Gran Canaria

In such an atypical beginning of the year and without competitions, Federación Española de Surf, in view of the pre-Olympic in El Salvador, made the decision to organize several trainings with the national team in Gran Canaria  in order for us to compete with each other and thus obtain certain data.

After two times in Gran Canaria participating in the aforementioned trainings, I felt that it is a very good place to train thanks to the more pleasant climate than that of the north of Spain in winter and also because of the quality of the waves on the island. So when I was called for the next training I decided to anticipate and be free to look for good waves, spend time in the water and record some footage for my next episode of “Ocean Journals”.

Before going into more detail about this last trip I must thank Jacío House and Alejandro Barbosa for receiving us and the good treatment in one of the  best accommodations I’ve been lucky enough to stay in. It is located on the Carretera de la Costa, in Moya, and you can see the sea from the same terrace. It is very comfortable because it is close to the best waves in the area. It is a beautiful old building and completely renovated inside but keeping its essence.

Continuing with the trip, the day I arrived on the island I spoke with my friend and flimmaker Itmar Diéguez to know his opinion about the forecast of the following days and to know his availability. He told me that he looked very good and that he could sneak into the good surfs to go record the sessions.

The first days we had clean wind and waves that gave me the opportunity for turns in both right and left. After the first day of surfing we already had some shots and it’s cool when you get to start a surf trip like this!

On the third day the serious thing started with a very high period swell that came in.  We had to wait until the afternoon for the sea to clean up a bit and with my good friend, teammate of the national team and local surfer Luis Díaz we agreed to watch one of the best waves of the island after lunch. Aritz Aranburu, also a teammate of the national team and a colleague with whom I have traveled on several occasions, also arrived around that time, and we headed to Gáldar.

Once there, I was freaking out about how good the wave was and I changed like hell because the tide was still a bit high and there were still few people in the water. I jumped from the rocks without knowing very well if it was makeable or not but with the excitement of the moment I. honestly couldn’t think much more hahaha. Luckily I got in perfect and as I reached the peak a wave a little lower showed up and as if that was not enough, as I was paddling back out another one Carme from nowhere in which I managed to get a good tube after rushing the taje off. Once that second wave was done, everything that came after was a bonus. In that same surf, Aritz Aranburu dropped a bomb and Carme out after the spit which was reposted in all the media.

The next day the swell remained and together with teammates Aritz, Gony Zubizarreta and Vicente Romero we woke up early to return to the same wave. We enjoyed a very good bath and although with more people I was able to find a good ride.

After these intense days of surfing, I took a day off to prepare the three-day training that awaited me and in which I wanted to be in good form. Once again the training went well and although with one less board on my boardbag I went home happy with the trip to Gran Canaria.

 A week later, the Spanish Surf Federation called to inform me that they had selected me in the four male surfers who are going to take to El Salvador to participate in the pre-Olympic. The other male members are Aritz Aranburu, Jonathan Gonzalez and Gony Zubizarreta. From this list they will choose the three that they think as best prepared once they see us surfing there during the preparation for the ISA World Championship.

SUGGESTIONS!!!

 1. Whatever the reason for your trip, you should go to Parador Cruz de Tejeda, it is a hotel with a spa in the center of the island at 1500m high with incredible views.  I advise going at sunset time, it is beautiful.

 2. La Tasca Galileo is my favorite restaurant on the island.  It is a restaurant with high tables with tapas and local dishes with a very top service.

 3. Ay Carmela is a Mexican restaurant on the promenade of Las Canteras and if you take a table on the terrace, it’s cool to see the life that exists along the promenade.

 4. As for accommodation, as I have said before, I highly recommend Jacio House.

 5. If you need a dentist call my friend and local charger Jose Roman Grau from the Atlant Dental Clinic.