Sport in Tenerife

Canarian wrestling is practiced on the island, and may be compared to other forms of western African wrestling such as Senegalese wrestling. The fight takes place in a circle, usually on sand, and the two fighters face each other and wrestle until one is felled. There are 26 fighters in Tenerife. The island has numerous teams including two German women's wrestling teams and a league organized by the island institutions, federations and clubs with 24 schools participating in wrestling.^[1]

The game of palo canario ("juego del palo") is a martial art that is practiced between two players who go into battle using sticks without actually making contact with the body of the adversary. The origin of the game was a method of warfare used by early settlers to ward off invaders and was not intended for leisure.

Tenerife has several notable Palo canario clubs:^[2] Club-Escuela Acosta de los Campitos, Club-Escuela Las Mercedes, Club-Escuela Maragat, Club-Escuela Tagoror Chiregua, Club-Grupo Bijache de Arafo, Club-Grupo Chimenchia Las Canteras, Club-Grupo Hirgwan.

Similar to the French game of boules, bola canaria is a sport that basically consists of gaining points by bowling balls as close to an object as possible. It is played on a rectangular field of sand or soil between 18 and 25 m in length and a width of between 3.5 and 6 m. In Paris, there are some thirty teams that are organized into three categories (first, second and second B). In the third week of August there is a special independent competition when teams can be mixed.^[3]

On the island there are also sports events related to rural areas, primitive sports such as the lifting of stones and the carrying of livestock, the latter which has an official tournament organized by the Asociación Canaria de Arrastre.^[4] In April, there is a rural sports exhibition for the whole Canaries usually held in Tegueste.

The island lies in an ideal location for water sports due to its climate and location^{[citation needed]}.

Stand up pedal boarding is a new type of surf provided in Tenerife at Las Vistas beach in Los Cristianos. The Pedal board is powered by the legs and the steering control on the handlebar. It does not require seats, paddles or overboard splashes. It has a stable and dynamic design, and offers an alternative to known types of surfs, like SUP and Hawaiian surf.

On the island traditional surfing is practiced, as is windsurfing, and the latest, kitesurfing. The island has ten schools and several courses devoted to learning these sports. The main areas for the practice of these disciplines are at El Médano, Playa de Las Américas, the coast of Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Güímar, the coasts of Valle de La Orotava, and especially at Playa del Socorro in Los Realejos. Some of them have been held several Grand Slam contests for the World Cup in the disciplines of "waves", "slalom" and "race courses".

As with surfing and windsurfing, there are many diving schools and clubs throughout the coast of Tenerife. On the island there are up to thirty areas for diving where it is possible not only to discover interesting marine flora and fauna, but also in some places to explore the wrecks of sunken ships. Among the best places for diving are Las Galletas, Playa Paraíso and the Punta de la Rasca al Sur, as well as Garachico, Puerto de la Cruz or the Punta de Teno al Norte.^[5] The presence of species such as turtles, a permanent colony of pilot whales, and the existence of the bottlenose dolphin means that diving is never done alone.

Swimming is one of the most practiced sports on the island, either in pools or on the shores of the island. There is not only swimming, but water polo, with the Club Natación Martiánez which competes in the National Spanish Water Polo League, synchronized swimming, and long distance "open water" swimming. In Tenerife, there are six teams in the swimming federation:^[6] C.N. Teneteide, C.N Alameda, C.N. Echeyde, C.D. Teimar, C.N. Tenerife Masters and C.N Martiánez.

Tenerife is ideally placed in the centre of the Canary Islands to offer all types of water sports such as sailing, motor cruising and powerboating. Chartering a yacht, or joining a sailing course, enables one to explore the unspoilt areas of Tenerife as well as further afield to other islands such as La Gomera, La Palma and Gran Canaria. Official competitions exist in regards to boating which include the Vellatina, Laser', Snipe, Crucero and the Optimist, for example. Some events are held purely for competitors on the island, while others feature competition from throughout the Canary Islands, Spain, or even internationally. The first ever RYA (Royal Yachting Association) overseas training centre Club Sail was established on the island and still offers training in all types of boating. There are also various sport fishing clubs that exist on the island and a championship of offshore fishing.^[7]

In another sense, sports such as skydiving and paragliding play an important role.^[8] The Festival Internacional de Parapente (International Festival of Paragliding) (FLYPA) is held in Los Realejos. There are more than 40 places on the island which are used for these aerial sports.