestyle, freeride,
speed, waves
Accommodation: Las Pitas and Tres Vidas
Apartments
Equipment and Tuition: Fanatic boards and
North sails.
Flat day fun: SUP, different excursion, mountain
biking…
Sportif Travel
Lanzarote
+ Tenerife – Fuerteventura – Gran Canaria
SEASON: Year round – best April to September.
LOCATION: Sunshine and warm water year round with
just a short 4 hour flight. Wind side shore from the left.
IDEAL HOLIDAY FOR: Windsurfing for all levels,
multi-sport options. Good for families & non-sailing
partners. Walk to bars & restaurants - buzzing,
low-rise resorts.
RIDING STYLES: Conditions for all levels from the
sandy beach launch. Beginners/Kids – flat, sheltered,
shallow water area for 100m - ideal for improving with
kid’s classes & lightweight rigs available. Freeride &
Freestyle – combination of flat water and bump & jump
conditions. Waves – off the reef outside the bay 0.5-3m,
just offshore. Ideal for wave novices.
ACCOMMODATION: Apartments with pool from £399,
choice of 4* &5* luxury hotels from £599 inc flights.
EQUIPM ENT/TUITION: Latest 2012/13 kit from Fanatic & Neil Pryde. Group, private & semi private lessons.
SUP & sufing packages. Free use of surf equipment
and kayaks in the bay. Free supervised sailing.
FLAT DAY FUN : Mountain biking, trekking, surfing,
golf, tennis, aqua parks, explore Volcanic landscapes. All
holidays fully ATOL protected with/without flights.
Sportif Summer Holiday Guide
Spain and the Canary Islands
BEST FOR: Beginners/Intermediates: Lanzarote and
Sotavento have protected, shallow water areas.
HIGH WIND: Head to Tarifa, Tenerife and Gran Canaria
with high wind excursions available to Pozo, Vargas, etc.
Freestyle/Waves – Lanzarote and Golf De Rosas offer
a combination of flat water and bump and jump conditions. Lanzarote is perfect for wave novices
BUDGET: Spacious SC apartments in Gran Canaria
Lanzarote from £399. 3* Hotels from £449 in Tenerife.
LUXURY & SPA: Boutique spa hotels in Tarifa from
£559 & 5* deluxe hotels in Lanzarote from £649.
FAMILIES: Golf de Rosas for culture - SC apartments
from £419pp. Beach hotels in Lanzarote & Sotavento.
SHORT BREAKS: Spain and the Canaries are ideal for
either a long weekend or short 3,4 or 5 night break.
MULTI-SPORT: combine with SUP, Surfing & Kitesurfing & receive up to 70% off 2nd sport rental/instruction.
Kids use adult boards for FREE & 50% discount on Junior
rental. Pre-book to guarantee equipment & lessons.
See the Sportif Website for in depth guides to conditions,
useful fact files, best times to go and latest offers.
Sportif packages offer flights, car hire and transfers with a
‘meet & greet’ service on arrival - All ATOL guaranteed.
Contact Details:
www.sportif.travel • Email: [email protected] • Tel: +44(0)1273 844919
TRAVEL
Spain & Canary islands DIRECTORY
rene egli
Tarifa holidays
Fuerteventura
Tarifa
SEASON: All year long
Location: Sotavento beach, Fuerteventura
Ideal holiday for: action-seeking individuals as well as
families
Riding Styles: speed, slalom, freestyle
Accommodation: 4*+ Hotel Meliã Gorriones
Equipment and Tuition: Neilpryde, JP, Starboard latest
equipment 2013, completely exchanged annually –
courses for all levels for students of minimum 8 years.
Flat day fun: Beach sailing on the dry lagoon, SUP
Contact Details:
+34 928 54 74 83
www.rene-egli.com
[email protected]
SEASON: All year round if you take your own kit.
Location: Tarifa town, Spain
Ideal holiday for: Everyone
Riding Styles: Chop and flat water with ‘Poniente’
and swell in spring and summer with the ‘Levante’ winds.
Accommodation: Stay in the stylish Dos Mares
apartment (two bedrooms) with a pool and large balcony with lovely views to the sea and National park. It
has a secure storeroom for kit and a private car parking
space. Walking distance to Tarifa town.
Equipment and Tuition: Many options of windsurfing centres. Centres open March to November.
Flat day fun: Whale watching, diving, mountain
biking, horse riding, climbing, walking. Trips to the
White Villages of Andalusia or Morocco. Family water
park fun.
Contact Details:
Toby and Fi
www.tarifaholidays.com
[email protected]
Planet Windsurf Holidays
Spain & Canary Islands
If you are considering a summer windsurf holiday this year, but don’t want to travel
too far, then there are some fantastic warm windy locations in Spain including the
Canary Islands.
Planet Windsurf Holiday top recommended resorts in mainland Spain include Golf
De Roses, a beautifully part of Costa Brava just north of Gerona and Tarifa, one of
the windiest location in the world. In the Canary Island there is the family friendly
resort of Sotavento in southern Fuerteventura, the waves spots around Lanzarote
and if you are looking for a cheap and cheerful break Tenerife offers amazing value
for money.
All these resorts and more are featured on Planet Windsurf Holiday stunning new
website at www.planetwindsurfholidays.com or for expert advice and immediate
best price availability just call them on 01273 921001
Contact Details:
+44 (0)1273 921001
www.planetwindsurfholidays.com
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JUNE 2013
Tenerife Windsurfing
Solution
Tenerife
SEASON: All year
Location: El Medano Tenerife
Ideal holiday for: Intermediate to pro sailors
with or without family
Riding Styles: Bump and jump to hardcore wave
sailing
Accommodation: Hotels from 5 star to Beach
apartments with a Hostel option
Equipment and Tuition: Top end Clinicsd from
PWA pros…. Latest equipment available from all brands
Flat day fun: Fun Parks, Climbing, Trecking, Art
Galleries, Surfing, Canarian culture. Bike tours, Whale
watching and visiting the volcano!!
Contact Details:
[email protected]
www.tws-windsurf.com
FB/surf tws