Surfing Blue Week | A coast for surfers

Blue week is a week of beginner surf lessons on the beach of Somo-Loredo (Cantabria) and includes a series of environmental awareness work shops.

An agreement was reached between the local council of Ribamontán al Mar and the Spanish Ministry of Education to promote the sport of Surfing in the region of Cantabria.  An integral part of this promotion is the “Blue week of surf”, which is aimed at  teaching the sport of surfing to schools, companies, clubs and/or any other such collective. These groups will be accommodated and be given surfing lessons in the hotels and beaches of Ribamontán al Mar. As well as surfing, other sporting and environmental activities will be available.

During the academic year 2010 several schools from Madrid, Catalonia, Cantabria and Castile and Leon have taken an active part in the first year of this programme making it an outstanding success. 

The “blue week of surf” consists of, three to five surf  lessons on one of Ribamontans beaches and an optional environmental orientated work shop.

General objectives:

• To promote and encourage participation in the sport of surfing, placing an emphasis on its use of the ocean and its place as an environmentally friendly and dependent sport.
• To provide our youth with a healthy, dynamic, competitive and truly fun sporting alternative.
• To teach an invaluable lesson on beach safety that can later be applied to any beach in the world.

• Schools, Colleges and Universities.
• Clubs and Associations.
• Companies that could benefit and bond from a “team building” experience.

Schools will be able to tailor  their “blue week”. Surf  lessons will take place on Somo beach, three, four or five lessons depending on the length of stay.  A wide selection of accommodation will be available depending on your budget. A selection of campings, youth hostels, specialised surf resorts and hotels can all be found in  Ribamontán al Mar.

All equipment and coaching for the surf lessons provided by the local council will be contracted from accredited local surf schools. The lessons will be organised and coached by experienced  surf coaches, who are licensed both as surf instructors and life guards.

All accredited  Ribamontán Surf Schools comply with the following requisites:

• Federated professional surf coaches. All coaches must hold  the correct diplomas laid out by the Cantabrian Surf  Federation (F.C.S).
• All surf schools must be registered with and comply to all standards set by the Ministry of Tourism of Cantabria.
• A maximum ratio of 8 pupils per instructor must be upheld in order to provide a high level of  instruction. Environmental work shops  as well as lectures in the history and culture of  surfing in Spain are also available.

• When and where: The surf  lessons will take place on Somo-Loredo beach (Cantabria).
• Dates:March  to October 2011.

Organised by:  

The Ministry of Industry, Ministry of Tourism and Commerce, Government of Cantabria and the Council of  Ribamontán Al Mar.