As we have already mentioned in another blog article ("Fuerteventura: interesting for professional athletes"), Fuerteventura gets more and more interesting for amateur and professional athletes.

Now the well-known Challenge Series ("Challenge Roth") expands also to Fuerteventura. Every year they organise the Ultra Distance of the triathlon in Roth (3.8 km swimming, 180 km cycling, 42 km running) - on Fuerteventura there will be the Long Course, that is half of the Ultra Distance.

Fuerteventura thus offers now one more big sport event.

The first triathlon is supposed to take place in the South of Fuerteventura in May 2011.

You will find further info soon on the following web site:www.challenge-fuerteventura.com

Finally Fuerteventura has its own half marathon. On 24 October 2009 the first international half marathon will take place on Fuerteventura.

The venue is very attractive since it forms the extreme contrast to most road races in Germany. According to the website www.extremsport.es, a large part of the race takes place directly in the dunes of Corralejo. Thus it is almost a desert race (apart from the temperatures) and might be very interesting for ambitious runners.

From our point of view the race is only suitable for very well-trained athletes due to the sand dunes. If you have already walked through the sand for a longer time, you will probably be able to relate to that. On the website you can read that the sand is partly hard and partly soft. 

In the evening of the race there will also be a runners' party in the disco Waikiki in Corralejo.

Our conclusion: If the event is well organised, this race could establish itself in the following years. 

You will find further detailed information about Corralejo and the beaches around Corralejo on our website.

Surfing is one of the world's oldest sports activities and is often considered as the origin of all board and glide sports. 

Rightly: Surfing has existed for more than 5,000 years. The origins are found on Hawaii. Surfing was part and parcel of the Hawaiian culture and subject to strict rituals and traditions. Example: They only used special trees for the production of the wooden surfboards. Only kahunas (Hawaiian medicine men) of the tribes were allowed to cave/shape the boards.

Today surfig is known all over the world. Nevertheless it hasn't lost its fascination and closeness to nature. Surfing is still more than a sport, it is a life style shared by millions of people all over the world. They are all connected by the unique experience of gliding along a wall of water and the sensation of being exposed to the forces of nature. The fact that you can hardly describe how surfing really feels and the passion with which you keep looking for the next wave and the next surfing session unites surfers of different skin colours, cultures and religions.

Fuerteventura is considered a relatively new surfing destination. It was only in the 90s that Fuerteventura was discovered for surfing. On the other Canary islands, particularly on Tenerife, is was popular a little earlier. For a long time Fuerteventura had been considered a pure wind surfing spot. Nevertheless it is particularly Fuerteventura, its surfing spots and waves that have given the Canary islands the reputation to be the "Hawaii of Europe". Many beaches and hidden riffs offer different waves and wind conditions and thus perfect waves for beginners and advanced surfers. It is not unusual to have perfect waves completely for oneself since you can only reach many beaches by four by four.

On Fuerteventura the OTRO MODO surf school offers surf camps for beginners and advanced surfers during the whole year. Every day you can go by jeep to that beach on Fuerteventura that offers the best waves for any surf level of the surf students. Thus you also get to know better the landscape and the people. 

Certified surf teachers teach the first take offs in small groups (max. 6 surf students per surf teacher) and turn your top turns into cut backs via video coaching. 

The surf students are accommodated in surf camps since for a relaxed surfing holiday you need a surf camp where you feel good and at home. The surf school offers a neat complex in quiet neighbourhood with swimming pool, restaurants and shops close-by and with just a little distance to the sea so that you can hear the rush of the waves when you get up.

For further information about surfing on Fuerteventura and/or the surf camp on Fuerteventura visit our website www.otro-modo-surfschool.com or the entry in our service provider list (in German language).

Tip: On the blog www.fuerteventura-surfblog.de  (in German language) you will get an impression of how it is to live and work on Fuerteventura.

In the last few years, more and more professional athletes have showed interest in Fuerteventura. In March, for example, the triathlon Olympic champion Jan Frodeno was on Fuerteventura with the national team.

Fuerteventura is also popular with professional athletes from the fields of beach volleyball, cycling and running. 

Particularly in the winter and spring, Fuerteventura is the ideal destination for training camps since the temperature is mild and there is a good infrastructure for sports teams. For example: several hotels have specialised on athletes. Another point is that the traffic in the hinterland is very suitable for doing long bike tours.

But the island is not only interesting for professional athletes. From our experience, we have seen that many hobby runners and cyclists come to Fuerteventura in the winter. Due to the steady weather, they can plan their training better than in the Middle European winter.

Those who would like to plan their own training camp individually and independently from hotels can find a suitable accommodation on our site "Holiday accommodation on Fuerteventura".

Today we present the island Los Lobos as a place of excursions.

The island Los Lobos, mostly just called "Lobos", is situated on the northeast point of Fuerteventura - thus between Fuerteventura (near Corralejo) and Lanzarote. Los Lobos is approx. 4.5 sqkm and was declared "Parque Natural" in 1982.

The island Los Lobos is virtually void (just a few people live on Lobos) and one can hike round the island in a few hours. The hiking tour's most interesting and worth seeing are the sandy bays, small volcano calderas and remnants of so-called salines (factory for the production of salt). 

You will get to the island Los Lobos from the harbour in Corralejo. From there there are regular boat trips to the island. The crossing takes about 15 minutes and costs approx. 10 euros. The times of departure vary and can be checked in the harbour.

Diving area

Between the mainland of Fuerteventura and the island Los Lobos there is a magnificent diving area. The relatively low water depth and the lava caves offer a splendid underwater scenery with different fishes and plants.

Accommodation with view to Lobos:

If you are looking for an accommodation with view to the island Los Lobos, you can find one here on our German Website:

• Apartment Vista Lobos
• Apartment Vista Mar Hoplaco 102
• Apartment Hoplaco II/232
• Holiday flat Vista Lanzarote

Surfing in its original form has been practiced for almost 4,000 years. Through the voyages of the Polynesians, surfing spread to the South Seas and later on to the whole world. 

Surfing is fascinating - there is no doubt about it! It offers the magnificent possibility to leave behind one's hectic life for a moment and just dive into the endless peace and quiet of the sea.

With its endless, sandy beaches, more than 300 sunny days a year, cristal clear water and waves with the rating of "world class", Fuerteventura certainly belongs to Europe's best surfing destinations. A place of contrasts - azure water and white desert sand - mass tourism and the end of the world lie close together. A beauty with rough edges and a place where you can breathe the whiff of adventure every day.

Our tip:
Rapa Nui Surfcamp & School
www.rapanui-surfschool.com

The hiking trail near Vega de Rio Palmas is extremely suitable for hiking aficionados and fans of pure nature. The trail is often said to be the most beautiful on Fuerteventura. 

The path begins in Vega de Rio Palmas and ends in Ajuy. It leads through a little canyon or different barrancos. In the barranco there are numerous palm trees, which form a magnificent scenery. 

The level of difficulty is low. Especially after the trail starts (beginning in Vega de Rio Palmas) it is very even and comfortable. It is also worth just to walk to the former water reserve and then turn back - particularly if you don't want to be exhausted and don't want to walk all the way to Ajuy.

Here a few impressions of the hike:

Here is the starting point of the hike in Vega de Rio Palmas. You can also park your car here:

The first part of the hike leads through the barranco and is very even:

From here it gets a little more challenging - but still very suitable for beginners:

Further detailed information soon under "activities".