"Island of champions" is probably the best way to describe Gran Canaria from a windsurfing perspective. Björn, Britt and Liam Dunkerbeck, Iballa and Daida Ruano Moreno and Philip Köster - who all grew up on Gran Canaria - have almost 100 world championship titles between them. The island's main spot, Pozo Izquierdo, is world-famous and loved and hated in equal measure by Worldcuppers, who have been competing at the spot for over 30 years. The ambience takes some getting used to, the entry over the rolling lava boulders is challenging and the wind - let's say - very strong. As in Sotavento, the trade wind is also extremely strong on the east coast of Gran Canaria. Here it is the guard rail effect that accelerates the air up to 50 knots. However, this only works very locally.
Just a few kilometres south of Pozo there is often a lull in the summer. The spots to the north of Pozo - Arinaga, Vargas or Ojos de Garza - also benefit from the strengthening, but not as much, so that they often become a refuge when even the smallest sails in Pozo can no longer be held. In the winter months, when the trade wind blows more from an easterly direction, the picture changes. Then the southern spots Bahia Feliz and Playa Aguila, where record world champion Dunkerbeck runs his surf centre, come to life.
Like Tenerife, Gran Canaria is also very mountainous, which means that it rains more frequently, especially in the north, and presents a blossoming natural landscape. In the south, however, around the tourist stronghold of Maspalomas, beach holidaymakers can expect a dry dune landscape.
Spot Guide Gran Canaria
1 Pozo Izquierdo
The bay has become world-famous thanks to the spectacular images of the World Cup, which has been held at the spot just a few kilometres south of the airport for over 30 years. A good infrastructure has developed over the years. There are large car parks right by the water, surf shops and schools, grandstands and affordable accommodation at the Centro Internacional de Windsurfing. What hasn't changed is the challenging entry over the dark lava stones at high tide and wave. The spot has two faces: if there is no ocean swell, Pozo is rather flat even when there is a lot of wind. The short attack surface of the locally stronger wind only creates small, choppy waves, especially at low tide. However, when a swell meets the strong wind, the waves can get really big and turn the spot into a big-air arena. As the wind comes diagonally onshore, riding waves downwind is rather difficult and requires a sophisticated technique. This is better at Mosca Point and in Salinas at the northern and southern tip of the bay.
2 Bahia de Formas
Just a little north of Pozo, on the southern edge of Arinaga, lies Bahia de Formas: "This is our speed, slalom and beginner spot," says Björn Dunkerbeck. The spot remains largely flat due to the protective breakwater of Arinaga, so that you can chase your personal speed record. The wind blows slightly weaker than in Pozo, diagonally offshore. The entrance is mostly covered with gravel and the standing area is just a few metres. There is no surfing infrastructure, but you can park directly on the beach.
3 Vargas
Philip Köster grew up in the only house on the long beach of Vargas and matured into a five-time wave world champion. "Vargas is one of the alternative spots to Pozo in summer. The wind is usually a few knots weaker than in Pozo and the waves are usually better at low tide," says Björn Dunkerbeck. Vargas is one of the longest beaches in the east and is littered with pebbles, but there are also sandy sections. The waves can be even bigger than in Pozo when there is a swell. Without swell, Vargas also offers bump and jump conditions. The northern part is reserved for bathers, in the middle the windsurfers go straight from the car park onto the water and in the southern part the kiters cavort. The wind blows sideshore to cross onshore from the left. There is no windsurfing infrastructure.
4 Playa Aguila
In summer, the north-east trade wind blows past the small settlement off San Augustin a few kilometres off the coast. In winter, when the trade wind blows further east, freeriders find relaxed conditions with sideshore winds in front of the Dunkerbeck surf centre and apartment complex. The dark sandy beach with pebbles slopes relatively flat and waves rarely break here. There are a limited number of parking spaces directly at the spot.
Dunki's alternatives:"In the winter months, there is a spot in the north, a little to the west of San Andres.El Paso (5)"The spot works when the wind is very easterly, but much weaker than in the east. The spot works with very easterly winds, which are much weaker than at the spots in the east." A spot for big wave specialists. Björn also recommends another wave spot with a very trashy atmosphere. "Ojos de Garza (6) is located directly north of the airport. There are often bigger waves here than in Pozo, especially when the trade winds are more northerly. However, the sails here are always about one square metre larger than in Pozo. If you want to learn to surf or windsurf, you should visit our Dunkerbeck Surf School atPlaya de Ingles (7) come."
Further spot guides to the Canary Islands:
