PaddleBoard at the Barceloneta is a contrast between the Mediterranean and the city

Andreína Peñaloza | Nov 06, 2017

Doing PaddleBoard is always an experience filled with hoy and fun. It is simple and complex at the same time. You go through the sea on a board with a row and there are different levels of difficulty. For this reason, I knew I had to try some PaddleSurf at the heart of the capital on my last trip to Barcelona, on the Mediterranean.

At the “Barceloneta” (a very busy zone in BCN) there are different Stand Up PaddleBoard centers. I decided to jump on it with “Molokai SUP Center”  a school that has been at this spot for more than three years.

The directos is“Miquel Roigé”, whom had the idea to put an integral PaddleSurf center in the middle of the town. As an athlete, he has had long and successful experience in different SUP, Surf and Snowboard modalities; all of it in and out of Spain. These more than 15 years as a sportsman have made him into a manager of his own school in a remarkable way, with a lot of ethic and enthusiasm.

Philosophy of Molokai SUP

It is about teaching and people practicing SUP consciously, especially in matters of safety. For this reason, they do not rent boards to people without experience at the club. They demand at least one hour of class, which can be received in Molokai  or previously in any other school in BCN or the world.

Aside from the logistical issues, the philosophy is to provide with good service and gain more adepts to the sport. “I like that people can disconnect here”, Miquel commented. He likes that people have the chance to reconnect with themselves, together with nature, for an active meditation with the sea as a tool for freedom in the middle of a city as busy as Barcelona.

Molokai SUP Center for BCN locals:

This club is looking to facilitate the practice of this sport to people. Therefore, those that live in the city can leave their boards at Molokai  and pick it up from 6:30 to 22:00, with dressing rooms and shower service. Thinking in those than practice before or after their work hours. Furthermore, whomever wishes to enjoy this modality but does not have their own board yet, can opt for a “membership” in order to rent all the equipment owned by the school. Including rows and even skate boards. They can every day and practice for an hour the different modalities of this sport.

Social Activities:

Molokai organizes events constantly: To watch the sunrise, nocturnal meetings with the full moon and other programs so that partners of the school can get to know each other and share in their passion for SUP.This includes tours to lakes and rivers, doing special routes outside the city of Barcelona. Aside from excursions to other countries like Portugal and Morocco.

Training out of the water:

They are called “dry trainings” and they look for strengthening the muscles in order to be able to resist more at SUP. Asides from improving the balance with functional exercises, which are very important for this sport. They do 2 hours of these trainings per week, including CorssFit at the beach. All with the purpose of improving resistance and body awareness.

For the Catalan Miquel Roigé, Mediterranean Paradise is doing PaddleBoard, because it tends to be a flat sea and with Little wind and a good swell to surf.

 

 

If you live in Barcelona or will be coming soon for a vacation, I recommend that you see the sundown from the calmness of the sea in one of my favorite cities in Europe. For me, it was a beautiful experience, filled with good vibes, that you can find at the “Calle de Meer 39”.

See you soon! Aloha