The Playa San Juan centre welcomes hundreds of participants throughout the year, offering sailing, windsurfing, kayaking, paddleboarding and rowing
There’s a lot more to Tenerife’s relationship with the sea than swimming and sitting on the beach.
The Sailing School in Playa San Juan, Guía de Isora, is helping more people get involved in water sports, with activities available throughout the year for both children and adults.
The school recently welcomed Yolanda Moliné, Sports Councillor for the Tenerife Cabildo, who visited the facilities to see how the centre operates and learn more about the level of activity during the summer.
Plenty more than sailing
The centre operates through an agreement between the Tenerife Cabildo and Club Deportivo Goodbow, which is based in Playa San Juan.
Alongside its regular sailing training, the club offers activities including:
- Sailing
- Windsurfing
- Kayaking
- Paddleboarding
- Rowing
It also runs introductory courses aimed at both children and adults, giving people with little or no previous experience the chance to have a go at water sports.
The club’s racing team currently has 30 members, while around 200 people are expected to take part in courses this summer.
Across the year, around 1,000 people use the centre’s regular activities.
Getting more people onto the water
Moliné said one of the Cabildo’s aims is to make water sports more accessible regardless of age or experience, while supporting organisations that keep these activities running throughout the year.
And that seems to be exactly what is happening in Playa San Juan.
The centre isn’t just about developing competitive sailors. The introductory courses and recreational activities give local residents and visitors another way to enjoy the coastline while staying active.
The Tenerife Island Sailing Federation also supports the development of nautical activities in the south of the island.
Its support includes the loan of boats through Ideco, an adapted sailing programme developed with the DISA Foundation, and a technical training programme for competitive sailors funded by the Cabildo’s Sports Department.
For anyone who fancies trying something different from the usual Tenerife beach routine, getting out on the water might not be a bad place to start.