Discovering traditional sports
In the Canary Islands, traditional sports based on ancestral traditions abound. And during a trip to the archipelago, it's unthinkable not to take part in these typically island activities.
Canarian wrestling(lucha canaria) is certainly the most famous. Originating in the countryside, Canarian wrestling is an ancestral native sport still rooted in local culture. Two teams of twelve wrestlers compete in matches, defending the colors of their island. However, bregas (matches/meetings) involve only two wrestlers. In a 10 m sand-covered circle, the wrestler who knocks down his opponent twice in less than three minutes wins the match. Competitions take place at weekends and during local festivals, and are not to be missed if you get the chance! The best teams are in Tenerife and La Palma, and these competitions are advertised on posters. Tourist offices can also provide information.
Canarian boule(bola canaria) is very similar to pétanque as played in France: the aim is to show skill in approaching a target called a boliche or mingue. Each team's boules are of different colors and always twelve in number. A Canarian federation officially regulates the dimensions of the game elements and their surroundings.
The Canarian stick game(juego del palo canario), similar to fencing, is said to be of Guanche origin, and to have originated in the struggles that could arise between shepherds over the occupation of disputed areas. Over time, this approach evolved into sports disciplines, as well as practices such as territory defense by individuals capable of wielding a fighting object. Today, competitions are organized to showcase the sport's liveliness and choreography. The stick in question must be between 1.20 and 1.80 m tall.
The shepherd's jump (salto del pastor) is an exercise that had nothing to do with sport in the first place. Shepherds had to cope with steep, jagged terrain, and used a stick (usually made of Canary Island pine and reinforced at the end with iron or, better still, steel) to move from rock to rock. Today, this spectacular discipline is purely recreational.
Latin sailing(vela latina) is a maritime sport in which a canoe, generally 6.50 m long and with a triangular sail measuring 32 m², moves through the water. Extremely demanding, this discipline is attracting more and more enthusiasts to the islands. Crews comprise a maximum of 8 to 12 people. Regattas are regularly organized.
Other purely island sports can also be seen during your stay, mainly during festivities. These include plough lifting(levantamiento del arado), which, as the name suggests, involves using both strength and skill to lift this agricultural instrument; stone lifting(levantamiento de piedra), which originated with stone workers and has evolved over time into a sporting event; finally, cattle driving(arrastre de ganado) consists in forcing cows or oxen to pull loads of between 600 and 1,100 kg, all along a 50-meter track in a maximum of 4 minutes, with the herdsman guiding the team with an approved stick.
At sea or under the sea, sensations guaranteed!
The seven islands of the Canary Islands all offer different conditions, but they are obviously deeply oriented towards the sea.
Funboarding and windsurfing. For funboarding, as well as for classic windsurfing and sport sailing, the best wind conditions are found in the south of Tenerife, in the south and southwest of Gran Canaria, as well as in Fuerteventura and Lanzarote. In Lanzarote, the trade winds blow from May to September. In Fuerteventura, it blows mainly from April to September.
The most famous place is Sotavento, very well known as a speed spot, as many records have been achieved there. Gran Canaria is not to be outdone: a seven-time world champion comes from Pozo Izquierdo, near El Doctoral, but you can also rent windsurfing boards in Puerto Rico, where the island's sailing and windsurfing school is located, as well as in San Agustín and Puerto de Mogán. The undisputed paradise for windsurfers is Fuerteventura, with the huge sandy beaches of Morro Jable in the south and Corralejo in the north, not to mention the Playa del Castillo in El Cotillo, in the northwest. Similar conditions can be found on some of the beaches of Lanzarote, in particular Playa de los Pocillos, between Arrecife and Puerto del Carmen.
Surfing, bodyboarding and kitesurfing. Surfing and even more so bodyboarding are practiced by both Canarians and tourists, especially on the vast beach of Famara in the northwest of Lanzarote. For many, the Canary Islands are a true surfing paradise and some even call islands like Lanzarote the "European Hawaii". Surfing can be practiced all year round, but the best time is from September to the end of February. After that, the wind is less reliable and the islands are no longer surf destinations in their own right. However, they become kitesurfing destinations from March-April until the end of August! In Tenerife, the most popular spot is the beach of El Medano, in the south, where the windsurfing and surfing schools of the island are located. The wind is present almost all year round. However, the northeast trade wind, which is the dominant wind, is a little weaker in winter.
Diving. The volcanic bottoms of the Canary Islands are less colorful than the coral reefs of the West Indies and Polynesia, but they still offer the diver a very rich fauna. You can discover it on all the islands, although diving is less practiced on the coast of La Gomera. Among the most famous sites are Las Galletas (south of Tenerife), where you can find large rays and maybe sea turtles, and the south of Del Hierro, where you can find the greatest variety of landscapes and underwater species.
On land too, active vacations
Back on the mainland, the relief of the Canary Islands offers a playground without equal.
Canyoning in the barrancos. For the canyoning direction Tenerife, in particular in the innumerable barrancos of the south of the island. The descent of these canyons by abseiling on ropes is quite accessible to beginners: the initiation of novices is most often done in the upper part of the Barranco del Agua, whose descent takes half a day.
In winter, as for all the barrancos of the island, these gorges are invaded by beautiful waterfalls, and the descent is done in combination. In summer, we will be satisfied with the refreshing splashes of the runoff and some pools sheltered from the sun by the shade of the walls. We will be surprised by the abundance of vegetation at the bottom of the barranco, before going back up to the starting point, a little longer than the first trip.
The more experienced can also try the descent of the Carrizales which, from the heights of the Teno massif to the sea, lasts a whole day and reaches its climax in an abseiling of a hundred meters!
Hiking and climbing. Hiking opportunities are particularly numerous on the more mountainous islands. Tenerife and La Palma, as well as La Gomera and El Hierro have many marked trails, especially in the national parks.
Cycling and mountain biking. The Canary Islands will not disappoint cyclists: there are many possibilities for cycling, especially on the lower islands - which does not mean without relief - that are Fuerteventura and Lanzarote. More than the roads, it is the unpaved tracks that will delight mountain bikers. In some of the resorts you will find bike rental companies, mainly for mountain bikes.
In the air, long live extreme sports!
You can go hiking, canyoning or mountain biking, but you can also take your adrenalin levels up a notch with extreme sports.
Rope jumping. The coastline of the Canary Islands (especially Gran Canaria and Tenerife) provides numerous spots for jumping from volcanic cliffs, bridges or precipices. The highest being up to 80 m, they attract jumpers from all over the world, who can practice their sport all year round thanks to a temperate climate and pleasant water temperature.
There are four spots on Gran Canaria: the easiest, Jump el Horno, jumps over the Caidero Oscuro ravine; El Guincho, 10 minutes from Las Palmas, is one of the island's most spectacular jumps in a narrow cove; the Chira dam; and El Berriel, located in the ravine of the same name, is the highest on Gran Canaria.
On Tenerife, there are five: Araya is the easiest, with a drop of around 30-35 m between vertical walls; Piedra Hincada, near Playa San Juan, is the favorite of experienced jumpers who jump from a bridge; Valle Tabares is a demanding spot on the flanks of the Anaga massif; Palm-Mar is a 40 m jump from the cliff; finally Jóver, another jump from a 30 m cliff.
Please note that it is necessary to contact an authorized local company and check weather and sea conditions beforehand.
Paragliding. Flying over volcanoes and coastlines can be a great experience, and can be done from almost any island. Here are a few of the most popular spots.
On Lanzarote, from October to March, you can take off from the rocks of Famara, in the north of the island, for a spectacular view of the cliffs leading to the Mirador del Río.
In La Palma, there are two spots: Puerto Naos on the west side of the island is the most popular, and Puntallana on the north-east side offers panoramic views.
Tenerife has 3 spots: Taucho, in the Adeje mountains, is reserved for the most experienced and offers spectacular views. Izaña, which takes off from the Teide National Park, is considered one of the best in Europe. Finally, the municipality of Realejos is home to the La Corona spot.
Gran Canaria has two spots: Los Giles, the busiest and easiest, offers flights over Las Palmas; Las Coloradas, in the north-west of the island, offers long flights over the bay of El Confital. Finally, El Hierro offers various flights from Dos Hermanas, and La Gomera has a spot at Hermiga, in the north of the island.
