ERICEIRA SURF CLUBE
ERICEIRA
PORTUGAL
Ericeira Surf Clube took its first steps in 1992, through an Installing Commission, formalizing its constitution as a non-profit Sports Association, on September 23, 1993. Its main objectives are to form, promote, participate, publicize and organize events Surfing, namely Surf, Bodyboard, Stand Up Paddle, Skimboard, Longboard, Skate, Bodysurf, Kayaksurf, Waveski, Kneeboard, Kitesurf, Tow-In, Windsurf or Paddle.
It develops its activity in accordance with the principles of sustainable development, supporting, executing and sponsoring programs, initiatives and actions in the following areas: Sport; Scientific research and innovation; Education and citizenship; Qualification and professional training; Health and wellness; Entrepreneurship and employment; Social security and assistance; Culture and development of the arts; Environment and sustainability; Natural, historical, architectural and urban heritage; Patronage and philanthropy or Cooperation and internationalization.
In the first years there was a first focus on the organization and support of the Inter-Partner Circuit, in the modalities of Surf and Bodyboard, consisting of 3/4 stages, covering various age groups; participating in regional and national inter-club competitions; in the training of technicians and judges; in the organization and co-organization of stages of the European Surfing Circuit (EPSA), of stages of the National Surfing, Bodyboard and Longboard Circuits and in the creation of Ericeira’s 1st Surfing and Bodyboarding School, promoting the practice of these modalities through partnerships in the secondary schools and, in recent years, the growing number of surfers who, year after year, have multiplied their search for Ericeira to enjoy its world-famous waves.
In the following decade, he cemented his participation in many activities, highlighting the improvement of the organizational structure, which has always been present in the co-organization of various stages of the National, Pro-Junior and World Surfing Circuits and Billabong Girls. Of a social nature, it organized 2 Surf Biennials with the themes “The History of Surf” and “The Schools”, provided the baptism of Surf to students from primary schools in the region, to soap opera actors who were recorded in Ericeira, was represented at Nauticampo and the O’Leron International Fair, France
In the last decade, Ericeira has become a true World Surf City. Thousands of surfers come to surf our waves – for many the coast of Ericeira has the best and highest concentration of wave quality in Europe, many companies related to the industry have established themselves here and opened new businesses, the number of Surf Shops and surfboard producers also grew. However, the biggest growth was in Local Accommodation, specific to receive surfers and Surf Schools. Surfing became Ericeira’s main economic engine.
It was the recognized quality of our waves, the support and commitment of the community and local public authorities that motivated in 2011, the attribution, by the North American organization, Save The Waves Coalition, of the “Ericeira World Surfing Reserve” Award, where 4 km of the coast and 7 of its waves are now recognized worldwide and deserve even greater attention and protection. The celebration of the 10th anniversary of the awarding of this Award was the basis for our Club to apply for and see the ERICEIRA WSR + 10 Project approved, by the Erasmus + Sport Program of the European Commission.
In competitive terms and events, we continue to bet on the Intersocial Surfing and Bodyboard Circuits, seeking to carry out their stages when the weather and sea conditions are more favorable, we started to be consistent in participating in the Surfing Cup of Portugal, culminating with their organization in 2018 and 2019, in which all records of attendance of Clubs and Athletes were broken.
We are also the current Absolute Bi-Champions and in the Surf modality, in addition to several of our Athletes being also champions at the individual level. We also bet on the organization of stages of the National Circuits of Bodyboard Open and Hopes, Longboard, SUP Wave, Skimboard or Waveski. Since 2014 we have also promoted one of the national finals of the National Surfing Hope Circuit, with a special focus on SUB 18, where several of our Athletes have obtained national titles.
We also promote 7 consecutive editions of the Austrian Champs between 2013 and 2019 and the 1st Surf Championship in Afghanistan.
Our Training School currently has about 50 students always accompanied by certified technicians. We provide boards, wetsuits and other equipment. We seek to share good emotions, encourage young students, monitor and improve their development and performance at sea, also seeking to participate in their training and personal development. We also support several projects for competition coaches. The School has also been the basis for the application, with the recognized success, of several social programs – Surfing4Family, Surfing4Inclusion, Surfing4All, Surfing4Citizenship, Surf2Win.
In recent years we have had some awards in this area, such as Best Idea, through the “Surfing4Citizenship” Project, in Program 50 by 50 of the High Commissioner for Migration and in 2020 we won the Capacitar Award, given by Banco BPI / Fundação La Caixa.
In the last years we have been the Club in Portugal with more athletes registered in the Portuguese Surfing Federation.
Institutionally, we have been present at world meetings of the World Surf Cities Network; we are members of the Municipal Councils of Tourism and the World Surfing Reserve, guardians of the Ericeira World Surfing Reserve and present at several meetings and debates on the theme of surfing. Socially these last few years have been very important because we have been developing applications and projects in order to re-equip ourselves to develop training, education, inclusive and senior projects. We are also involved as strategic partners in the development of a new teaching methodology in the educational cycle of the 2nd cycle, in a program for people with disabilities.
At the individual level, our athletes are naturally the greatest exponent of Tiago Pires. Considered by all as the best Portuguese surfer of all time, who managed over the 7 years of the World Tour, to authentically “stick” a whole surfer community to the computer screens to watch their performances live, having also been a national champion in all ranks of Esperanças, Junior European champion and runner-up Junior World champion, winner of several stages of the WQS and the Pro League. Others such as José Gregório, Amílcar Lourenço, Miguel Fortes, Tomás Fernandes, Pedro Tavares, Filipe Valadão, Ana Sarmento , Rui Henriques, Carina Duarte, Henrique Pyrrait, Pedro Rua, Martim Carrasco, Afonso Antunes, Kika Veselko, Concha Balsemão, Francisco Queimado or Gabriel Ribeiro in the surf, Tiago Ventura, Filipa Mansura, Filipe Henriques, Filipe Raposo, Nuno Silva, Paulo Reis , Sérgio Reis, Marta Leitão, André Alves, João Guedes, Filipa Broeiro, Mauro Bandeiras or Mafalda Martinho on Bodyboard; Gustavo Froufe, Manuela Gonçalves, Filipa and Sebastião Tavares on Longboard, or the Abrantes brothers on Skimboard have been marking the history of surfing in Ericeira. We also highlight the high and recognized national and international quality of our Judges, in which Michel Amaro, Nuno Trigo and Kika Mata stand out.
Notable moments in the early years of Surfing in Ericeira
• 1968 – 1st filming of surfers in the sea of Ericeira – Praia dos Pescadores
• 1977 – 1st Championship of Portugal, Ribeira d’Ilhas
• 1985 – 1st local Surf and Bodyboard Championship, Moita
• 1986 – 1st Championship of Portugal of Bodyboard, Ribeira d’Ilhas;
• 1989 – 1st Big Waves Championship, in Coxos
• 1989 – 1st ASP World Championship, in Ribeira d’Ilhas
• 1990 – 2nd ASP World Championship, in Ribeira d’Ilhas
• 1993 – Stage of the European Surfing Circuit (EPSA)
• 1993 – Stage of the European Professional Bodyboard Circuit
• 1995 – Ericeira Surf Clube opens its Training School – the 1st in Ericeira
