Alex García Borau
Former player and coordinator of RCD Espanyol’s grassroots soccer. Initially
Passion for surfing Helena Ribas, espai de Mar
- #5/2023, Sport
Helena defines herself as a girl of the sea.
And when you are born in Barceloneta and learn to walk practically on the sand of the beach, it is easy to get hooked on the saltpetre and, in her case, to become passionate about surfing.
I fell in love with surfing. It was a crush. But it was not easy because here I had no group. So, at the age of 20 I went to a “Surf Camp” in Salinas (Asturias). I loved it.
But the Cantabrian is not the Mediterranean.
Here there are a lot fewer days of waves and it is necessary to alternate them with paddle surfing. Too bad, but it’s better than nothing.
The one in Asturias was the first of many trips in search of waves.
Asturias, Canary Islands, Portugal, Indonesia, Bali, Mexico, Cuba, Morocco, Panama or, among others, Sri Lanka. A paradise destination where you meet some curious natives who have adopted their own surfing look. Extremely curious.
Surfing is the perfect excuse to get to know all these paradises.
The best thing is the cultural differences, languages and people you meet. In addition to the natural environment that surrounds you, where for example you can surf with sharks or in Panama between crocodiles. These are life experiences that have given me a lot, like, very much, at all levels.
And then comes the return to Barcelona, to the Mediterranean, with its few days of waves…
But in an exciting professional project. At Espai de Mar I experience the sea all the time, trying to transmit my passion to people of all ages and levels who visit us.
Why is surfing not just a sporting activity?
It is much more. It is a lifestyle. It’s values such as respect, companionship, love for the sea and in general for nature, patience … Values that are as or more important than standing on the board.
Is it possible to surf all year long?
In summer it is less likely, but in winter there are more days of waves. However, Espai de Mar is open all year round. We receive schools that come to do extracurricular or physical education classes, organizations and companies that organize teambuilding activities, and so on and so forth…
Bringing surfing to everyone.
And especially to the youngest. For example, the Schools in the Sea program contemplates that each school will do a week of surfing, paddle surfing and environmental education with us. In our Casal de Verano we have about 60 children per day, and we also organize Casals for Christmas and Easter.
It’s a good thing we don’t have much wave …
Barcelona sells more wetsuits than anywhere else in Europe. A fact that demonstrates the follow-up of these activities that exist in our city.
Well then, shaka and great wave, Helena.
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